Social Structure:

1. Social Interaction: process by which people act toward or respond to other people and is the foundation for all relationships and groups in society. Social Structure: refers to the ways in which people respond to one another- it is the network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction.

2. Most homeless people choose to be homeless. Homelessness is largely a self-inflicted condition Homeless people do not work Most homeless people are mentally ill Homeless people typically panhandle [beg for money] so that they can buy alcohol and drugs. Write Down True or False

3. 6. Most homeless people are heavy drug users 7. A large number of homeless persons are dangerous 8. Homeless persons have existed throughout the history of the United States 9. One out of every homeless persons is a child 10.Some homeless people have attended college and graduated school.

4. Eighner’s diving activities reflect a specific social behavior- all activities in life are social in nature Like scavenging and living on the streets Homeless people and domiciled persons [people who live in homes] live in social worlds that have predictable patterns of social interaction We study homelessness to see an example of how a social problem occurs and how they perpetuated in the social structure Homeless Activity

5. Social structure is essential for survival of society well-being of individual it provides a social web of familial support and social relationships that connects us to the larger society Homeless don’t have that link so a loss of personal dignity Loss of a sense of moral worth The homeless are not homeless by choice: remember that!

6. Chapter 4: Social Structure Section 1: The Components of Social Structure Section 2: The Structure of Groups and Societies Section 3: The Nature of Social Interaction Section 4: The Structure of Formal Organizations

7. Section 1: The Components of Social Structure • Main Idea • Social structure is the network of interrelated statuses and roles that guides human interaction. A status is a socially defined position in society, while a role is the behavior attached to a status. • Reading Focus • What do sociologists mean by the term status? • How are status and roles related? • What are social institutions?

8. Status • A social structure is a network of interrelated statuses and roles that guide human interaction. • A status is a socially defined position in a group or in a society • A role is the behavior-rights and obligations- expected of someone occupying a particular status.

9. Each individual in society occupies several statuses- you are students, sons, brother/sisters, Arabic… • Achieved statusis acquired by an individual on the basis of some special sill, knowledge, or ability • People have control over these • Ex: any occupation, being lead part in a play, being a spouse, being a parent, being a high school or college graduate, or an athlete • Ascribed statusis assigned according to standards beyond a person’s control • Not based on individual’s abilities, efforts, or accomplishments • Based on inherited traits or assigned automatically when they get to a certain age • Ex: male, female, teen, adult, family heritage, race

11. Master Status • Most people have many statuses, but a master status is the one that plays the greatest role in a person’s life. • It can be either ascribed or achieved. • In the United States, we mostly use achieved characteristics like occupation, wealth, marital status, and parenthood to serve as our master status • It can change: • As teen, master status might be being a student or athlete • As adult, it might be based on occupation • Elderly, it might be based on grandparenthood

12. You Play Many Different Roles • At home you play the role associated with the status of being a son or daughter • At school you perform the role associated with the status of being a student • All the roles have reciprocal roles: corresponding roles that define the patterns of interaction between related statuses • Cant fulfill role of husband if there is no wife • Doctor-Patient, Athlete-Coach, Employee-Employer, Leader-follower, salesclerk-customer

13. Roles • Role Expectations and Role Performance • Role expectations are the socially determined behaviors expected of a person performing a role • Doctors for example are expected to treat their patients with skills and care • Parents expected to provide emotional and physical security for their children • Role performance is the actual behaviors of a person and it may not match the behavior expected of society • Doctors who mistreat their patients • Parents who mistreat their children.

14. Role Conflict, Role Strain, and Role Exit • A role set is the different roles associated with a particular status. • Role conflict occurs when fulfilling the role expectations of one status makes it difficult to fulfill the role expectations of another status • Ex: Being a good employee interferes with being a good parent • Role strain occurs when a person has difficulty meeting the role expectations of a single status • Ex: manager who has to keep her workers positive as they are asked to work long overtime hours • Role exit is the process people go through to detach from a role that was previously central to their social identity.

