Soc 101Soc 101

Chapter 5: Groups and Chapter 5: Groups and OrganizationsOrganizations

Make a list of the various groups to Make a list of the various groups to which you belong.which you belong.

Which groups have had the greatest Which groups have had the greatest impact on your development?impact on your development?

How have your group associations How have your group associations changed based on the different stages in changed based on the different stages in your life?your life?

Questions for You…Questions for You…

Social Group: Social Group: A collection of two or more people A collection of two or more people who: interact frequently, share a sense of who: interact frequently, share a sense of belonging, and have a feeling of interdependence.belonging, and have a feeling of interdependence.

Aggregate:Aggregate: A collection of people who happen to A collection of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time but share be in the same place at the same time but share little else in commonlittle else in common..

Categories:Categories: A number of people who may never A number of people who may never have met one another but share a similar have met one another but share a similar characteristic.characteristic.

Groups, Aggregates, and Groups, Aggregates, and CategoriesCategories

Primary Group: Primary Group: small, less specialized small, less specialized group in which members engage in face-group in which members engage in face-to-face, emotion-based interactions over to-face, emotion-based interactions over an extended period of timean extended period of time

Secondary Group:Secondary Group: larger, more larger, more specialized group in which the members specialized group in which the members engage in more impersonal, goal-oriented engage in more impersonal, goal-oriented relationships for a limited period of timerelationships for a limited period of time

Cooley’s Types of GroupsCooley’s Types of Groups

Ingroup: Ingroup: group to which a person belongs group to which a person belongs and with which the person feels a sense of and with which the person feels a sense of identityidentity

Outgroup: Outgroup: group to which a person does not group to which a person does not belong and toward which the person may feel belong and toward which the person may feel a sense of competitiveness or hostilitya sense of competitiveness or hostility

Reference group: Reference group: group that strongly group that strongly influences a person’s behavior and social influences a person’s behavior and social attitudes, regardless of whether that attitudes, regardless of whether that individual is an actual memberindividual is an actual member

Sumner’s Types of GroupsSumner’s Types of Groups

Possible Interactions Based on Possible Interactions Based on Group SizeGroup Size

Instrumental leadershipInstrumental leadership is most is most appropriate when the group’s purpose appropriate when the group’s purpose is to complete a task or reach a is to complete a task or reach a particular goal. particular goal.

Expressive leadershipExpressive leadership is most is most appropriate when the group is dealing appropriate when the group is dealing with emotional issues, and harmony, with emotional issues, and harmony, solidarity, and high morale are needed.solidarity, and high morale are needed.

Group Leadership FunctionsGroup Leadership Functions

Authoritarian leaders - Authoritarian leaders - often criticized often criticized for fostering intergroup hostility.for fostering intergroup hostility.

Democratic leadersDemocratic leaders - praised for - praised for supportive behavior and blamed for being supportive behavior and blamed for being indecisive in a crisis.indecisive in a crisis.

Laissez-faire leadersLaissez-faire leaders - do not provide - do not provide active leadership.active leadership.

Group Leadership StylesGroup Leadership Styles

The Experiment: Studying The Experiment: Studying Group SolidarityGroup Solidarity

The Asch experiment The Asch experiment • Used the method of experimentUsed the method of experiment• Studied solidarity and conformityStudied solidarity and conformity

What was the hypothesis?What was the hypothesis?• Group solidarity causes conformityGroup solidarity causes conformity

What was the independent variable?What was the independent variable?• Group solidarity (the answers given by Group solidarity (the answers given by

the group)the group) What was the dependent variable?What was the dependent variable?

• Whether or not a subject conformed to Whether or not a subject conformed to the groupthe group

Group 1Group 1XX

Group 2Group 2AABBCC

Group 1Group 1XX

Group 2Group 2AABBCC

Group 1Group 1XX

Group 2Group 2AABBCC

Stanley Milgram: ObedienceStanley Milgram: Obedience

Important points:Important points:• Obedience to authority is learned from an Obedience to authority is learned from an

early ageearly age• Obedience to authority is often unquestionedObedience to authority is often unquestioned

Things to think about:Things to think about:• People were more likely to obey authority People were more likely to obey authority

when:when: Authority is presentAuthority is present people can diffuse responsibilitypeople can diffuse responsibility they are distanced from their victimsthey are distanced from their victims

Milgram’s Obedience Milgram’s Obedience Experiment: ResultsExperiment: Results

Milgram: ContinuedMilgram: Continued

• What was the penalty for failing to obey?What was the penalty for failing to obey? Answer: nothing seriousAnswer: nothing serious

• Why then, didn’t more disobey?Why then, didn’t more disobey? We are taught that those in authority “know best”We are taught that those in authority “know best” We are taught to obey authority from an early ageWe are taught to obey authority from an early age Thus, socialization has encouraged conformityThus, socialization has encouraged conformity

• Is conformity/obedience bad?Is conformity/obedience bad? Not always. A classroom cannot be run efficiently Not always. A classroom cannot be run efficiently

without the obedience/conformity of the classwithout the obedience/conformity of the class Can be. Sometimes people don’t question authority Can be. Sometimes people don’t question authority

like they should (e.g. Nazi Germany)like they should (e.g. Nazi Germany)

Group ThinkGroup Think

Irving Janis developed an influential theory of Irving Janis developed an influential theory of group decision making that he called groupthink. group decision making that he called groupthink.

Groupthink involves an extreme form of group Groupthink involves an extreme form of group cohesiveness in which group members begin to cohesiveness in which group members begin to think alike and do not question each other or think alike and do not question each other or consider alternative choices in making a decision. consider alternative choices in making a decision.

GroupthinkGroupthink Given the Asch and Milgram Given the Asch and Milgram

experiments, how might you explain experiments, how might you explain groupthink?groupthink?

How does Janis explain groupthink?How does Janis explain groupthink?

BUREAUCRACIESBUREAUCRACIES

They are a type of formal They are a type of formal organizationorganization

Formal OrganizationsFormal Organizations are are highly structured groups highly structured groups formed for the purpose of formed for the purpose of completing specific tasks/goalscompleting specific tasks/goals

Bureaucracies Bureaucracies are special are special purpose groups formed for purpose groups formed for maximum efficiencymaximum efficiency

They come in different shapes They come in different shapes and sizes, but they share and sizes, but they share certain characteristicscertain characteristics

Bureaucracies: An Ideal Bureaucracies: An Ideal TypeType

1. Division of Labor 2. Hierarchy of Authority 3. Written Rules/Regulations 4. Impersonal 5. Meritocracies

Consider this…Consider this… How do people use this informal How do people use this informal

“grapevine” to spread information? Is “grapevine” to spread information? Is it faster than the organization’s official it faster than the organization’s official channels of communication? Is it more channels of communication? Is it more or less accurate than official channels?or less accurate than official channels?

Bureaucracies and Their Bureaucracies and Their LimitationsLimitations

Inefficiency & RigidityInefficiency & Rigidity

Resistance to ChangeResistance to Change

Perpetuation of Race, Class Perpetuation of Race, Class and Gender Inequalitiesand Gender Inequalities

Leads to the “Iron Law of Leads to the “Iron Law of Oligarchy”Oligarchy”