Social structure/ interaction review

what is social interaction?

social interaction is how people respond and act to each other in everyday life

what are the components of social interaction?

status, role, norms, communication, and context

what is an ascribed status?

a status is a person born into without choice, not based on effort

what is an achieved status?

a status earned through actions or accomplishments

what is a master status?

a status that strongly shapes a person’s identity and how others view them.

what is the Thomas Theorem?

“If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.”

what are the main ideas of Goffman’s dramaturgical analysis?

Front stage vs. back stage behavior and impression management.

why is nonverbal communication important in social interaction?

it expresses emotions, attitudes,and intentions without words

How does gender influence personal performance?

through social expectations about behavior, speech, and body language

how does gender affect language use?

women are socialized to speak politely; men are expected to speak assertively

what is microsociology?

the study of small-scale, everyday interactions

what is macrosociology?

the study of large-scale social systems and structures

what is symbolic interactionism?

a theory that focuses on the meaning people give to symbols in everyday life.

what is enthomenthodolgy?

the study of how people make sense of everyday life through unspoken rules and routines

what is a social network?

they provide support, information, and opportunities in life

what is front stage behavior (Goffman)?

how people present themselves in public settings

what is backstage behavior (Goffman)?

how people act in private, away from public view

what is impression management?

efforts to control how others perceive you

what is the sociological imagination?

the ability to connect personal experiences to larger forces