Groups and Organizations

1
Groups and Organizations

• Why Join a Group?
• Key Concepts

2
Small and Large Groups

• We must learn to get along with others
• A two member social group is called a dyad
  example is when we have lunch with a friend or go
  to the movies with our partner
• Can be difficult to sustain over long periods as
  both people must be committed to maintaining it.
• Society tries to reinforce marital dyad with
  legal, economic and religious ties.
• In your group take 2 minutes to create a list of
  examples of society reinforcing the marital dyad.

3
Larger Groups

• These groups help us achieve far-reaching goals.
  Ex. A volunteer fire department
• Must be a larger group as not every member will
  be available all the time.
• Another benefit of larger groups is stability.
• As people leave others replace them enabling the
  group to continue its existence.

4
Polygamy/Polyandry

• What would be the benefits of having more than
  one spouse?
• How might this impact the relationships within
  these extended family groups versus relationships
  which are dyads?
• Read case study with class on page 281-282

5
The Sociologists Explanation

• Key Terms Primary Group, Secondary Group, Norms
• Primary people with close personal relationships
• Secondary less personal and more formal
  relationships, official roles (coach) group
  works together to reach specific goals.
• Norms accepted standards of behaviour.

6
Psychologists Explanation

• An examination of Elaines personality to explain
  why she joined the team.
• Needs not being met at home
• Logical approach to selecting her secondary group
• Integrated her self knowledge from primary group
  into the selection process for secondary group

7
Anthropologists Explanation

• Key Terms Culture, Material Culture
• Different cultures or subcultures exist in
  communities.
• Elaine gravitated to the culture of team sports,
  something she could identify with where players
  encourage each other.
• Making strategic decisions for the group is
  another important feature of the culture.
• Rituals also play an important role.

8
Contd

• Material Culture She is also drawn to the
  teams uniforms and the school crest on them.
• What are some of the other appealing features of
  the culture of team sports?
• In your group come up with five (5) examples of
  groups where material culture is an important
  element. (5 minutes)

9
Formal Organizations and Bureaucracies

• Key Concepts Formal Organizations, types of
  bureaucracies including utilitarian, normative,
  and coercive, stratified cultures
• Formal organizations are structured groups with
  comprehensive and elaborate rules.

10
What the heck is a Bureaucracy?
11

• Bureaucracies large, highly-structured
  organizations that tend to function in an
  impersonal manner, first studied by Max Weber.
• Three types include utilitarian, normative, and
  coercive.
• Max Weber identified six characteristics of
  bureaucratic organizations (pg 286)

12
Stratified Cultures

• Stratified divided into layers. The layers may
  be based on a variety of factors, including
  educational achievement, income level, and social
  importance.

13
Balance of Class and Homework

• Read pages 284-292
• What are some problems that might arise in a
  stratified culture?
• Examine figure 9.3 on page 287 and respond to the
  question beside it.
• Answer question 5 on page 292. Create the chart
  in your notes.
• I will be checking this and discussing tomorrow!!!