Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Networks, Groups, Networks, Groups, and Organizationsand Organizations

Melanie HatfieldMelanie Hatfield

Soc 100Soc 100

Norms of SolidarityNorms of Solidarity

When we form relationships we develop When we form relationships we develop shared ideas or “norms of solidarity” shared ideas or “norms of solidarity” about how we should behave toward about how we should behave toward them to sustain relationships.them to sustain relationships.

Because these relationships are Because these relationships are emotionally important to us, we emotionally important to us, we sometimes pay more attention to norms sometimes pay more attention to norms of solidarity than to the morality of our of solidarity than to the morality of our actions.actions.

Obedience to Structures of Obedience to Structures of AuthorityAuthority

Structures of authority tend to Structures of authority tend to render people obedient.render people obedient.

Most people find it difficult to Most people find it difficult to disobey authorities because they disobey authorities because they fear ridicule, ostracism, and fear ridicule, ostracism, and punishment.punishment.

Milgram’s obedience experimentMilgram’s obedience experiment

Milgram’s Obedience Milgram’s Obedience ExperimentExperiment

Bureaucratic Bureaucratic OrganizationOrganization

Bureaucracies are highly effective Bureaucracies are highly effective structures of authority.structures of authority.

As Max Weber defined the term, a As Max Weber defined the term, a bureaucracy is a large, impersonal bureaucracy is a large, impersonal organization composed of many clearly organization composed of many clearly define positions arranged in a hierarchy.define positions arranged in a hierarchy.

A bureaucracy has a permanent, salaried A bureaucracy has a permanent, salaried staff of qualified experts and written goals, staff of qualified experts and written goals, rules, and procedures.rules, and procedures.

Staff member always try to find ways of Staff member always try to find ways of running their organization more efficiently.running their organization more efficiently.

Social Networks: It’s a Social Networks: It’s a Small WorldSmall World

Our world is small because we are Our world is small because we are involved in overlapping sets of social involved in overlapping sets of social relations, or “social networks.”relations, or “social networks.”

Social Network: a bounded set of Social Network: a bounded set of individuals who are linked by the individuals who are linked by the exchange of material or emotional exchange of material or emotional resources. resources.

The Value of Network The Value of Network AnalysisAnalysis

The study of social networks clarifies The study of social networks clarifies a wide range of social phenomena, a wide range of social phenomena, including how people find jobs; how including how people find jobs; how information, innovations, and information, innovations, and communicable diseases spread; and communicable diseases spread; and how some people exert influence how some people exert influence over others.over others.

The Building Blocks of The Building Blocks of Social NetworksSocial Networks

Dyad: a social relationship between Dyad: a social relationship between two nodes or social units (people, two nodes or social units (people, firms, organizations, countries).firms, organizations, countries).

Triad: a social relationship among Triad: a social relationship among three nodes or social units (people, three nodes or social units (people, firms, organizations, countries).firms, organizations, countries).

Dyad and TriadDyad and Triad

GroupsGroups

Social groups: composed of one or Social groups: composed of one or more network of people who identify more network of people who identify with one another routinely interact, with one another routinely interact, and adhere to defined norms, roles, and adhere to defined norms, roles, and statuses.and statuses.

Social categories: people who share Social categories: people who share similar status but do not routinely similar status but do not routinely interact or identify with one another.interact or identify with one another.

GroupsGroups Primary groups: norms, roles and statuses are Primary groups: norms, roles and statuses are

agreed upon but are not put in writing. Social agreed upon but are not put in writing. Social interaction created emotional ties. It extends interaction created emotional ties. It extends over a long period of time and involves a wide over a long period of time and involves a wide range of activities. It results in group range of activities. It results in group members knowing one another well.members knowing one another well.

Secondary groups: larger and more Secondary groups: larger and more impersonal than primary groups. Compared impersonal than primary groups. Compared with primary groups, social interactions in with primary groups, social interactions in secondary groups create weaker emotional secondary groups create weaker emotional ties. It extends over a shorter period and ties. It extends over a shorter period and involves a narrow range of activities. It results involves a narrow range of activities. It results in most group members having at most a in most group members having at most a passing acquaintance with one another.passing acquaintance with one another.

Group ConformityGroup Conformity

Conformity is an integral part of Conformity is an integral part of group life.group life.

Primary groups generate more Primary groups generate more pressure to conform than secondary pressure to conform than secondary groups.groups.

