Sociology You May Ask Yourself 3rd Edition Chapter 5
social aggregate
a collection of people who happen to be at the same place at the same time
social category
a collection of people who share a particular characteristic
small group
a group characterized by face-to-face interaction, a unifocal perspective, lack of formal arrangements, and a certain level of equality
large group
a group characterized by the presence of a formal structure that mediates interaction and, consequently, status differentiation
triad
a group of three or more;the fundamental distinction among most social relation, the group holds supra-individual power; secrets can exist
dyad
a group of two; most intimate form of social life, both members are mutually dependent on eachother
party
a group that is similar to a small group but multifocal
social network
a set of relations - a set of dyads - held together by ties between individuals
tie
a set of stories that explains our relationship to the other members of our network
bureaucracy
a type of formal organization with six distinct characteristics: 1. division of labor and specialization 2. hierarchy of authority 3. rules and regulations 4. impersonal relationships 5. career ladders 6. efficiency
in-group
another term for the powerful group, most often the majority
out-group
another term for the stigmatized or less powerful group, the minority
primary groups
groups composed of intimate, face-to-face interaction, relatively long-lasting relationships, that strongly influence the attitudes of those involved
secondary groups
groups with large membership, that are less intimate, and less long lasting
alienation
psychological seperation between person and organization
ritualism
rigid adherence to rules, no matter what; following rules becomes more important than the ultimate goal
embeddedness
the degree to which ties are reinforced through indirect paths within a social network
social capital
the information, knowledge of people, and connections that help individuals enter, gain power in, or otherwise leverage social networks
deindividualization
the sense that one's self has merged with the group & therefore your views as an individual matter less
risky shift
the tendency for groups to engage in riskier behavior than one would while alone
weak tie
ties that are highly embedded; you know them through someone else, but not many people do
strong tie
ties that are those reinforced through indirect paths with several other people; are not people you are close to