Unit 8: Organization in Society – Notes

Learning Targets

  • Describe the organized nature of social life and rules governing behavior.

  • Compare different forms of social organization according to their manifest and latent functions.

Unit Stimulus

  • UNIT STIMULUS: Quipper

  • WILD TEAM

  • Prompt: "Who do you believe influences your behavior the most and why?"

Social Organizations: Groups Within Society (Primary and Secondary)

  • Lesson 1 | Unit 8 | Organization in Society Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Social Organizations (Definitions)

  • Social organizations refer to the pattern of individual and group relations resulting from social interactions.

  • Two or more people who share enduring interaction and relationships resulting in similarities in values, beliefs, lifestyle, and attitudes → Social Group.

  • The commonality established in social groups makes members feel a sense of belongingness.

Quasigroup, Aggregate, and Category Not Considered a Social Group

  • Quasigroup: possesses physical proximity but does not have enduring social interaction.

  • Aggregate: assembly or gathering of people with common traits and interests.

  • Does not need to be physically together or have interactions.

  • Category Not Considered a Social Group (example shown in the slide): CATHOLICS (as a category example in this context).

Primary Groups

  • Primary Groups: small social groups characterized by personal and lasting relationships.

  • Tightly integrated groups with more commonalities.

  • High sense of group identity, loyalty, and emotional ties.

  • The concept of primary groups was introduced by sociologist Charles Horton Cooley. He believed that these groups mold individuals into who they are and prepare them for society.

Secondary Groups

  • Secondary Groups: large membership.

  • Impersonal relationships.

  • No sense of group identity.

  • Exist to accomplish goals or objectives.

Comparison: Primary vs Secondary Groups

  • Primary Group: personal, intimate, long-term, high sense of group identity, smaller.

  • Secondary Group: impersonal, less intimate, short-term, low sense of group identity, larger.

Where Do I Belong?

  • Discussion prompts:
    1) How can your social groups influence your development as a social being?
    2) What facilitates the sense of belongingness between members of social groups?
    3) How can we compare primary social groups to secondary social groups?

Perspective-at-Work

  • Do you consider others’ perspective of you in how you view yourself?

  • How does social media contribute to this formation of self-identity?