Chapter 5: Separate and together: Life in groups

aggregate

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

anomie

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

authority

The legitimate right to wield power

bureaucracy

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

category

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

charismatic authority

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

coercive power

Power that is backed by the threat of force

compliance

The mildest type of conformity, undertaken to gain rewards or avoid punishments

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

dyad

A two-person social group

expressive leadership

Leadership concerned with maintaining emotional and relational harmony within the group

group

A collection of people who share some attribute, identify with one another, and interact with each other

group dynamics

The patterns of interaction between groups and individuals

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

honor killing

The murder of a family member—usually female—who is believed to have brought dishonor to her family

identification

A type of conformity stronger than compliance and weaker than internalization, caused by a desire to establish or maintain a relationship with a person or a group

legal-rational authority

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

influential power

Power that is supported by persuasion

in-group

A group that one identifies with and feels loyalty toward

instrumental leadership

Leadership that is task or goal oriented

internalization

The strongest type of conformity, occurring when an individual adopts the beliefs or actions of a group and makes them her own

McDonaldization

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

out-group

Any group an individual feels opposition, rivalry, or hostility toward

power

The ability to control the actions of others

prescriptions

Behaviors approved of by a particular social group

primary groups

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

proscriptions

Behaviors a particular social group wants its members to avoid

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

reference group

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

secondary groups

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

social identity theory

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

social influence (peer pressure)

The influence of one's fellow group members on individual attitudes and behaviors

social loafing

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

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

traditional authority

Authority based in custom, birthright, or divine right

triad

A three-person social group

virtual communities

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

Structural Functionalism approach to groups

life in groups helps to regulate and give meaning to individual experience, contributing to social cohesion and stability

Conflict theory approach to groups

group membership is often the basis for the distribution of rewards, privileges, and opportunities in our society. An individual may be treated preferentially or prejudicially based on his or her group membership

symbolic interactionism approach to groups

group norms, values, and dynamics are generated situationally, in interaction with other members