Download Sociology Chapter 1: The Sociological Point of View

Social Structure
Exchange
Happens whenever an interaction between people
occurs
Reciprocity
Getting something in return when you give
something
Leads to the “Exchange Theory”
People interact with each other in order to get
something
Ever stop trying to be friends with someone who
didn’t try back?
Competition
When more than 1 person tries to get something that
only 1 can have.
Viewed as mostly positive in western society.
Conflict
Defeating an opponent with the use of some kind of
force.
Cooperation
People working together to accomplish something
Accommodation
Give and take
State of balance between cooperation and conflict
4 types
Compromise
Truce
Mediation
Arbitration

Durkheim maintained that preindustrial
societies are held together by mechanical
solidarity.


People share same values
Organic solidarity

Impersonal social relationships
Ferdinand Tonnies
Gemeinschaft
German for ‘community’
most members know each other
close, personal relationships
similar to mechanical solidarity
Gesellschaft
German for ‘society’
relationships are needs based
impersonal and temporary
similar to organic solidarity
What is a group?
1. must be at least 2 people
2. must be some kind of interaction
3. set of shared expectations
4. some sense of common identity
What if one or more of the qualifications are
missing?
You have an aggregate.
How do Sociologists group people?
By putting them into “social categories”
They do this by asking three basic questions:
1. How often does the group meet?
2. Is it a formal or informal group?
3. How large is the group?
A 2 person group is a dyad
A 3 person group is a triad
A ‘small group’ is made up of 4 to 15
Primary Groups
Small group with long-term, intimate and
informal relationships
Secondary Groups
Large groups with formal, impersonal and
short-term relationships
Reference Groups
A group that a person identifies with and
adopts the values of
Important because of effects on behavior
Ingroup
The group which a person identifies most
Outgroup
The group which a person does not identify
with
E-Communities
People interact online
Facebook, MySpace, etc…
Max Weber’s Model of
Beauracracies:
Division of Labor
Ranking of Authority
Formal Qualifications
Rules and regulations
Formal lines of
promotion
Criticisms of Bureaucracies
They become self-perpetuating
“The Peter Principle”
Employees are promoted to their level of
incompetence.
Red Tape
Result in oligarchies
“Parkinson’s Law”
work expands to fill time available
AMERICAN
JAPANESE
Average of 3 years at a job
Expect quick promotions
Office workers specialize
Formal written rules
Most decisions are made at
upper levels
Americans like to ‘pass the
buck’
Little corporate care for
workers
Guaranteed lifetime job
Promotions/evaluations
may take up to 10 years
Office workers do not
specialize
“Corporate Culture”
Decisions can involve 80
people
Workers share collectively
in blame/success
Like extended families