17. Social Institutions • A social institution is a system of statuses, roles, values, and norms that is organized to satisfy one or more of the basic needs of society. • The family, the most universal social institution, takes responsibility for raising the young and teaching them accepted norms and values. • The economic institution organizes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. • The political institution is the system of norms that governs the exercise and distribution of power in society. • Education ensures the transmission of values, patterns of behavior, and certain skills and knowledge. • Religion provides a shared, collective explanation of the meaning of life.

18. Section 2: The Structure of Groups and Societies Main Idea Sociologists classify societies according to how each uses technology to meet the needs of its members. Sociologists recognize three broad categories of society—preindustrial, industrial, and postindustrial. • Reading Focus • What are the types of preindustrial societies? • What is the main economic activity in industrial societies? • How do postindustrial societies and industrial societies differ? • What concepts have sociologists used to contrast societies?

19. Looking at features of group structure, characteristics of common types of groups and societies • Features of Group Structure • A group is a set of two or more people who interact on the basis of share expectations and who possess some degree of common identity • From two on a date • To 500 soldiers at boot camp

20. Defining Groups • Size • Small or large • Quality • Intimate or formal • Four features: • Two or more people • Interaction occurs between members • Shared expectations • Must possess a sense of common identity

21. Interaction, shared expectations, and common identity • An aggregate is when people gather in the same place at the same time but lack organization of lasting patterns of interactions • Ex: people waiting to board a plane or standing in a ticket line at the movies • A social category is a means of classifying people according to a shared trait or common status • i.e. students, women, elderly

22. Size • A dyadis two people. • A triad is three people. • A small group is a group with few enough members that everyone is able to interact face to face • Time • A group can be a one-time meeting or a lifetime. • Interaction is not continuous; there are breaks. • Organization • A formal group has clearly defined structure, goals, and activities. • An informal group has no official structure or rules of conduct.

24. Classify groups on the basis of the degree of intimacy that occurs among group members • Start with a description of the two opposite extremes and they run a line between them called the continuum • Line will show range of possible relationships

25. One example if the primary-secondary continuum PRIMARY GROUP RELATIONSHIPS SECONDARY GROUP RELATIONSHIPS GROUPS OF FRIENDS FAMILY SCHOOL CLUB CLASSROOM JOB

26. Primary Groups Secondary Groups • Small group that interacts over a relatively long period of time on a direct and personal basis • The most intimate; face-to-face • Informal, communication is deep and intense, personal satisfaction is important • Group in which interaction is impersonal and temporary • Importance of the individual is in the function that he or she performs in the group • Casual and limited • Members can be replaced Types of Groups There are many kinds of groups. Most people belong to several.

28. Types of Groups (cont.) • Reference Groups • A group with whom an individual identifies and whose attitudes and values are adopted • Can have both positive and negative effect on behavior • In-Groups and Out-Groups • In-group: any group that a person belongs to and identifies with • Out-group: any group that the person does not belong to or identify with • Electronic Communities • Have arisen with arrival of internet • Some reflect primary-group dynamics • Social Networks • The web of relationships across groups that occurs because of the many groups people belong to • No clear boundaries

30. Preindustrial Societies The largest groups studied by sociologists are entire societies. Sociologists categorize societies according to subsistence strategies- the way in which a society uses technology to provide for the needs of its members Division of labor- is the specialization by individuals or groups in the performance of specific economic activities

31. #1 Hunter-Gatherer Societies #2 Pastoral Societies • Collect wild plants daily • Hunt for wild animals • Move constantly • Rarely exceed 100 members • Family is main social unit • Rely on domesticated animals • Lead a nomadic life • Fewer people produce food • Complex division of labor • Produce some items for trade • Have surplus of good so can support larger populations In a preindustrial society food production is the main economic activity.

33. #3 Horticultural Societies • Grow fruits and vegetables in garden plots • Use slash-and-burn techniques • Must wait for rainy seasons to plant • Move to new plot when old becomes barren • Build semipermanent or permanent villages • Village size depends on amount of land for farming • Division of labor creates specialized roles • Economic and political systems more developed because of the settled life • #4 Agricultural Societies • Animals are used to plow fields • Irrigation increases crop yields • Many members are able to engage in specialized roles • Technological innovations allows them to plant more crops and can plant at various times • Cities are formed • Leaders are often hereditary • Marked by powerful armies and the construction of roads • Abandon bartering in order to make trade easier • Power often unequally distributed

35. Sociology in Today’s World The New Barter One major development of agricultural societies was the creation of a money system. This system replaced the idea of barter- the practice of exchanging one good for another • As many as 450,000 companies barter in America today. • They trade goods and services through a “barter exchange.” • Barter exchanges make money on barter transactions. • Computer technology makes bartering easier. • Barter allows companies to “buy” goods or services without using cash. • Rapid growth of bartering is changing the economy of the United States.

