SOCIAL INTERACTION

Exchange  Exchange – whenever people interact in an effort to receive a reward or a return for their actions  Nearly all of our daily interactions involve exchanges  Peter Blau argued that “exchange is the most basic and common form of interaction”  Exchange is based of the idea of reciprocity –  That if you do something for someone, that person owes you something in return  Reward must not be material (a simple thank you)  Rise of the Exchange Theory – people are motivated by self-interest in their interactions with other people  If cost outweighs reward people end the relationship

Competition  Competition – occurs when two or more people/groups oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one can attain.  Competition is considered to be the cornerstone of the capitalist economic system and the democratic form of government  Advancement comes through competition

Conflict  Where as competition involves achieving a goal, conflict involves defeating the opponent  Conflict – the deliberate attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone, or to harm another person  No “rules” of conduct (pushing kid in hallway to killing an enemy)  Four Sources of Conflict 1. Wars 2. Disagreements within groups 3. Legal disputes 4. Clashes over ideology

Cooperation  Cooperation – occurs when two or more people or groups work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person  Cooperation gets things done  Cooperation and Competition work together Athletes on a football team

Accommodation  In many interactions in your life, you are neither in cooperation nor in conflict  This is known as accommodation - a state of balance between cooperation and conflict (give and take)  Hotel Analogy  Cooperation – Owner would let you stay for free  Conflict – Owner refuses to let you stay  Accommodation – Owner allows you to stay, you exchange $60 Takes the form of compromise – two friends want to see different movies, go to a third movie

Key Vocabulary  Exchange  Reciprocity  Exchange Theory  Competition  Conflict  Cooperation  Accomodation