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Chapter 5
Social Structure and Society
Chapter Outline Using the Sociological Imagination Social Structure and Status Social Structure and Roles Doing Research
Chapter Outline Sociology and the News Media: Being Gay
in America Theoretical Perspectives and Social
Structure Society Technology and Society
Social Structure The underlying pattern of social
relationships. Relationships among individuals are
patterned. Status, role, role performance, and
social interaction explain social structure.
Status A position that a person occupies within a
social structure. Individuals in interrelated statuses usually
behave in orderly and predictable ways. Statuses may be assigned or earned. A person’s master status affects most
other aspects of a person’s life.
The Interrelationships of Social Statuses
Roles, Rights and Obligations Roles are culturally defined rights
and obligations attached to social statuses.
Rights inform one person of the behavior that can be expected from another person.
Obligations inform individuals of the behavior others expect from them.
Role Performance Occurs when roles are put into
action through social interaction. Role conflict occurs when role
performance in one status clashes with role performance in another status.
Role strain occurs when the roles of a single position are inconsistent.
The Links Between Culture and Social Structure
The Stage Analogy
Stage Social Life
Parts Statuses
Script (lines) Roles
Cues Social Interaction
Actual performances Role performances
Students Expelled for Bringing Guns to School, 1998–1999
Theoretical Perspectives: Social Structure Concepts
Theoretical Perspective
Social Structure Concept
Functionalism Role
Conflict theory Ascribed master status
Symbolic Interactionism
Social interaction
Types of Society How societies solve the problem of
subsistence influences culture and social structures.
Societies become more complex as the means for solving subsistence problems improve.
Major types of societies are hunting and gathering, horticultural, pastoral, agricultural, industrial, and postindustrial.
Comparison of Major Types of Society: Hunting and Gathering
Origin First type of society to emerge
Subsistence Hunting and gathering
Technology Simple handmade tools
Culture and Social Structure
Nomadic bands based on kinship; Common property ownership; Scant division of labor based on sex and age
Comparison of Major Types of Society: Horticultural
Origin 9,000 years ago
Subsistence Domesticating plants
Technology Handmade tools (digging sticks,hoes, spades)
Culture and Social Structure
Less nomadic bands; more conflict among bands; less division of labor based on sex and age
Comparison of Major Types of Society: Pastoral
Origin About 9,000 years ago
Subsistence Domesticating animals
Technology Meat cutting tools; knowledge of grazing, land, breeding, weather, water supply
Culture and Social Structure
Live in villages; some trade; women at home while men attend herds; greater economic surplus
Comparison of Major Types of Society: Agricultural
Origin About 5,000–6,000 years ago
Subsistence Permanent land cultivation
Technology Plow and animal energy
Culture and Social Structure
Increased productivity; complex division of labor; separate political, economic, and religious institutions; social classes; emergence of trade and money
Comparison of Major Types of Society: Industrial
Origin About 250 years ago
Subsistence Application of science and technology to production
Technology Power-driven machines
Culture and Social Structure
Economy shifts to open market; women are less subordinate; institutions become more specialized; impersonal social relationships
Comparison of Major Types of Society: Post- Industrial
Origin Around 1970
Subsistence Development of service industries
Technology Intellectual
Culture and Social Structure
Greater social instability;less social and cultural consensus; reduced gender inequality; individualism increases; urban population moves out of large cities
Major Features of Postindustrial Society
1. Majority of labor force is employed in services rather than agriculture or manufacturing.
2. White-collar employment replaces blue-collar work.
3. Theoretical knowledge is the key organizing feature.
Major Features of Postindustrial Society
4. Through new means of technological forecasting, society can plan and control technological change.
5. Intellectual technology dominates human affairs.