Sociology: Groups, Leadership Styles, and Formal Organizations

Vocabulary flashcards covering leadership roles and styles, primary versus secondary groups, formal organizations, group conformity, and related sociological concepts.

Instrumental leadership

A leadership style that focuses on completing tasks.

Expressive leadership

A leadership style that focuses on a group's well-being.

Authoritarian leadership

A "take charge" leadership style that demands obedience.

Democratic leadership

A leadership style that includes everyone in decision making.

Laissez-faire leadership

A leadership style that lets the group function mostly on its own.

Primary group

A group that is small, personal, and lasting, with examples including family and close friends.

Secondary group

A group that is large, impersonal, and goal oriented, and often of shorter duration, with examples including a college class or a corporation.

Characteristics of formal organization

Six key traits: specialization, hierarchy of positions, rules and regulations, technical competence, impersonality, and formal, written communications.

Purpose of organizing formally

The purpose is to maximize efficiency.

Group conformity

"Fitting in" by matching the behavior of those around you.

Functions of primary groups

Listed in the notes as division of labor, hierarchy of authority, rules and procedure, and norm of impersonality.