MCAT KAPLAN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE CH 9

social statuses

perceived positions in society that are used to classify individuals

ascribed status

status that is given involuntarily (usually at birth)

-ex: race, sex, ethnicity,...

achieved status

status that is gained as a result of one's efforts or choices

-ex: doctor

master status

status by which a person is most identified

false

T/F: you can only hold one status at a time

roles

sets of beliefs, values, attitudes, & norms that define expectations for those who hold the status

role performance

carrying out of behaviors associated w/ a given role

role partner

the person w/ whom one is interacting

role set

various roles associated w/ a status

role conflict

difficulty in satisfying multiple requirements of the same role

role exit

dropping of one identity for another

group

consists of two or more people who share any number of similar characteristics as well as a sense of unity

true

T/F: as the size of a group increases, it will trade intimacy for stability

in-group

social group w/ which a person experiences a sense of belonging or identifies as a member

out-group

a social group w/ which an individual does not identify

group conflict

an expressed struggle between two or more members of a group

peer group

group that consists of self-selected equals associated by similar interests, ages, or statuses

-opportunity for friendship & feelings of belonging

family group

group that consists of determined individuals by birth, adoption, & marriage

-joins members of various ages, genders, & generations

reference group

groups that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves

primary groups

interactions b/w members of the group are direct, w/ close bonds providing warm, personal, & intimate relationships to members

secondary group

interactions are impersonal & businesslike, w/ few emotional bonds & w/ the goal of accomplishing a specific purpose

gemeinschaft

groups unified by feelings of togetherness due to shared beliefs, ancestry, or geography

-community

-ex: families & neighborhoods

gesellschaft

less personal groups that are formed out of mutual self-interests working together toward the same goal

-society

-ex: companies & countries

interaction process analysis

technique for observing, classifying, & measuring the interactions w/in small groups

-dominance vs. submission

-friendliness vs. unfriendliness

-instrumentally controlled vs. emotionally expensive

what are the three fundamental dimensions of interaction according to the system for multiple level observation of groups (SYMLOG)?

group conformity

individuals are compliant w/ the groups goals, even when the groups goals may be in direct contrast to the individuals goal

groupthink

group conformity which occurs when members focus on reaching a consensus at the cost of critical evaluation of relevant information

network

describes the observable pattern of social relationships among individuals or groups

network redundancy

overlapping connections w/ the same individual

to gain understanding of the actions of individuals & groups & to study the broader social structure

why might you use network analysis?

immediate networks

dense w/ strong ties

-friends

distant networks

looser w/ weaker ties

-acquaintances

false

T/F: individuals benefit the most from having only immediate networks

organizations

complex secondary groups that are set up to achieve specific goals & are characterized by having a structure & a culture

formal organization

a group designed for a special purpose and structured for maximum efficiency

-enforcement procedures that seek to control the activities of their members

-hierarchical allotment of formal roles/duties to members

characteristic institution

basic organization of society

bureaucracy

rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, & control

-paid, nonelected officials on a fixed salary

-officials who are provided rights & privileges as a result of making their careers out of holding office

-regular salary increases, seniority rights, & promotions upon passing exams or milestones

-officials who enter the organization by holding an advanced degree or training

-responsibilities, obligations, privileges, & work procedures rigidly defined by the organization

-responsibility for meeting the demands of one's position

what are the six characteristics of a bureaucracy?

true

T/F: bureaucracies are often slow to change & less efficient than other organizations

iron law of oligarchy

democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group

mcdonaldization

a shift in focus toward efficiency, predictability, calculability, & control in societal practices

self-presentation

process of displaying ourselves to society both visually & through actions, often to make sure others see us in the best possible light

basic model of emotional expression

emotional expression involves facial expressions, behaviors, postures, vocal changes, & physiological changes

appraisal model

there are biologically predetermined expressions once an emotion is experienced, but there is a cognitive antecedent to emotional expression

social construction model

assumes that there is no biological basis for emotions but rather they are based on experiences & situational context alone

true

T/F: culture provides the foundation to understand & interpret behaviors

display rules

cultural expectations of emotions

cultural syndrome

shared set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, values, & behaviors among members of the same culture that are organized around a central theme

impression management

attempts to influence how others perceive us by regulating or controlling information we present about ourselves in social interactions

authentic self

who the person actually is, including positive & negative attributes

ideal self

who we would like to be under optimal circumstances

tactical self

who we market ourselves to be when we adhere to others expectations of us

self-disclosure

giving information about oneself to establish an identity

managing appearances

using props, appearance, emotional expression, or associations w/ others to create a positive image

ingratiation

using flattery or conforming to expectations to win someone over

aligning actions

making questionable behavior acceptable through excuses

alter-casting

imposing an identity onto another person

dramaturgical approach

using the metaphor of theatrical performance to describe how individuals create images of themselves in various situtations

front stage self

persona someone presents to an audience

-adapts based on social situation

back stage self

persona adopted when not in a social situation & there is no concern about upholding the performance of a desired public image

me

the part of self that is developed through interaction w/ society

-stems from generalized other

generalized other

based on a persons established perceptions of the expectations of society

i

individuals own impulses

true

T/F: the me shapes the i

communication

ability to convey information by speech, writing, signals, or behavior

-foundation of social interaction & is often used to elicit changes, generate action, create understanding, share a point of view, or inform

verbal communication

transmission of information via the use of words

-spoken, written, or signed

nonverbal communication

how people communicate, intentionally or unintentionally, w/o words

-facial expressions, tone of voice, body position, touches, eye positioning,...

animal communication

any behavior of one animal that affects the behavior of another