Chapter Four: Society and Social Interaction

Social Structure and Social Interaction Macrosociology  Large-Scale Features of Social Life Microsociology  Focus on Social Interaction 22 Levels of Sociological Analysis

Social Structure and Social Interaction  Sociological Significance of Social Structure  Guides Our Behavior  Behavior Decided by Location in Social Structure  Social location  Culture  Group’s Language, Beliefs, Values, Behaviors, Gestures  Material Objects 33 The Macrosociological Perspective

Social Structure and Social Interaction  Social Class Divides People by… 1.Income 2.Education 3.Occupational Prestige 44 The Macrosociological Perspective

Social Structure and Social Interaction  Social Status – Position a person occupies  Ascribed –a status one is born with  Achieved –a status one earns  Master Status-cuts across all other statuses one holds  Status Set-all of the statuses one holds 55 The Macrosociological Perspective

Social Structure and Social Interaction The Macrosociological Perspective Status Set

Social Structure and Social Interaction  Roles – Behaviors associated with ones status  You Occupy a Status  You Play a Role  Ones role will change as ones status changes 77 The Macrosociological Perspective

Social Structure and Social Interaction  Groups – People Who Regularly and Consciously Interact and think of themselves as belonging together  Social Institutions – Means Developed by Societies to Meet Basic Needs The more industrialized the society the more formal the institution 88 Macrosociological Perspective

Social Structure and Social Interaction 99 Microsociological Perspective Social Interaction in Everyday life Face to face interaction The mutual influence of two or more people on each other’s behavior. Symbolic Interaction  Examine people’s perceptions and how such interpretations influence their behavior.  Stereotypes, labeling, and prejudice

Social Structure and Social Interaction Microsociological Perspective Patterns of Social Interaction Exchange Cooperation Competion Conflict Coercion

Social Structure and Social Interaction Stereotypes Assumptions about the characteristics of certain individuals which leads to generalization Sets the tone for interaction Research on Stereotypes—Snyder (1993)  Theory—People assumptions of what people are like—might be a self-fulfilling prophecy  11 Microanalytical Perspective

Social Structure and Social Interaction Personal Space (Edward Hall) – a invisible bubble by which we surround ourselves 4 Levels:  Intimate  Personal  Social  Public  12

Social Structure and Social Interaction Erving Goffman Dramaturgy – Life is like a play  Actors, audience, stage, script Socialization consists of learning how to play on stage of life Front and Back Stages Sign Vehicles  Social setting, appearance, manner Impression Management  Face Saving Behavior  13 Microanalytical Perspective (Dramaturgy)

Social Structure and Social Interaction Role Conflict – a conflict between two separate roles The more roles you play, the more conflict you may experience Role Strain – a strain within the same role  14

Social Structure and Social Interaction  15

Social Structure and Social Interaction Ethnomethodology - The study of how people use background assumptions to get through everyday life Harold Garfinkle’s Experiments  16 Microanalytical Perspective (Ethnomethodology)

Social Structure and Social Interaction Thomas Theorem – W.I. Thomas Our behavior depends not on the objective but on the subjective interpretation of reality.  We behave according to the way we perceive the world  17 Microanalytical Perspective (Thomas Theorem)