Chapter 9 - Social Interaction

Question 1

Statuses

Answer 1

• Positions in society that are used to classify individuals
• Most statuses exist in relation to other statuses: being a premed student does not have meaning unless there are other statuses with which to compare it, such as medical student or resident.
• 3 key types of statuses:
  
  1. Ascribed status: is given involuntarily, due to factors like race, ethnicity, gender, and family background.
  2. Achieved status: gained as a result of one’s efforts or choices.
  3. Master status: the status by which a person is most identified. Typically the most important status the individual holds. Also generally how people view themselves.

Question 2

Role

Answer 2

• Each status has a role, or a set of beliefs, values, attitudes, and norms that define expectations for those who hold the status.
• Role performance is the carrying out of behaviors associated with a given role. Individuals can vary in how successful they are at performing a role. Role performance can also change depending on te social situation and context of the interaction.
• Behaviors and expectations change as a result of the role partner, or the person with whom one is interacting.
• The various roles associated with a status are referred to as a role set.

Question 3

Role Conflict, Role Strain, and Role Exit

Answer 3

• Role Conflict is difficulty in satisfying the requirements or expectations of multiple roles.
• Role Strain is difficulty in satisfying multiple requirements of the same role.
• Role Exit is the dropping of one identity for another.

Question 4

Groups

Answer 4

• A group (also known as a social group) consists of two or more people who share similar characteristics and a sense of unity.
• A peer group is one that is defined by association of self-selected equals around similar interests, ages, and statuses.
• A family group is not self-selected but determined by birth, adoption, and marriage.
• In-groups are groups to which an individual belongs and out-groups are groups with which an individual competes or is in opposition.
• Reference groups are groups that establish the terms by which individuals evaluate themselves.

Question 5

Primary and Secondary Groups

Answer 5

• In a primary group, the interactions are direct, with close bonds providing warm, personal, and intimate relationships to members. These groups often last a long period of time and may include a core circle of friends, a tightly knit family, or members of a team.
• In a secondary group, the interactions are superficial, with few emotional bonds. Typically last for a short period of time, and they form and dissolve without any special significance, such as students working together on a group project.

Question 6

Group Conformity vs. Groupthink

Answer 6

• A group holds power over its members, creating group pressure that ultimately shapes members’ behaviors. This is called group conformity; individuals are compliant with the group’s goals, even when the group’s goals maybe in direct contrast to the individual’s goal. Individuals conform in an attempt to fit in and be accepted by the group.
• Groupthink occurs when members begin to focus solely on ideas generated within the group, while ignoring outside ideas.

Question 7

Bureaucracy

Answer 7

• A rational system of political organization, administration, discipline, and control.
• Bureaucracies are often slow to change and less efficient.

Question 8

Iron Law of Oligarchy and McDonaldization

Answer 8

• The iron law of oligarchy states that democratic or bureaucratic systems naturally shift to being ruled by an elite group.
• McDonaldization refers to a shift in focus toward efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control in societies.

Question 9

Social Construction Model of Emotions

Answer 9

• Assumes that there is no biological basis for emotions
• Instead, emotions are based on experiences and the situational context alone.
• Also suggests that certain emotions can only exist within social encounters and that emotions are expressed differently across cultures.

Question 10

Display Rules

Answer 10

• Unspoken rules that govern the expression of emotion

Question 11

Impression Management

Answer 11

• Refers to our attempts to influence how others perceive us
• This is done through the reguation or controlling of information in social interactions.
• 3 “selves”
  
  1. Authentic self: describes who the person actually is, including both positive and negative attributes
  2. Ideal self: refers to who we would like to be under optimal circumstances
  3. Tactical self: refers to who we market ourselves to be when we adhere to others’ expectations of us

Question 12

Dramaturgical Approach

Answer 12

• Says that individuals create images of themselves in the same way that actors perform a role in front of an audience
• The front stage is where the actor is in front of the audience, and performs according to the setting, role, and script in order to conform to the image he wants others to see.
• The back stage is where the actor is not being observed by an audience and is free to act in ways that may not be congruent with his desired public image without having to worry about ruining his performance.

Question 13

Impression Management Strategies

Answer 13

• Self-Disclosure
  
  • Giving information about oneself to establish an identity.
  • Ex: Disclosing that you are a pre-med student
• Managing Appearances
  
  • Using props, appearance, emotional expression, or associations with others to create a positive image
  • Ex: Wearing a white coat, keeping calm while dealing with a difficult patient
• Ingratiation
  
  • Using flattery or conforming to expectations to win someone over
  • Ex: Blindly agreeing to someone’s opinion, complimenting a friend before asking for a favor
• Aligning Actions
  
  • Making questionable behavior acceptable through excuses
  • Ex: Justifications for missing deadlines, blaming a bad grade on too little sleep
• Alter-Casting
  
  • _​​_Imposing an identity onto another person
  • Ex: Kaplan assigning you the role of a good MCAT student by saying “As a good MCAT student, you should…”