Sociology Chapter 5 NotesSociety, Social Structure, and InteractionSaad A. SaleemOctober 5thSocial Interaction: Process by which people act toward or respond to other people, it is also the foundation for all relationships and groups in a society.Social Structure: The Macro level PerspectiveSocial Interaction: Process by which people act toward or respond to other people.Social Structure: Stable patterns of social relations that exist within a particular group or societySocial Marginality: The state of being part insider and part outsider in the social structureStigma: Physical or social attribute or sign that devalues a person’s social identity that it disqualifies that person from full social acceptanceSocial structure gives us the ability to interpret the social situations we encounterComponents of Social StructureStatusoStatus: Socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and dutiesoStatus Set: A term used to describe all the statuses that a person occupies at a given time. For example a person may be a sociologist, a husband, anda Pakistani at the same timeoAscribed status:social position conferred on a person at birth or received involuntarily later on in life. For example being born a male to Nigerian parentsoAchieved Status:Social position assumed voluntarily as a result of personal choice, merit, or direct effort. For example your profession.oMaster Status:The most important status a person occupies. Being poor or rich is a master status that influences many other statuses. For men occupation is a very important master status. For women their place in the family has historically been a master status.oStatus Symbols: Material sign that depicts others a person’s specific status. For example wearing a wedding ring shows one is married.
Chapter No 4
SOCIAL INTERACTION
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
All activities in life—including scavenging in garbage bins and living “on the streets”—are social in
nature. Homeless persons and domiciled persons (those with homes) live in social worlds that have
predictable patterns of social interaction.
Social interaction is the process by which people act toward or respond to other people and is
the foundation for all relationships and groups in society
In this chapter, we look at the relationship between social structure and social interaction.
Social structure is the complex framework of societal institutions (such as the economy,
politics, and religion) and the social practices (such as rules and social roles) that make up a
society and that organize and establish limits on people’s behavior. This structure is essential for
the survival of society and for the well-being of individuals because it provides a social web of
familial support and social relationships that connects each of us to the larger society
Components of Social Interaction & Social Structure
i.Status
ii.Status set
iii.Achieved and ascribed status
iv.Master status
v.Role
vi.Role set
vii.Role conflict
viii.Role strain