Chapter 5: Separate and Together: Life in Groups

Vocabulary flashcards based on Chapter 5 from The Real World, covering key concepts related to life in groups.

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, characterized by face-to-face interaction and intense feelings of belonging.

Secondary groups

Groups that are larger and less intimate than primary groups, and members’ relationships are usually organized around a specific goal.

Social network

The web of direct and indirect ties connecting an individual to other people.

Anomie

"Normlessness"; describes the alienation and loss of purpose that result from weaker social bonds.

Virtual communities

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

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 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

The tendency in very cohesive groups to enforce a high degree of conformity among members.

Social influence

Group impact on others' decisions.

Social loafing

The phenomenon in which each individual contributes less as more individuals are added to a task.

Social identity theory

A theory 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.

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 and hierarchy.

Rationalization

The application of economic logic to human activity, focusing on maximizing efficiency.

McDonaldization

The spread of bureaucratic rationalization and the accompanying increases in efficiency and dehumanization.