Ch 6 Social Interaction WHAT IS SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Ch. 6 Social Interaction

WHAT IS SOCIAL STRUCTURE? o o the stable pattern of social relationships that exists within a particular group of society Based on cultural beliefs and norms regarding roles and status

ROLES, STATUS, AND EXPECTATIONS o o o Status refers to a socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights and duties. Roles refer to "expected" patterns of behavior, obligations, and privileges attached to a particular social status. Associated with each role (or social position) are many expectations concerning how a person should behave

Status and Role Sets (from Macionis and Gerber, 2018)

Ascribed Status Vs. Achieved Status o o Ascribed statuses are involuntary. One is born with ascribed status such as race or sex. Achieved status, on the other hand, is earned. It is based on merit.

Master Status o The Rosenhan Study: Being Sane in Insane Places and Rosenhan interview n n n highlights the power of roles. Rosenhan and his graduate students entered mental hospitals as " schizophrenics" who were hearing voices. None of the doctors or staff suspected they were "frauds" and treated them like patients. Rosenhan study shows that when an individual is "labeled" or defined as occupying a certain role by society it can become a master status and altering perceptions of others is very difficult

Role Distancing, Conflict, Strain and Exit o o o Unlike a stage play, however, we do not define roles. We negotiate social roles. Role distancing: the act of separating oneself from the role Role Conflict: when roles that have to be played that contradict other important roles. Role Strain: when incompatible demands are built into a single status Role Exit: disengage from social roles that have been central to identity such as through retirement or divorce

THE POWER OF ROLES: THE ZIMBARDO STUDY o o The Zimbardo study (1971) (also called the Stanford Prison Study) considers the behaviour of mature, stable, intelligent, middle-class college students who were asked to play roles as either prison guards or inmates. The students became so immersed in their roles that the study had to be called off early

Symbolic Interactionist (microlevel) View o Basic principles: n n n Action is based on meaning Meaning is created through interaction and is continually modified and interpreted. Social structure is a negotiated order Arises out of face-to-face interactions of people who are operating from both a shared sense of reality (culture and socialization) as well as an individual and group oriented biography Produces particular definitions and interpretations Culture forms the foundation of social structure

The Social Construction of Reality o o The process by which our perception of reality is shaped largely by the subjective meaning that we give to an experience. Thomas Theorem: “Definition of the situation“ (W. I. Thomas): we analyze the social context, determine what is in our best interest, and adjust our attitudes and actions accordingly.

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy o A self-fulfilling prophecy refers to a false assumption of what is going on that happens to come true simply because it was predicted

Ethnomethodology o o o The study of commonsense knowledge How do individuals make sense of social situations and act on their knowledge? What are the tacit rules used by members of a culture? Detailed studies of interactions Breaching experiments (Garfinkel) n To uncover hidden norms

Dramaturgical Analysis (Erving Goffman) o o o Dramaturgy uses dramatic metaphors - front stage, back stage, actors - to describe and analyze everyday life and human behaviour "how we act our roles on the stage of life" Impression management: a script that individuals use to guide and control behaviour and actions so as to present a certain favourable impression to the people they interact with Front stage: the part of the individual's performance that others regularly see Back stage: hidden from the audience, where we practice techniques of impression management

Non-Verbal Communication o o Much of our interaction governed by non-verbal communication (no speech) Can be intentional or unintentional gestures, facial expressions, posture, etc.

Non-Verbal Communication o o One study found 93% of communication determined by nonverbal cues Further study showed that the impact of a performance determined by n n n Words used 7% Voice quality 38% Non-verbal behaviour 55%

Body Language o o o o o INTERPRET THIS NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR… Sitting, legs apart Arms crossed on chest Touching, slightly rubbing nose Head resting in hand, eyes down Hands behind head, legs crossed Open palm Steepling fingers Patting/fondling hair Looking down and away

How to tell when someone is… o Bluffing n o Angry n o Gestures are inconsistent with speech Change in tone of voice, mannerisms (ie pacing, tapping fingers) even while smiling Lying n Hiding mouth, touching nose, breaking off eye contact, blinking rapidly

Matching and Mirroring o o When two people on the “same wavelength” will start to mimic each other’s expressions, gestures Indicates rapport

Eye Contact o o o Good eye contact indicates rapport But too much eye contact feels intrusive, intimate Gaze too long can be seen as hostility n Note: sunglasses, over the shoulder gaze, fluttering eyes are techniques used to break contact and avoid exposure

Significance of props and seating o o o Extending hand using pen, glasses, etc. makes personal space larger and shows confidence or power “Preening” – patting hair, adjusting clothing is an attempt at endearment but can indicate nervousness Holding coffee cup tightly with both hands is a defense mechanism to close body off Taking seat at head of table shows control Leaning back, arms behind head = superiority Closed body position = disapproval, defensiveness, lack of interest

Personal Space o o The area claimed by a person as private, social or public “Proxemics”: how individuals position selves in relation to others (Hall, 1966)

Cultural Differences o o o There are cultural differences Contact (less personal space) vs. noncontact cultures (more space). Can create discomfort or conflict N. American and Nordic cultures tend to have larger personal space than European, Asian, S. American cultures Also varies by population density: more density = less space

Gender Differences o o o Men typically take over more space Space = power Males will shift weight from one foot to other to create space or define territory n o o Or rock on balls of feet to look taller and show power or confidence Females take less and will mirror to create “lateral bridges” Related to intimacy and level of trust