This chapter is divided into two parts with two levels of analysis: social structure (macrosociology) and social interaction (microsociology)

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1 Ivan Chao 10/10/13 Chapter 4: Social Structure and Social Interaction This chapter is divided into two parts with two levels of analysis: social structure (macrosociology) and social interaction (microsociology) The Two Levels of Sociological Analysis Sociologists use two approaches to studying social life: o Macrosociology (focusing on the broad features of social structure) used by functionalists and conflict theorist o Microsociology (concentrating on small-scale, face-to-face social interactions between people) used by symbolic interactionists Part I: Macrosociological Analysis of Social Structure What is social structure? (#1, #2, #3??) o Social structure refers to the framework that surrounds us, consisting of the relationships of people and groups to one another, which give direction and set limits on human behavior. o Recall Durkheim s concept of social facts o A person s location in the social structure his or her social class and social status; the roles he or she are assigned to play; and the culture, groups, and social institutions to which he or she belongs underlie his or her perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. o All of the components of social structure work together to maintain social order by limiting, guiding, and organizing human behavior. The major components of social structure include culture, social class, social status, roles, groups, and social institutions o Social class One s class location is based on income, education, and occupational prestige. A large number of people with similar incomes, education levels, and occupational prestige make up a social class. Determines: residence, health outcomes, education, health and mental For conflict theorists, class is the primary element of social structure that determines individual s fates o Social status Describes the position that a person occupies in a society or a social group Social status is a recognized position that an individual occupies willingly or unwillingly. Statuses are socially defined not individually defined. Statuses define who and what we are in relation to others. Differs from the concept of identity. Statuses guide social interaction each status involves particular duties, rights and expectations. EX. Mother, father, child statuses in family. Professor and student statuses in a classroom Statuses are classified in terms of how individuals obtain them

2 Ascribed status social positions a person either inherits at birth (e.g., race, ethnicity, sex) or receives involuntarily later in life (e.g., teenager, adult, senior citizen). Individuals have little or no choice the status is ascribed Achieved status a social position that someone assumes voluntarily and that reflects personal ability and effort (e.g., an athlete, a good student, a thief) Individual has significant choice status is achieved Many statuses involve a combination of ascription and achievement Each status a person occupies, whether it is prestigious or not so prestigious, ascribed or achieved, provides guidelines for how s/he should act or feel. People often flash status symbols such as wedding rings, expensive jewelry, and luxury cars to announce their statuses to others. In simplest terms, a status symbol is any item used to identify a status. Master status a status that cuts (or dominant) across the other statuses an individual occupies. A status that has exceptional importance for social identity, often shaping a person s entire life. Can be ascribed or achieved. EX occupation (achieved), sex (ascribed) Status Inconsistency a contradiction or mismatch between statuses a gas station attendant with a Ph.D., for example. o Roles Roles are the behaviors, obligations, and privileges attached to a status. The difference between a role and a status is that a person occupies a status (ex. Being a male), but plays a role, such as acting tough. One individual occupies several statuses at the same time = status set Wife, mother, teacher, researcher Mother: maternal role, civic role Wife: domestic role, conjugal role Teacher: teacher role, colleague role Researcher: laboratory role, author role Role conflict (among several statuses) refers to incompatibility among roles corresponding to two or more different statuses. Individual feels pulled in several directions related to demands of statuses EX. couldn t study for exam because of part-time working as a student and employee.!!!!!every day is regulated by a structure that exists outside of ourselves!!!!!! EX. Test date is set by teacher or this class ends at 6:20 and we re not forced to stay Role strain (within one status) refers to incompatibility among roles corresponding to a single status. Difficulty of being friendly and supervisory at work. Role exit process by which people disengage from social roles that have been central to their lives. EX. Nuns, ex-doctors, ex-alcoholics trouble adjusting to a new role

3 o o Groups A group consists of people who regularly and consciously interact with one another and, ordinarily, share similar values, norms, and expectations. Decision-making tends to move from the individual to the collective (or group level); for example, peer pressure, notions of belonging EX. Young Johnny sets something in school on fire Social Institutions A broad definition of social institutions is the organized, usual, or standard ways by which society meets it basic needs Social institutions tend to be more formal in industrialized societies and more informal in tribal societies EX. Nursed elderly, but now we have institutions of nursing homes In industrial and post-industrial societies, the major social institutions are the family, religion, law, politics, economics, education, science, medicine, the military, and the mass media Social institutions establish the context in which people live, shaping their priorities, obligations, activities, relationships, behaviors, thoughts, and orientations. Functionalists and conflict theorists disagree over the purposes for and effects of social institutions. Functionalists emphasize the positive aspects of social institutions and argue that social institutions exist because they meet universal needs. The purpose of social institutions is to provide society with its functional requisites, the major tasks that a society must fulfill if it is to survive. Functionalists identify five functional requisites that each society must fulfill in order to survive: 1) replacing members 2) socializing new members 3) producing and distributing goods and services 4) preserving order, and 5) providing a sense of purpose Total institutions are an extreme example. Total institutions include prisons, the military, mental hospitals and religious convents All aspects of life are conducted in the same place and under the same single authority. Part II. Microsociological Analysis of Social Interaction in Everyday Life Symbolic interactionists examine small-scale, face-to-face social interactions from a microsociological perspective. The foundation of symbolic interactionism is the claim that reality is social constructed; that individuals creatively shape reality through social interaction. EX. Like a film strip, each part of it describes something Rather than focus on social structures, symbolic interactionists focus on the behavior of individuals in everyday situations.

