SOCIAL INTERACTION What is Social Interaction Social Interaction

SOCIAL INTERACTION

What is Social Interaction? Social Interaction: Process by which individuals act toward and react to others � Oppositional Interaction: Treating of others as competitors or enemies � Supportive Interaction: Treating others as supporters or friends

5 Types of Social Interaction

1. Exchange: Whenever people interact in an effort to receive a reward or a return for their actions � Most basic and common form of interaction Reciprocity: Idea that if you do something for someone, that person owes you something in return Exchange Theory: Idea that people are motivated by self-interests in their interactions with other people � People costs attempt to maximize rewards while minimizing

2. Competition Competition: When 2 or more people or groups oppose each other to achieve a goal only one can attain Common feature of Western societies It is commonly believed that competition encourages people to do their best and thus benefits society

3. Conflict Conflict: Deliberate attempt to control a person by force, to oppose someone, or to harm another person Has few rules of conduct Can lead to social change by bringing problems to the forefront and forcing opposing sides to seek solutions

4. Cooperation: When 2 or more people or groups work together to achieve a goal that will benefit more than one person Gets things done Used with other forms of interaction Types of Cooperation � Spontaneous: unpredictable Ex: When neighbors come together to help a family whose house has just burned down Traditional: Occurs frequently enough for them to become customary in society � Directed: Based on the direction of someone in authority � Contractual: Originates from voluntary action and involves some planning �

5. Accommodation: State of balance between cooperation and conflict � Ex: Staying at a motel Cooperation – Staying for free Conflict – Not letting you stay at all Accommodation – Letting you stay for $60 Types of accommodation Compromise: When 2 parties both give up something to come to an agreement � Truce: Brings halt to conflict until a compromise can be reached � Mediation: Calling in a 3 rd party who acts as an adviser and counselor to help reach an agreement � Arbitration: 3 rd party makes a decision that is binding on both parties �

Dramaturgy Interaction as Drama

Dramaturgy (Erving Goffman) Dramaturgy: Method of analyzing social interaction as if participants were performing on a stage Role Playing: Behaving like actors, where society provides a loose script which we interpret and revise � Ex: Behavior during a medical exam Role Distance: The separation of role playing performance from our inner selves Interaction Ritual: Performing in a certain way so as to show respect to others, even though it is only an appearance

First Impressions Matter How do you dress for a: � Class � Religious Service � Date � Job Interview How is your room decorated?

Impression Management Impression Management: People’s efforts to control the impressions that others receive of them Dramaturgical Loyalty: Keeping secrets from outsiders Dramaturgical Discipline: Self-control Dramaturgical Circumspection: Looking for the right things to do to insure success

Social Construction of Reality

Social Construction of Reality Social Construction of Reality: The use of background assumptions and life experiences to define what is real Thomas Theorem: When we believe something is true, we act as if it were true, which makes it real Ethnomethodology: The study of how people use background assumptions to make sense out of life Background Assumptions: deeply embedded common understandings of how the world operates and how people ought to act Humorology: Study or practice of humor

Learning Cycle on Humorology One way to locate assumptions about everyday life is to analyze jokes and other types of humor. When you use or make up jokes you reflect social norms and values and underlying assumptions that make up social reality. Group Activity With your group, think of and write out several jokes. Try to come up with some original jokes as well as jokes you know. DON’T BE INAPPROPRIATE � Present your best joke to the class. Note the reaction of others to your effort. Also pay attention to other jokes’ content and whether or not the joke was funny. � Relate the jokes you wrote and heard in class to ideas about humorology. Why do some jokes work and others don’t? What did the jokes tell us about society? �

Types of Social Interaction Skit With a partner, create a short skit exhibiting at least 3 social interactions. The groups will write a script for the skit You will turn this in! 5 Types of Interactions � Exchange � Competition � Conflict � Cooperation � Accommodation