1. Chapter 4 – Social Structure and Interaction

2. Significance of Social Structure
The typical patterns of a group, such as the usual relationships between people and groups
People learn behaviors and attitudes as a result of their location in the social structure
Ex: Relationships between men and women or students and teachers

3. Components of Social Structure
Culture
Broadest framework that determines what kind of people we become.
Social Class
A large group of people who rank close to one another based on wealth, prestige, and power
Influences our behavior and attitudes

4. Components of Social Status
Define the following terms:
Status
Status Set
Ascribed Status
Achieved Status
Status Symbol
Master Status

5. Components of Social Status
Roles:
The behaviors, obligations, and privileges attached to a status.
Lay out what is expected of people
Define the following terms:
Role Conflict
Role Strain

6. Components of Social Status
Embarrassment – Gross and Stone Study
People project an image of themselves, but something happens to discredit that image
Disturbance of Poise: We are ready to act but something goes wrong
Loss of Maintenance of Confidence: Two people are supposed to be acting as a team, but in the missle of a situation one person shifts roles
Deliberate Embarrassment

7. Groups Group: People who…
Regularly interact with one another
Believe they have something significant in common
To belong to a group is to yield to others the right to make certain decisions about our behavior
The significance groups have over our behavior varies – ex: Table Tennis Club vs. Family