SOCIAL INTERACTION

Elements of Social Interaction

status, role, social group, network, organization

Status

a position in society used to classify individuals

Ascribed status

involuntary assigned

Achieved status

voluntarily earned

Master status

primary identity

Role

set of beliefs, values, and norms that define the expectations of a certain status

Group

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

Network

observable pattern of social relationships between individuals or groups

What is an organization?

group with a structure and culture designed to achieve specific goals

What is a key characteristic of an organization?

exists outside of each individual's membership within the organization

Display rules

unspoken rules that govern the expression of emotion

Impression management

maintenance of a public image through various strategies

What is the dramaturgical approach?

a perspective that views social interactions as performances

How do individuals create images of themselves according to the dramaturgical approach?

in the same way that actors perform a role in front of an audience

Cultural relativism

studying social groups and cultures on their own terms

Discrimination

when prejudicial attitudes cause differences in treatment of a group