SOC 101 Unit 5

Sociologists are interested in how social groups have changed over time. Of particular note is the degree to which individuals base their identities on group membership. How has this changed in recent American history?

Americans are less likely to identify themselves as group members today than in the past

aggregate

a collection of people who share a physical location but don't have lasting social relations

coalition

a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose

out-groups

a group that a person feels opposition, rivalry, or hostility toward

in-groups

a group that a person identifies with and feels loyalty to

reference group

a group that provides a standard of comparison against which people evaluate themselves

triad

a social group with three members

dyad

a social group with two members

Bureaucracy

a type of secondary group designed to perform tasks efficiently

What kind of power is exhibited by a police officer who pulls over a suspect after a high-speed pursuit? a. coercive b. influential c. traditional d. charismatic

a. coercive

Which of the following is a factor that can lead to increased group cohesion? a. shared values b. unique traits c. apathy toward the group d. differing goals

a. shared values

The sociologist Duncan Watts examined the way people may change their minds about whom to vote for based on the opinions of friends and acquaintances. What concept was Watts studying? a. social networks b. bureaucracy c. charismatic authority d. rationalization

a. social networks

What do sociologists call the webs of direct and indirect ties that connect individuals to others who may influence them? a. social networks b. reference groups c. inner circles d. in-groups

a. social networks

The mother of a university student encourages her son to join a fraternity. She hopes that peer pressure and groupthink may lead her son to do things he hasn't tried before, such as volunteering and attending formal events. What perspective best describes her views? a. symbolic interactionism b. coercive power c. structural functionalism d. conflict theory

a. symbolic interactionism

What was the Asch experiment measuring? a. the power of peer pressure b. the extent of social networks c. the value of teamwork compared with individual effort d. the type of organization that can best achieve social goals

a. the power of peer pressure

legal-rational authority

authority based in laws, rules, and procedures

In Los Angeles you may see cars sporting a bumper sticker that reads, "My favorite teams are UCLA and whoever's playing USC." What is this an example of? a. group dynamics b. hostility toward an out-group c. bureaucratic rationalization d. the use of a reference group

b. hostility toward an out-group

coercive power

backed by the threat of force

traditional authority

based on custom, birthright, or divine right and is usually associated with monarchies and dynasties

charismatic authority

based on the perception of remarkable personal qualities in a leader

Émile Durkheim worried that individuals would feel less and less connected to groups in an increasingly fragmented modern world, which would lead to a. the rise of hate groups. b. a need for new types of etiquette. c. anomie or normlessness. d. unemployment.

c. anomie or normlessness

What are group members engaging in when they withhold their reservations and criticisms for the sake of consensus? a. group solidarity b. laissez-faire decision making c. groupthink d. expressive leadership

c. groupthink

What is the strongest type of conformity that can occur as a result of social influence or peer pressure? a. social loafing b. identification c. internalization d. compliance

c. internalization

Charismatic authority is unlike either traditional authority or legal-rational authority in that it is rooted in a. the efficiency and rationality of a particular way of doing things. b. an economic system that focuses on rules and regulations. c. the personal qualities of a leader. d. birthright

c. the personal qualities of a leader.

According to Max Weber's typology of power, what type of authority does a king wield? a. legal-rational authority b. influential power c. traditional authority d. charismatic authority

c. traditional authority

Mark Granovetter has argued that the people you know best are likely to possess only information you already have. This is why he believed that when looking for employment, it is advantageous to have

casual acquaintances who are connected to different social networks.

A nightclub has several types of employees, each with a specialized task. Bartenders make drinks, bouncers check identification, bussers clear away used glasses, and so on. Unlike the other employees, bouncers can get their friends in for free. In many ways, the club is a bureaucracy, but there is at least one significant element of bureaucratic organization missing. What is it? a. specialization b. hierarchy c. formal written communication d. impersonality

d. impersonality

Individual members of a large group often neglect their responsibilities when a task needs to be completed because it is impossible for any one person to receive credit or blame. This phenomenon is called a. regression toward the mean. b. groupthink. c. group polarization. d. social loafing.

d. social loafing

influential power

supported by persuasion

group dynamic

the patterns of interaction between groups and individuals

internalization

the strongest type of conformity; an individual adopts the beliefs or actions of a group and makes them his or her own

groupthink

the tendency of group members to conform, resulting in a narrow view of some issue

social network

the web of direct and indirect ties connecting an individual to other people

primary groups

usually involve the most face-to-face interaction and cooperation and the deepest feelings of belonging

How have social networking websites affected social groups? a. They diminish the importance of primary groups but not secondary groups. b. They expand primary groups to include many more members than before. c. They minimize the importance of secondary groups, especially those associated with shared interests. d. They help people make the most of both their primary and secondary groups.

D. They help people make the most of both their primary and secondary groups.

Robert Merton suggested that some white Americans who praise Abraham Lincoln for being frugal and thrifty might describe an Asian American with the same qualities as being stingy and penny pinching. What explains this double standard?

For these white Americans, Lincoln was a member of their racial in-group, whereas an Asian American would be a member of an out-group.

What important implications does Milgram's research in the Asch experiment have for contemporary society?

It demonstrates that the power of conformity can still lead to real-life instances of obedience such as Abu Ghraib and the telephone hoax at fast-food restaurants.

secondary groups

larger and less personal

expressive leadership

leadership concerned with maintaining emotional and relational harmony within the group

instrumental leadership

leadership that is task or goal oriented

anomie

normlessness