4 Symbolic interactionists are especially interested in the symbols that people use to define their worlds and how these definitions, in turn, influence human behavior. o Stereotypes in Everyday Life (Patterns) Stereotypes are assumptions that people make about other people based on previous but weak associations with similar types of people, and/or based on what they have been told about such people Stereotypes rely on representations shorthand symbols, that are often exaggerated and incorrect that stand in for direct engagement or experience with individuals from different backgrounds o Personal Space According to symbolic interactionists, people surround themselves with a personal bubble that they carefully protect by controlling space, touching, eye contact and other means. Different cultures have different perceptions of personal space, how much physical distance, in specific situations, to keep between people. The distance of personal space for various activities varies from culture to culture. EX. Crowds of people. Why are you sitting next to me or behind me in a movie theater. Person s crotch in your face on the crowded bus Americans tend to observe four different distance zones of personal space while talking to one another: 1) Intimate distance a zone extending to about eighteen inches from a person s body; hugging, kissing, intimate activities. EX. not like meeting someone giving hugs and kisses at the end 2) Personal distance a zone extending from eighteen inches to four feet; friends and acquaintances for ordinary conversation 3) Social distance a zone extending from about four to twelve feet; meant for impersonal or formal relationships EX. student stands behind teacher s podium 4) Public distance a zone extending beyond twelve feet; meant for very formal relationships; for example, a speaker and audience Gender and Personal Space Gender modifies patterns of personal space Feminine daintiness reflects how little space women occupy Masculine turf reflects the amount of space a man commands Men commonly intrude upon the personal space of woman Using more space conveys a nonverbal message of personal importance When women encroach on the personal space of men it is construed as sexual o Touching Like perceptions of personal space, frequency of touching differs across cultures. o Eye Contact People also protect their personal bubble by controlling eye contact how short or long, directly or indirectly, one person looks into another person s eyes Eye Contact and Power

5 Women employ eye contact to sustain conversation more than men do Male eye contact: staring conveys social dominance and definition of women as sexual objects Dramturgy: The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life!!!Roles become something we craft and not something we put on/wear Erving Goffman developed dramaturgy on an analytical approach analyzes social life in terms of the theatrical stage Everyday life consists of social actors playing assigned roles People have front stages, where performances are given People have back stages, where people rest from their performances, discuss their presentations, and prepare for future performances. People play many roles in their everyday life, such as daughter, student, girlfriend, and worker. Role performance refers to the particular emphasis, interpretation, and style a person brings to a role within the limits that role provides. At the core of Goffman s dramaturgical analysis is impression management, or how people try to control other people s impressions of them through sign-vehicles, teamwork, and face-saving behavior. o Sign-vehicles are used to communicate information about the self and include: Social setting (context) A social setting is a place where the action of everyday life unfolds, such as an office, living room, or bar. Appearance (elements of crafting) Appearance is how an individual looks when playing a role. It may include everything from the clothes one wears to the type of liquor one drinks to the type of automobile one drives. EX. Guy with the suitcase Manner Manner refers to the attitudes that people show as they play their roles. It is used to convey information about their feelings and moods. Comportment: how an individual carries his or her self; demeanor. EX. Dr. Mele s job interviewer at UB o Teamwork Teamwork involves the collaboration of two or more people in order to make sure a performance goes off as planned. When a performance does not come off as planned, people engage in facesaving behavior, techniques to salvage the performance. Ethnomethodology: Uncovering Background Assumptions o Ethnomethodology is the study of how people use background assumptions to make sense out of life. o Background assumptions are deeply embedded common understandings concerning people s view of the world and how they ought to act. EX. Talking to strangers in an elevator. Acting as a boarder in your family home o Symbolic interactionists contend that reality is subjectively created out of people s perceptions of what is real. (Fluid)

6 o o People define their own realities and then live within those definitions The Thomas theorem: If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.