Types of Social Interaction & Groups
Five Types of Social Interaction Exchange Competition Conflict Cooperation Accommodation
Exchange Whenever people interact in an effort to receive a reward or a return for their actions Almost all daily interaction involves exchange. Exchange Theory: People are motivated by self-interest in their interactions with other people.
Competition Occurs when two or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one can attain. Common feature of Western societies. Most sociologists view this as a positive motivator in society but can lead to negative side effects.
Conflict The main emphasis in competition is achieving the goal…the main emphasis with conflict is defeating the opponent. Conflict is the deliberate attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone, to harm another person.
Cooperation Occurs when two or more people or groups work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person. Competition and cooperation may be used together to motivate members of a group to work harder.
Accommodation In many of your interactions, you neither cooperate nor engage in conflict. You simply accommodate the other person in the interaction. You give a little and you take a little. Examples: compromise, truce, arbitration Hotel Example…
The Group Consists of four main features Two or more people. Interaction Shared expectations Common identity
Organization: Formal vs. Informal Formal Group The structure, goals, and activities are clearly defined. Gov’t, sports teams, clubs, school, etc… Informal Group No official structure or established rules of conduct Circle of friends, Facebook “Friends”
Primary vs. Secondary Primary Group Secondary Group Small group of people who interact over a long period of time on a direct and personal basis. Interaction is usually informal. Family, close friends, significant others Secondary Group Interaction is impersonal and temporary in nature. Interaction is organized around a central goal. Work relationships
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