Download Sociology Ch. 4 S. 2

Sociology Ch. 4 S. 2: Types of Social Interaction
Obj: identify the most common types of social ________________; distinguish
between types of interactions that ______________ social structure and those that can
______________ it.
When you play a role, most of the time you have to interact with __________. This
interaction can take many forms. Some kinds of interaction help ______________
the social structure. Others promote change. Among the most common forms of
social interaction are exchange, competition, conflict, cooperation, and
accommodation. These ____________ types of interaction take place in societies
throughout the world.
Exchange
Whenever people interact in an effort to receive a reward or a return for their actions,
an _________________ has taken place. Almost all daily interaction involves
exchange. In fact, scholar Peter Blau suggested that exchange is the most basic and
common form of interaction. Dating, family life, friendship, and politics all involve
exchanges. _________________ -the idea that if you do something for someone,
that person owes you something in return-is the basis of exchange. The reward
might be nonmaterial. For example, a simple “thank you" from your parents might be
a reward for washing the dishes. The __________ could also be material, such as
the wage you might receive for working at a supermarket.
The volume of exchange in daily interactions has led to the emergence of an
_______________ theory. Exchange theorists believe that people are motivated by
self-interest in their interactions with other people. In other words, people do things
primarily for rewards. Behavior that is rewarded tends to be repeated. However,
when the costs of an interaction ______________ the rewards, individuals are likely
to end the relationship. According to exchange theorists, most of social life can be
explained as the attempt to maximize rewards while _________________ costs.
Competition
Imagine that you have applied for an after-school job at a local _________. When you
arrive for your _____________, you find that you are competing with several other
applicants for the job. Competition occurs when two or more people or groups
oppose each other to achieve a __________ that only one can attain.
_________________ is a common feature of Western societies. Some scholars
consider it to be the cornerstone of the ________________ economic system and
the democratic form of government. Advancement in business, school, and sports is
achieved through competition. As long as competition follows accepted rules of
conduct, most sociologists view it as a positive means of motivating people to
perform the roles society asks of them. On the ______________ side, competition
can also lead to psychological stress, a lack of cooperation in social relationships,
inequality, and even conflict.
Conflict
The main emphasis in competition is on achieving the ___________. With conflict the
emphasis is on defeating the opponent. ___________________ is the deliberate
attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone, or to harm another person.
Unlike competition, conflict has ________ rules of conduct, and even these often are
ignored. Conflict may range from the deliberate snubbing of a classmate to the killing
of an enemy.
Sociologist Georg Simmel identified four ____________ of conflict: wars,
disagreements within groups, legal disputes, and clashes over ideology, such as
religion or politics. Sometimes conflicts begin as competition. ___________
businesses may first engage in intense competition for customers. However, as the
competition increases, the emphasis shifts from attracting customers to undermining
the other business. One business may sell merchandise well below cost to try to
force the other business into _________________.
Although we tend to think of conflict as _____________, some sociologists have
pointed out that conflict serves some useful purposes. For example, conflict
__________________ group boundaries and strengthens group loyalty by focusing
attention on an outside threat. Focusing on an outside threat also draws attention
away from internal problems. In addition, conflict can also lead to social
______________ by bringing problems to the forefront and forcing opposing sides to
seek solutions.
Cooperation
The members of a _________________ team work together to win a game. The pep
club, school band, and student body also contribute to this effort by encouraging the
team. If, in the end, the team takes a trophy, it will be through the shared efforts of
the entire school. Similarly, the employees of a corporation work together to increase
_____________ for the organization. If their efforts are successful, everyone
benefits. In both of these examples, the people involved are cooperating to achieve a
desired goal. ______________________ occurs when two or more people or groups
work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person.
Cooperation is a social _______________ that gets things done. No group can
complete its tasks or achieve its goals without cooperation from its members.
Cooperation is often used along with other forms of _________________.
Competition may be used along with cooperation to motivate members to work
harder for the group. For example, individuals who go out for a team sport often
compete with one another to make the _______________ team.
Accommodation
In many of your interactions, you neither cooperate nor ____________ in conflict. You
simply accommodate the other party in the interaction. In other words, you give a
little, and you take a little. __________________ is a state of balance between
cooperation and conflict. One way to remember this type of interaction is by thinking
about staying at a motel. The owner of the motel is accommodating you by letting
you stay for the night in exchange for $60. If the owner were cooperating with you,
you would be able to stay for free. On the other hand, if the owner refused to let you
stay under any condition, you would be in a conflict ___________________.
Accommodation can take a number of different ____________. One of these forms is
____________________. A compromise occurs when two parties both give up
something to come to a mutual agreement. For example, you and a friend want to
see different movies. To compromise, you might choose a third movie that you both
would like to see. Another form of accommodation is the truce, which brings a halt to
the conflict until a compromise can be reached. Sometimes, when two parties cannot
agree on a compromise, they will use _______________. This form of
accommodation involves calling in a third party who acts as adviser and counselor to
help the two parties reach an agreement. However, they may use arbitration. In
arbitration, a third party makes a decision that is binding on both parties. These
types of interaction help to ensure social stability.