Transcript CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 6 The Sociorelational Context The sociorelational context refers to how group memberships affect communication. Membership groups • Involuntary membership groups • Voluntary membership groups Nonmembership groups Ingroup—a group whose norms, aspirations, and values shape the behavior of its members. Out-group—a group whose attributes are dissimilar from those of the ingroup, or that opposes the accomplishment of the in-group’s goals. Typically, voluntary membership ingroups serve as positive reference groups… …and voluntary nonmembership out-groups are seen as negative reference groups. A group to which we may or may not belong but with which we identify in some important way • comparative function • normative function One’s relative position in a group with an expected set of verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Formal roles: welldefined behavioral expectations Explicit Violations can lead to removal from role. Informal roles: expectations vary greatly Implicit. Learn from experience. Roles and Communication Roles prescribe • (1) with whom • (2) about what, and • (3) how to communicate with others. Social identity Dimensions upon which roles vary • the degree of personalness, formality, hierarchy, and deviation from the ideal role enactment Role Differentiation and Stratification Social Stratification • The rank ordering of roles within a culture • Varies across cultures Role differentiation • The complexity of role hierarchy varies by culture • Some cultures make relatively few distinctions, whereas others make many Differences in cultures with • high/low context • high/low power distance Family Groups The socialization influence on the child Patriarchy and matriarchy Sex and Gender Sex is biological; gender is socialized and constructed More masculine cultures: • Japan • Ireland • USA More feminine cultures: • South Korea • Finland • Sweden Japan Japanese Constitution stipulates all are equal Younger Japanese have more egalitarian attitudes toward sex roles Older Japanese have more traditional attitudes toward sex roles Japanese women continue to sacrifice personal goals for harmony of family, in accordance with collectivism India • Male children seen as a blessing • Continue family name • Economic asset Preamble of the • Female children seen as a burden • Dowry Indian Constitution • Less education guarantees equality China 1950 Marriage Law abolished feudal forms of marriage. Women have little freedom and few rights. Women discouraged from living alone. Women are considered more vulnerable and less capable of dealing with the outside world than are men. Mexico More Mexican women than men are divorced, possibly because Mexican men tend to emigrate once they divorce Today, Mexican women are more educated than ever. Nearly 93% of women age 12 years and older do domestic work During the past few years, the roles of men as providers and women as in charge of domestic work have changed noticeably Israel Women have been guaranteed equal rights since Israel’s establishment as a state in 1948. Segregation still occurs Certain fundamental religious groups reject such rights Israel is the only country in the world with a compulsory military service requirement for women.