Transcript Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, 8/e

Chapter 06:
Societies to Social Networks
What is a Group?
“People who interact with one another and think of
themselves as belonging together.”
Largest & Most Complex group?
society
Societies and Their Transformation
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Domestication Revolution (of plants & animals)
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(1st social revolution)
 Hunting and Gathering
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Fewest social divisions (only some small differences in male /
female role)
Shaman (religious) exist
Family is important breakdown
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Most family members are related
Provides almost all needs for group
Only basic needs, no need for material possession;
have most time for leisure
Societies and Their Transformation
 Pastoral and Horticultural
1st social revolution
 Led to larger food supply and thus
larger society (gradual though)
 Pastoral = animals
 Horitcultural = gardening
 Division of labor developed
 Social inequity began

Societies and Their Transformation
 Agricultural Society
2nd social revolution
 Invention of plow
 Now more food (than needed)
 Culture developed
 Literature, music, art, etc
 Inequity is central feature of life
 Concentration of power begins
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Societies and Their Transformation
 Industrial Societies
3rd social revolution
 Steam engine
 Goods produced by machines
 Even more inequity
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Own means of production
Control people’s working conditions
Societies and Their Transformation
 Post-Industrial (information) Societies
4th social revolution
 Hallmark is passing on information
 Many who make money do not
produce anything
 Changed society away from
manufacturing
 Many even work from home
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Societies and Their Transformation
 Bio-Tech Societies
5th social revolution???
 Is this emerging?
 New products being created in a lab?
 Cloning?

Chapter 6: Societies to Social Networks
DAY 2 Start
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
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Groups Within Society
Not to be Confused with Groups...
 Aggregate
 Category
Groups Within Society
 Primary Groups

Face-to-Face

The Family

Friends
 Producing a Mirror Within
Groups Within Society
Secondary Groups
 Larger, More Anonymous
 Members Interact Based on Statuses
 Fail to Satisfy Need for Intimate
Association
Groups Within Society
In-Groups and Out-Groups
 Loyalty to In-Groups
 Antagonism Towards Out-Groups
Groups Within Society
 In-Groups and Out-Groups Produce…

Loyalty

Sense of Superiority

Rivalries
 Implications for Socially Diverse Society
Groups Within Society
Reference Groups
 Provide a Yardstick
 Expose Us to Contradictory Standards
Groups Within Society
Social Networks
 The Small World Phenomenon
 Is the Small World Phenomenon a Myth?
Groups Within Society
 Implications for Socially Diverse Society
 Implications for Science
Groups Within Society
 Electronic Communities

People Connect Online

Newsgroups

Online Chat Rooms
 Some Meet Definition of Group
Group Dynamics
 Group Size Affects Stability and Intimacy

Dyad

Triad

Coalitions
 As Size Increases, So Does Stability
 As Size Increases, Intensity and
Intimacy Decrease
Group Dynamics
 Effects of Group Size on Attitudes
and Behavior
 The Larger the Group…

Greater Diffusion of Responsibility

Increase in Formality

Division into Smaller Groups
Leadership
 Who Becomes a Leader?
 Types of Leaders

Instrumental

Expressive
Leadership
 Leadership Styles

Authoritarian

Democratic

Laissez-Faire
 Leadership Styles in Changing Situations
Group Dynamics
 Power of Peer Pressure—Asch
Experiment

Study on Conformity
Group Dynamics
 Power of Peer Pressure—Asch
Experiment

Study on Conformity
 Power of Authority—Milgram
Experiment

Administering Shocks
Groupthink - Global
Consequences
 Irving Janis Coined the Term
 Examples of Groupthink
 Preventing Groupthink