37. ADD THESE AS CAUSES OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES

38. Industrial Societies • In an industrial society: • Production of food shifts to production of manufactured goods • Production moves from human and animal labor to machines • Increases food production and population • Numbers and kinds of jobs increase • Location of work changes to cities, away from the home • Social processes such as education take the place of family

39. Reading Check Identify Cause and Effect How does industrialization lead to urbanization? Answer: Use of centralized power sources (water, steam) moves production from homes to factories; cities form as homes cluster around factories and other businesses, such as stores, are started nearby to serve the increasingly concentrated population

40. Postindustrial Societies • Economic emphasis is on creation and exchange of information and services instead of manufacturing goods • United States is a postindustrial society • Standard of living improves • Education and science are important • Technological advances seen as key

41. Contrasting Societies • Values: Ferdinand Tonnies • Degree of shared values among social members • Gemeinschaft: community • Strong sense of group solidarity- close and center on family and communities • Members know one another • Preindustrial societies, rural • Gesellschaft: society • Relationships are impersonal and often temporary; based on need • Traditional values are weak; individual goals are more important than the group • Urban societies • Unity: Emile Durkheim • Pre-industrial: Held together by mechanical solidarity-close knit social relationships that result when a small group of people share the same values and perform the same tasks • Industrial Society- Held together by organic solidarity- impersonal social relationships that arise within increased job specializations • So depend on one another for survival

42. How do you interact with other people?

43. #1 Exchange • Exchange occurs when people interact in an effort to receive a reward or a return for their actions. • Reward might be tangible or intangible • Reciprocity is the idea that if you do something for someone, that person owes you something in return. • Basis of exchange interactions…rewards are material or nonmaterial • Exchange theory is the idea that people are motivated by self-interest in their interactions with other people. • People do things for rewards; behaviors that are rewarded are repeated • When costs outweigh the rewards, individuals end the relationship • Maximizing rewards, minimizing costs

44. Competition and Conflict • #2 Competition • Competition occurs when two or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one can attain. • Common in Western societies • Sometimes considered basis of capitalism and democracy • Advancement in business, school, sports through competition • Might motivate people to perform society’s needed roles • Can lead to psychological stress, a lack of cooperation, and conflict

45. #3 Conflict • Conflict is the deliberate attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone, or to harm another person. • Has few rules of accepted conduct • Georg Simmel identified four sources of conflict: • war • conflict within groups • legal disputes • Clashes over ideology [religion or politics] • Positives of having conflict: • Can reinforce group boundaries • Strengthens group loyalty by focusing attention on an outside threat • Draws attention away from internal problems • Leads to social change by bringing problems to forefront and forcing opposing sides to seek solutions

46. #4 Cooperation • Cooperation occurs when two or more people or groups work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person. • A social process that gets things done • May be used along with competition to motivate members to work harder for the group • MEDIATION!!!

47. #5 Accommodation Accommodation is a state of balance between cooperation and conflict: give a little, take a little . Compromise Each party gives up something they want in order to come to an agreement Truce Temporarily brings a halt to the competition or conflict until a compromise can be reached Mediation Calling in a third party who guides the two parties toward an agreement Arbitration A third party makes a decision that is binding on both parties

50. Section 4: The Structure of Formal Organizations Main Idea Formal organizations are complex secondary groups created to achieve specific goals. Most are structured as bureaucracies. Formal and informal structures can affect the efficiency of bureaucracies. • Reading Focus • How do sociologists view formal organizations? • What are the main characteristics of Max Weber’s model of bureaucracies? • What types of relationships are found in formal organizations? • What problems do bureaucracies face?