Sociology Week 4: Networks, Bureaucracies, Social Groups, & Social Networks

Includes Foundations - Week 4 & Chapter 6

Social Network

Bounded set of individuals who are linked by the exchange of material or emotional resources

Nodes

Any unit of analysis that you are interested in understanding the connections between: Individuals, Groups, Organizations, Countries.

Dyad

Social relationship between two nodes - think marriage. Both people in the relationship need to be present, or else it isn’t going to work out.

Triad

Social relationship between three nodes - think a trio of friends, voting someone else and becoming a duo seems highly likely.

What is meant by the phrase “it’s a small world?”

It represents how interconnected we are with people through overlapping sets of social networks - friend of a friend

Social Groups

One or more networks of people who identify with one another and adhere to defined norms, roles, and statuses - think businesses or clubs

Social Categories

People who share a similar status, but don’t identify with one another. - think biological sex.

How do people in social groups set themselves apart?

With In-group Members: People who belong to a group and Out-group Members: People who are excluded from an in-group

Why do Social Groups create boundaries?

Provides group members an advantage in competition

Protect group members self-esteem

Furthur the groups goals.

Difference between Primary and Secondary Social Groups

Primary groups are small and personal, norms are agreed upon but not put into writing, strong emotional ties, group members have a deep connection

Secondary groups are large and impersonal, norms may be put in writing, weak emotional ties, group members are nothing more than acquaintances.

Reference Groups (TEXTBOOK)

People against whom individuals evaluate their own situation or conduct. Members function as role models in society; think those promoting the ideal body type.

Conformity

Behaviour in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards

Three Factors of Extreme Conformity (TEXTBOOK)

Norms of solidarity demand conformity - get the job done or you will let those around you down

Structures of authority tend to render people obedient - fear of being ridiculed or ostracized for speaking out against the norm. Milgram’s experiment of shocking people when getting answers wrong and making others think that they’re actually hurting someone.

When created as a bureaucracy, it creates highly effective structures of authority - breaking up job into many small tasks that doesn’t allow a focus on the big picture.

Why is conformity good and bad?

Ensures group cohesion, necessary for our society to function

Groupthink: Group pressure to conform despite individual misgivings - BAD

Bystander Apathy: When people observe someone in an emergency but offer no help. - BAD

Formal Organizations

Secondary groups designed to achieve explicit objectives

Bureaucracy

Large impersonal organization comprising many clearly defined positions arranged in a hierarchy - schools. The most efficient type of secondary group (formal organization) with an end goal of achieving main goals at the least cost.

Authority

Type of power granted by society and exercised over people

Power (recall)

The ability of individuals in social relationships to impose their will on others regardless of resistance

Traditional Authority

Made legitimate by history and tradition, requires reinforcement of tradition to remain stable

Charismatic Authority

Made legitimate by the personal qualities of the leader, very unstable because of close association with one person. Cults, revolutions, celebrities.

Rational-Legal Authority

Made legitimate by procedures, rules, and insitutions. Authority adheres to positions rather than occupants

What are the common critiques of bureaucracies:

Dehumanization: You are a student number and nothing more than that.

Bureaucractic Ritualism: Becoming so preoccipied with rules and regulations that it becomes difficult for the organization to fulfill its goals

Bureaucractic Inertia: Tendency to continue policies even when the needs of the client changes.

Oligarchy (TEXTBOOK)

Rule of the Few: Power becomes increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few people at the top of a hierarchey and hinders democracy.

What are the 2 main factors that underlie bureaucractic inefficiency?

Size: The larger the bureaucracy, the more difficult it is for functionaries to communicate amongst eachother

Social Structure: Often hierarchies, with power increasing as you move up the social ladder. Communication becomes difficult as the number of levels in a bureaucracy increases.

Societies

Colectives of interacting people who share a culture and, usually, a territory

What are some examples of societies function?

Shape human action, influence what we do, affects how we think of ourselves.

Society affects our most personal and intimate choices, and this isn’t something we realize happens all the time - we are encouraged to reach the same conclusion as everybody else.

What defines the structure of society?

The relationship between humans and nature - the evolution of technology allows us to dominate nature and that leads to changes in our social structures.

Main Idea:

These things shape human action by encouraging conformity, creating structure, and dominanting our individuality by controlling everything about us. But at the same time, we have the ability to exercise our agency under these guidelines and thus, we remake groups, networks, bureaucracies, and ultimately societies.

Foraging Societies

Dependent on nature, searching for wild plants and hunting animals. Caveman.

Pastoral (Animal) and Horticultural (Plant) Societies

Domesticate various wild plants and animals, development of trade networks, higher level of social inequality in regards to wealth

Agricultural Societies

Plows and animal power used to increase food supply and dependibility, tools harnessed animal power for efficient agricultural production. Development of permanent settlements and the idea of private property was significant.

Industrial Societies

Machines and fuel greatly increased the supply and dependability of food and finished goods. Stimulated by international exploration, trade, and commerce; growing oppourtunities for business but questionable labour conditions.

Post-Industrial Societies

Type of society where most workers are employed in service sector, manufacturing became driving economic force, computers began to automate manufacturing and office procedures

Post-Natural Societies

Genetic engineering enables people to create new life forms, recombinant DNA and speeding up natural selections allows for a more “perfect” society.