Sociology Notes – Chapter 4 Section 1
Culture and Social Structure – Social Structure
Building Blocks of Social Structure [pages 64-68]
What gives society its enduring characteristics and makes patterns of human
interaction predictable?
What is social structure?
What is status?
What is a role?
Why are statuses important?
What is ascribed status?
What is ascribed status based on?
What is achieved status?
What efforts lead to achieved status?
What are some examples of achieved statuses in the United States?
What is master status?
What is a typical evolution of the master status?
What brings statuses to life?
What did Ralph Linton note about statuses and roles?
What are reciprocal roles?
What are some examples of reciprocal roles?
What are role expectations?
What is role performance?
Why do role performances sometimes fall short of expectations?
What is a role set?
What is role conflict?
What is an example of role conflict?
What is role strain?
What is a social institution?
What are the basic needs of a society?
What are some of the major social institutions?
Sociology Notes – Chapter 4 Section 2
Culture and Social Structure – Social Structure
Types of Social Interaction [pages 69-72]
What affect can interaction have on social structure?
What are the common forms of social interaction?
What is an exchange?
What does scholar Peter Blau suggest about exchange?
What interactions involve exchange?
What is reciprocity?
What are some examples of rewards as part of reciprocity?
What is exchange theory?
How do exchange theorists explain social life?
What is competition?
How common is competition in Western societies?
What is a positive view of competition?
What is a negative view of competition?
Give some examples of competition used as popular entertainment.
What is conflict?
How do competition and conflict compare?
What are some examples of conflict?
What are the four sources of conflict identified by sociologist Georg Simmel?
What are some useful purposes of conflict?
Give some examples of conflict used as popular entertainment.
What is cooperation?
Why is cooperation important?
What is accommodation?
What are the forms of accommodation?
What is compromise?
What is a truce?
What is mediation?
What is arbitration?
Sociology Notes – Chapter 4 Section 3
Culture and Social Structure – Social Structure
Types of Societies [pages 73-77]
Where does role behavior often take place?
What is a group?
What are the largest and most complex groups?
How do sociologists classify societies?
What is a subsistence strategy?
What are the three broad categories of societies?
What is a preindustrial society?
What are the four subdivisions of preindustrial societies?
Describe hunting and gathering societies.
Describe pastoral societies.
Describe horticultural societies.
Describe agricultural societies.
What is an industrial society?
Describe industrial societies.
What is urbanization?
What is a postindustrial society?
Describe postindustrial societies.
What concepts did Durkheim use to describe the types of social relationships found in
preindustrial and industrial societies?
What is mechanical solidarity?
What is organic solidarity?
What were the two ideal types of societies distinguished by sociologist Ferdinand
Tonnies?
What is Gemeinschaft?
What is Gesellschaft?
Sociology Notes – Chapter 4 Section 4
Culture and Social Structure – Social Structure
Groups Within Societies [pages 78-81]
What is sociologist David Orenstein’s view of groups?
What can groups be like?
What are the four major features of a group?
What distinguishes a group from an aggregate or social category?
What is an aggregate?
What is a social category?
How can groups differ?
What is a dyad? Describe it.
What is a triad? Describe it.
What s considered a small group?
How does time affect a group?
What are the two organizations of groups?
What is a formal group?
What is an informal group?
What are the five common types of groups recognized by sociologists?
What is one of the easiest ways to classify groups?
What is a primary group?
What is a secondary group?
What is a reference group?
What is an in-group?
What are the three characteristics of in-groups?
What is an out-group?
What is an e-community?
What is a social network?
What four basic functions do groups fulfill?
What are instrumental leaders?
What are expressive leaders?
Sociology Notes – Chapter 4 Section 5
Culture and Social Structure – Social Structure
The Structures of Formal Organizations [pages 83-89]
What is a formal organization?
What are some examples of formal organizations?
What is a bureaucracy?
What is rationality?
What are the five characteristics of bureaucracies according to Weber?
What is a division of labor?
What is ranking of authority?
What is employment based on formal qualifications?
What are rules and regulations?
What are specific lines of promotion and advancement?
What is a voluntary association?
What are some examples of voluntary associations?
What can exist within bureaucracies?
What are the positives of bureaucracies?
What are the weaknesses of bureaucracies?
What is an oligarchy?
What is the iron law of oligarchy?
What is The Peter Principle?
What is Parkinson’s Law?
According to Parkinson, what are three ways an overworked civil servant can solve
that problem?
What is the ultimate result if he chooses the third option?