Chapter 9 — Social Interaction

Status

A perceived position in society used to classify individuals

Ascribed status

Involuntarily assigned based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, or family background

Achieved status

Voluntarily earned by the individual through effort or choice (e.g., doctor, athlete)

Master status

The status by which an individual is primarily identified — overrides all other statuses

Role

The set of beliefs, values, and norms that define the expected behaviors for a given status

Role performance

The actual carrying out of the behaviors associated with a given role

Role partner

The person one is interacting with who helps define the roles within the relationship

Role set

All the different roles associated with a single status (e.g., a teacher has roles with students, parents, colleagues)

Role conflict

Difficulty satisfying the requirements of MULTIPLE different roles simultaneously (e.g., parent vs. employee)

Role strain

Difficulty satisfying multiple requirements of the SAME role simultaneously (e.g., a teacher balancing discipline and support)

Role exit

Dropping one identity in favor of another (e.g., retiring from a career identity)

Group

Two or more individuals with similar characteristics who share a sense of unity

Peer group

A self-selected group formed around similar interests, age, or status

Family group

The group into which an individual is born, adopted, or married

In-group

A social group with which a person identifies and feels a sense of belonging

Out-group

A social group with which an individual does NOT identify

Group conflict

When an out-group competes with or opposes an in-group

Reference group

The group to which individuals compare themselves when evaluating their own status or behavior

Primary groups

Small groups with strong, lasting emotional bonds (e.g., family, close friends)

Secondary groups

Larger, temporary groups with weaker emotional bonds and goal-oriented interactions (e.g., coworkers)

Gemeinschaft (community)

A group unified by shared feelings of togetherness based on beliefs, ancestry, or geography — tight-knit, traditional

Gesellschaft (society)

A group unified by mutual self-interest in achieving a goal — impersonal, modern, contract-based

Network

An observable pattern of social relationships between individuals or groups

Network redundancy

Overlapping mutual connections between members of a network

Organization

A body of people with a defined structure and culture designed to achieve specific goals

Iron law of oligarchy

Democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally tend to shift toward rule by a small elite group over time

McDonaldization

A societal shift toward efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control in social practices — modeled after fast food industry

Basic model of emotion

Universal emotions exist with corresponding expressions that can be understood across cultures (e.g., Ekman's facial expressions)

Social construction model of emotion

Emotions are entirely shaped by the situational context of social interaction — not universal

Appraisal model of emotion

Emotional expression is biologically predetermined once an emotion is experienced, but there is a cognitive antecedent — you think first, then feel

Display rules

Unspoken cultural rules that govern when, how, and to whom emotions can be expressed

Cultural syndrome

A shared set of beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors organized around a central theme, found among people sharing the same language and geography

Impression management

The process of maintaining a desired public image through various strategies

Self-disclosure

Sharing factual information about oneself to shape how others perceive you

Managing appearance

Using props, appearance, emotional expression, or associations to create a positive image

Ingratiation

Using flattery or conformity to win someone over

Aligning actions

Using excuses or justifications to account for questionable behavior

Alter-casting

Imposing an identity onto another person to shape how they behave toward you

Dramaturgical approach (Goffman)

People create and maintain self-images the way actors perform roles for an audience

Front stage (dramaturgical)

Where individuals are seen by an audience and work to preserve their desired image

Back stage (dramaturgical)

Where individuals are not in front of an audience and can act freely outside their public image

Verbal communication

Conveying information through spoken, written, or signed words

Nonverbal communication

Conveying information through means other than words — body language, facial expressions, gestures, tone

Animal communication

Occurs between nonhuman animals AND between humans and animals; uses body language, facial expressions, visual displays, scents, and vocalizatio