Sociology: Unit 5 - Groups, Conformity, & Bureaucracies

Groupthink

the tendency of group members to conform, resulting in a narrow view of some issue

Group Cohesion

the sense of solidarity or loyalty that individuals feel toward a group to which they belong

Social Influence

Thegroups ability to control another person's behavior

Group Dynamics

the patterns of interaction between groups and individuals

Social Loafing

Phenomenon whereby individuals become less productive in groups because they believe others will do it

Instrumental Leadership

group leadership that focuses on the completion of tasks

Expressive Leadership

Group leadership that focuses on the group's well-being

Authoritarian Leader

One who leads by directing, controlling, telling, and ordering others.

Democratic Leader

A leader who encourages workers to share in making decisions about their work and work-related problems.

Laissez-faire Leader

Informal type of leader, allows individuals to function independently.

Conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Bureaucracy

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

McDonaldization

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

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

bureaucratic alienation

bureaucracy's ability to dehumanize the people it is supposed to serve