Behavioral Sciences 9: Social Interaction

Status

A position in society used to classify individuals.

Ascribed Status

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

Achieved Status

Voluntarily earned by an individual.

Master Status

The status by which an individual is primarily identified.

Role

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

Role Performance

Refers to carrying out behaviors of a given role.

Role Partner

Another individual who helps define a specific role within the relationship.

Role Set

A set of all roles that are associated with a status.

Role Conflict

Difficulty managing MULTIPLE roles.

Role Strain

Difficulty managing JUST ONE role.

Groups

Two or more people with similar characteristics that share a sense of unity.

Peer Group

A self-selected group formed around shared interests.

Family Group

Group to which you are born, adopted or married.

Affinal Kinship

Individuals that are related by choice. E.g marriage.

Consanguineous Kinship

Related through blood.

In-Group

The group you are in.

Out-Group

Group you compete with or oppose.

Reference Group

Group you compare yourself to.

Primary Group

Those that contain strong emotional bonds.

Secondary Group

Often temporary, contain weaker bonds overall.

Gemeinschaft

Community.

Gesellschaft

Society.

Groupthink

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

Basic Model of Expressing Emotions

States that there are universal emotions and expressions that can be understood across cultures.

Social Construction Model of Expressing Emotion

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

Display Rules

Unspoken rules that govern the expression of emotions.

Impression Management

Refers to the maintenance of a public image, which is accomplished through various strategies: Flattery, boasting, managing appearances, ingratiation, aligning actions, alter-casting.

Dramaturgical Approach

People create images of themselves in the same way that actors perform a role in front of an audience.

Front Stage

Where you are seen by an audience.

Back Stage

You are not in front of the audience.

Verbal Communication

Communicating through spoken, written, or signed words.

Nonverbal Communication

Communicating through means other than the use of words. Examples: Body language, prosody, gestures.

Animal Communication

Takes place not only between nonhuman animals but between humans and other animals as well. Animals use body language, facial expressions, visual displays, scents and vocalizations to communicate.