Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

own. This is called group polarization. J.A. Stoner hypothesized that such decisions are usually made because of the security of shared responsibility in the case of a wrong decision and because of the cultural applause given to bold decisions. Group Boundaries Group boundaries clarify who is a member and who is not. Individuals classify each group they are a member of as an in-group. Those groups they are not involved with are out-groups. Competitions can erupt between groups, and that tension can strengthen group solidarity and group loyalty. Reference Groups Reference groups are used a standard for evaluation. An individual’s self-evaluation is greatly influenced by the reference group they choose. Personalities and behaviors are strongly influenced by thosegroups deemed worthy of being used as a reference point. Networks Social networks are links between individuals who interact continually in some capacity. Networks are vital to societies and are made up of primary contacts (family and close friends) and secondary contacts (co-workers, professional acquaintances). A person’s sense of community relies on his or her network, how large or small it is. Organizations An organization is a large, formal association. Organizations can be closed or have limitedadmission. Generally, the relationships in this kind of association are secondary and impersonal. Modern society is full of named organizations that have an official purpose or goal(s); they have statuses and roles, andexpect members to follow a set of rules to promote those goals. Amitai Etzioni characterized the three broadest types of organizations: • Voluntary: People are free to join and leave as they become interested in the group’s purposes. • Utilitarian: Members join such organizations for practical reasons, usually for some gain. • Coercive: Individuals are forced to participate. Organizations are very structured, unlike primary groups. Each formal organization has the following: • Informal structure: Personal interactions between members, improving the efficiency of the organization. • Organizational culture: Important to success, the well-defined identity, clear values, heroes, rites and rituals bring order to the work of the organization. • Cultural network: Hidden hierarchy that obtains and spreads information.

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