Asch’s experiment on group Asch’s experiment on group conformityconformity

Asch’s Experiment on Asch’s Experiment on Group ConformityGroup Conformity

Group ConformityGroup Conformity The likelihood of conformity increases as The likelihood of conformity increases as

group sizegroup size increases to three or four members. increases to three or four members. As As group cohesivenessgroup cohesiveness increases, so does the increases, so does the

likelihood of conformity.likelihood of conformity. Social statusSocial status affects the likelihood of affects the likelihood of

conformity. People with low status are less conformity. People with low status are less likely to dissent.likely to dissent.

Culture matters. People in individualistic Culture matters. People in individualistic societies like the US tend to conform less.societies like the US tend to conform less.

The The appearance of unanimity appearance of unanimity affects the affects the likelihood of conformity. One dissenting voice likelihood of conformity. One dissenting voice increases the chance that others will dissent. increases the chance that others will dissent.

GroupthinkGroupthink

The power of groups to ensure conformity The power of groups to ensure conformity is often a valuable asset.is often a valuable asset.

But being focused on the good of the But being focused on the good of the group can have its downside because the group can have its downside because the consensus of a group can sometimes be consensus of a group can sometimes be misguided or dangerous.misguided or dangerous.

Dissent might save the group from Dissent might save the group from making mistakes, but the pressure to making mistakes, but the pressure to conform despite individual misgivings, or conform despite individual misgivings, or groupthink, can lead to disaster.groupthink, can lead to disaster.

Group BoundariesGroup Boundaries

In groups there is a distinction between In groups there is a distinction between the in-group, those who belong, and the the in-group, those who belong, and the out-group, those who do not belong.out-group, those who do not belong.

How and why do these boundaries get How and why do these boundaries get drawn?drawn? Group boundaries emerge when people Group boundaries emerge when people

compete for scarce resources. compete for scarce resources. Group boundaries emerge when people are Group boundaries emerge when people are

motivated to protect their self-esteem.motivated to protect their self-esteem. The Robber’s Cave Study.The Robber’s Cave Study.

Groups and Social Groups and Social ImaginationImagination

A reference group is composed of A reference group is composed of people against whom an individual people against whom an individual evaluates his or her situation or evaluates his or her situation or conduct - they function as role conduct - they function as role models.models.

Reference groups may influence us Reference groups may influence us even though they represent a largely even though they represent a largely imaginary ideal.imaginary ideal.

Four Criticisms Against Four Criticisms Against BureaucraciesBureaucracies

1.1. Dehumanization - Rather than Dehumanization - Rather than treating clients and personnel as treating clients and personnel as individuals, bureaucracies tend to individuals, bureaucracies tend to treat clients as standard cases and treat clients as standard cases and personnel as cogs in a giant machine. personnel as cogs in a giant machine.

2.2. Bureaucratic ritualism - Bureaucrats Bureaucratic ritualism - Bureaucrats can get so concerned with rules and can get so concerned with rules and regulations that it’s difficult for the regulations that it’s difficult for the organization to fulfill its goals. organization to fulfill its goals.

Four Criticisms Against Four Criticisms Against BureaucraciesBureaucracies

3.3. Oligarchy - Power tends to become Oligarchy - Power tends to become concentrated in the hands of a few concentrated in the hands of a few people at the top of the people at the top of the organizational pyramid.organizational pyramid.

4.4. Bureaucratic inertia - Bureaucracies Bureaucratic inertia - Bureaucracies are sometimes so large and rigid are sometimes so large and rigid they lose touch with reality and they lose touch with reality and continue their policies even when continue their policies even when their clients’ needs change. their clients’ needs change.

Bureaucratic Inefficiency Bureaucratic Inefficiency

Two main factors underlie Two main factors underlie bureaucratic inefficiency: bureaucratic inefficiency: SizeSize Social StructureSocial Structure

Number of Possible Dyadic Number of Possible Dyadic Relationships by Number of Relationships by Number of

People in GroupPeople in Group

Bureaucratic Structure Bureaucratic Structure

Leadership StylesLeadership Styles

In analyzing bureaucracies, In analyzing bureaucracies, sociologists observe that leadership sociologists observe that leadership style has a major bearing on style has a major bearing on bureaucratic performance.bureaucratic performance. Laissez-faireLaissez-faire leadership leadership Authoritarian leadershipAuthoritarian leadership Democratic leadershipDemocratic leadership

Network StructureNetwork Structure