chapter 3 reduced

Status

A socially defined position within a group or society.

Ascribed Status

A social position a person is born with or receives without choosing.

Achieved Status

A social position a person earns.

Master Status

A status that becomes especially important and can outweigh a person's other statuses.

Social Role

The expectations attached to a particular status.

Role Conflict

Conflict caused by incompatible expectations from two or more different statuses.

Role Strain

Difficulty caused by conflicting expectations within the same status.

Group

People with similar norms, values, and expectations who interact regularly.

Primary Group

Small group characterized by close and personal relationships.

Secondary Group

More impersonal group usually organized around a particular activity or goal.

In-Group

A group a person feels they belong to.

Out-Group

A group a person feels they do not belong to.

Reference Group

A group people use as a standard for evaluating their behavior or beliefs.

Social Network

Series of relationships that directly and indirectly connect people.

Social Institution

Organized pattern of beliefs and behavior centered on meeting basic social needs.

Mechanical Solidarity

Social unity based on shared beliefs and people performing similar tasks.

Organic Solidarity

Social unity based on people depending on one another because they perform different specialized tasks.

Gemeinschaft

Small community characterized by similar backgrounds and close personal relationships.

Gesellschaft

Large community characterized by more impersonal relationships and weaker personal ties.

Sociocultural Evolution

Lenski's idea that societies change over time largely through changes in technology.

Technology

Cultural knowledge about using environmental resources to meet human needs.

Hunting-and-Gathering Society

Society that relies mainly on naturally available plants and animals.

Horticultural Society

Society that grows crops using relatively simple methods and tools.

Agrarian Society

Society based primarily on large-scale agricultural production.

Industrial Society

Society that relies on mechanization to produce goods and services.

Postindustrial Society

Society whose economy focuses mainly on information and services.

Postmodern Society

Technologically advanced society strongly influenced by consumer goods and media.

Formal Organization

A group deliberately created and structured to accomplish a particular purpose efficiently.

Bureaucracy

Formal organization using rules and hierarchical ranking to achieve efficiency.

Ideal Type

A model used to evaluate and compare real cases.

Division of Labor

Dividing work into specialized tasks.

Trained Incapacity

When specialization causes workers to overlook problems outside their normal duties.

Hierarchy of Authority

Ranking of positions from lower to higher levels of authority.

Written Rules and Regulations

Formal rules that guide how members of a bureaucracy perform their work.

Goal Displacement

When following rules becomes more important than accomplishing the organization's actual goal.

Impersonality

Bureaucratic principle of treating people according to rules rather than personal relationships.

Technical Qualifications

Skills, education, or training used as the basis for employment.

Peter Principle

Idea that employees may continue being promoted until they reach a position they cannot perform effectively.

Classical Theory / Scientific Management Approach

Approach that emphasizes efficiency and assumes workers are motivated largely by economic rewards.

Human Relations Approach

Approach emphasizing workers, communication, relationships, and participation within organizations.