Behavioral Sciences MCAT- Chapter 9: Social Interaction

Out-group

One that an individual competes with or opposes

In-group

One with which an individual identifies.

Role performance

Refers to carrying out the behaviors of a given role. Ex) A doctors role is to support patient and translate medical content to the lay person.

Impression management

Refers to the maintenance of public image, which can be accomplished through various strategies: 1) Self-disclosure 2) Managing appearance 3) Ingratiation 4) Aligning actions 5) Alter-casting

Managing apperances

Refers to the use of props (white coat), appearance, emotional expression, or associations to create positive image.

Dramaturgical approach

Says that individuals create an image of themselves in the same way that actors perform a role in front of an audience: 1) Front stage 2) Back stage

Status

A postion in society used to classify individuals. Types: 1) Ascribed status 2) Achieved status 3) Master status

Peer group

A self-selected group formed around similar interest, ages, and statues.

Role

A set of beliefs, values, and norms that define the expectations of a certain status in a social situation.

Cultural syndrome

A shared set of beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors organized around a central theme, as is found among people sharing same language and geography.

tactical self

who we market ourselves to be when we adhere to others' expectations of us

Display rules

Unspoken rules that govern the expression of emotion.

Ingratiation

Using flattery or conformity to win someone over

Achieved status

Voluntarily earned by an individual. Gained as a result of one's efforts or choices Ex) Becoming a doctor

Back stage

Where an individual is not in the front of an audience and is free to act outside of his desired image.

Front stage

Where the individual is seen by the audience and strives to preserve his desired image.

Types of communication

1) Verbal 2) Nonverbal 3) Animal

Family group

A group into which an individual is born, adopted, or married.

Reference group

A group to which an individual compares him or herself.

Network

An observable pattern of social relationships between individuals and groups.

Role partner

Another individual who helps define a specific role within the relationship. Ex) A doctors role partner = patient, nurse, etc.

Role conflict

Occurs when an individual has difficulty in satisfying the requirements of multiple roles simultaneously.

Role strain

Occurs when an individual has difficulty satisfying multiple requirements of the same role simultaneously.

Organization

Bodies of people with a structure and culture designed to achieve specific goals. They exist outside of each individuals membership within an organization.

Role set

Contains all the different roles associated with a status. Ex) Doctor, husband, father, chipotle owner.

Groupthink

Occurs when members begin to conform to one another views and ignore outside perspectives.

Basic model of emotional expression

First established by Charles Darwin, a theory that states that emotional expression involves a number of systems: facial expression as well as behavioral and physical responses; claims that emotions are universal and should be similar across cultures.

Alter-casting

Imposing an identity onto another person. Ex) As a good MCAT student... (Kap. trick)

Secondary groups

Often temporary and contain fewer emotional bonds and weaker bonds overall.

Ascribed status

Involuntarily assigned to an individual based on race, ethnicity, gender, family background, etc.

Community

Is a group unified by feelings of togetherness due to shared beliefs, ancestry, or geography.

Society

Is a group unified by mutual self interest in achieving a goal.

Groups

Made up of two or more individuals with similar characteristics that share a sense of unity.

Self-disclosure

Sharing factual information

Social construction model

States that emotions are solely based on the situational context of social interactions.

Master status

Status by which an individual is primarily identified.

Animal communication

Takes place not only between nonhuman animals but between humans and other animals as well. Animals use body language, rudimentary facial expressions, and pheromones to communicate.

Verbal communication

The conveyance of information through spoken. written, or signed words.

Nonverbal communication

The conveyance of information via means other than the use of words, such as body language, prosody, facial expressions, and gestures.

Aligning actions

The use of excuses to account for questionable behavior.

Primary groups

Those that contain strong, emotional bonds.

Dimensions of the system for multiple level observation of groups

friendliness vs. unfriendliness dominance vs. submission instrumentally controlled vs. emotionally expressive

Appraisal model

there are biologically predetermined expression once an emotion is experiences, but that there is a cognitive antecedent to emotional expression