The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology Chapter 5 Vocabulary

Group

a collection of two or more people who share some attribute, identify with one another, and interact with each other

Crowd

a temporary gathering of people in a public place; members might interact but do not identify with each other and will not remain in contact

Aggregates

collections of people who share a physical location but do not have lasting social relations

Category

people who share one or more attributes but who lack a sense of common identity or belonging

Primary Groups

groups composed of the people who are most important to our sense of self; members' relationships are typically characterized by face-to-face interaction, high levels of cooperation, and intense feelings of belonging

Secondary Groups

groups that are larger and less intimate than primary groups; members' relationships are usually organized around a specific goal and are often temporary

Social Network

the web of direct and indirect ties connecting an individual to other people who may also affect the individual

Social Ties

connections between individuals

Anomie

"normlessness"; term used to describe the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds and an increased pace of change

Virtual Communities

social groups whose interactions are mediated through information technologies, particularly the internet

Group Dynamics

the patterns of interaction between groups and individuals

Dyad

a two-person social group

Triad

a three-person social group

In-Group

a group that one identifies with and feels loyalty toward

Out-Group

a group toward which an individual feels opposition, rivalry, or hostility

Rite of Passage

a ceremony marking an individual's transformation from one type of group member to another

Reference Group

a group that provides a standard of our comparison against which we evaluate ourselves

Group Cohesion

the sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong

Groupthink

in very cohesive groups, the tendency to enforce a high degree of conformity among members, creating a demand for unanimous agreement

Social Influence

group impact on others' decisions

Social Loafing

the phenomenon in which each individual contributes a little less as more individuals are added to a task; a source of inefficiency when working in teams

Social Identity Theory

a theory of group formation and maintenance that stresses the need of individual members to feel a sense of belonging

Power

the ability to control the actions of others

Coercive Power

power that is backed by the threat of force

Influential Power

power that is supported by persuasion

Authority

the legitimate right to wield power

Traditional Authority

authority based in custom, birthright, or divine right

Legal-Rational Authority

authority based in laws, rules, and procedures, not in the heredity or personality of any individual leader

Charismatic Authority

authority based in the perception of remarkable personal qualities in a leader

Instrumental Leadership

leadership that is task or goal oriented

Expressive Leadership

leadership concerned with maintaining emotional and relational harmony within the group

Bureaucracy

a type of secondary group designed to perform tasks efficiently, characterized by specialization, technical competence, hierarchy, written rules, impersonality, and formal written communication

Rationalization

the application of economic logic to human activity; the use of formal rules and regulations in order to maximize efficiency without consideration of subjective or individual concerns

Mcdonaldization

George Ritzer's term describing the spread of bureaucratic rationalization and the accompanying increases in efficiency and dehumanization