SOCIALSOCIALINTERACTIONINTERACTION

CHAPTERCHAPTER

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After studying this chapter, you should After studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following:be able to do the following:

Know the major types of social interaction.Know the major types of social interaction. Understand the influence of contexts and norms Understand the influence of contexts and norms

in social interaction.in social interaction. Understand the concepts of status and role.Understand the concepts of status and role. Know the difference between role strain and role Know the difference between role strain and role

conflict.conflict. Know what Ethnomethodology is.Know what Ethnomethodology is. Explain Dramaturgy’s view of social interactionExplain Dramaturgy’s view of social interaction

SOCIAL INTERACTIONSOCIAL INTERACTION

Social interaction is a central concept to Social interaction is a central concept to understanding the nature of social life. understanding the nature of social life.

According to Weber in order to take According to Weber in order to take other’s actions into account requires other’s actions into account requires “verstehen” or sympathetic understanding.“verstehen” or sympathetic understanding.

SOCIAL INTERACTIONSOCIAL INTERACTION

A main goal of sociology is to explain A main goal of sociology is to explain social action social action (Anything people are (Anything people are conscious of doing because of other conscious of doing because of other people).people).

Social Interaction is two or more people Social Interaction is two or more people taking one another into account in building taking one another into account in building up their actionsup their actions

Three elements that define the Three elements that define the CONTEXTCONTEXT

of a social interactionof a social interaction

NORMSNORMS What makes human beings act predictably What makes human beings act predictably

in certain situations? in certain situations? The presence of The presence of norms – rules about what norms – rules about what

we should and should not do in a situation we should and should not do in a situation All groups and subgroups have normsAll groups and subgroups have norms

DEF - Norms are specific DEF - Norms are specific rulesrules of of behaviorbehavior, agreed upon and shared, that , agreed upon and shared, that prescribe limits of acceptable behavior.prescribe limits of acceptable behavior.

Often they are not written, over even Often they are not written, over even consciously reflected upon.consciously reflected upon.

ROLE PLAYINGROLE PLAYING The statuses we inhabit and the roles we play can The statuses we inhabit and the roles we play can

have a profound influence on both our attitudes have a profound influence on both our attitudes and our behavior. and our behavior.

Playing a new social role often feels awkward at Playing a new social role often feels awkward at first, and we may feel we are just acting or first, and we may feel we are just acting or pretending to be something that we are not. pretending to be something that we are not.

When we are unsure of role expectations we try to When we are unsure of role expectations we try to get cues (hints) from the behavior of those around get cues (hints) from the behavior of those around us.us.

Two methods of social interaction, Two methods of social interaction, nonverbal and spokennonverbal and spoken

nonverbalnonverbal

Waving handWaving hand

interactioninteraction

YawnYawn

OTHER EXAMPLES OF NONVERBAL OTHER EXAMPLES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

- SCOWLSCOWL- SHAKING A FISTSHAKING A FIST- NODDING HEAD UP AND DOWNNODDING HEAD UP AND DOWN- CROSSING ARMS ACROSS CHESTCROSSING ARMS ACROSS CHEST- RAISING EYEBROWSRAISING EYEBROWS

- What do each of these mean???What do each of these mean???

4 TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION4 TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONExchangeExchange

DEF: DEF: When people do something for each When people do something for each other with the express purpose of receiving other with the express purpose of receiving a reward or return, they are involved in an a reward or return, they are involved in an exchange interaction. exchange interaction.

CooperationCooperation DEF: DEF: A cooperative interaction occurs A cooperative interaction occurs

when people act together to promote when people act together to promote common interests or achieve shared goals common interests or achieve shared goals

TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONTYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION

ConflictConflict

Conflicts arise when people or groups have Conflicts arise when people or groups have incompatible values or when the rewards or incompatible values or when the rewards or resources available to a society or its resources available to a society or its members are limited. members are limited.

CompetitionCompetition Competition is a form of conflict in which Competition is a form of conflict in which

individuals or groups confine their conflict individuals or groups confine their conflict within agreed-upon rules.within agreed-upon rules.

4 TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION4 TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION

Conflict always involves an attempt to gain Conflict always involves an attempt to gain or use poweror use power. .

Conflict is not always negative.Conflict is not always negative.

One Problem with conflict is that it:One Problem with conflict is that it: often leads to unhappiness and violence often leads to unhappiness and violence

which causes many people to view it which causes many people to view it negatively negatively

Elements of Social InteractionElements of Social Interaction

Statuses

Roles Roles Sets Role Strains

STATUSSTATUSStatuses - Statuses - DEF - Socially defined positions that DEF - Socially defined positions that

people occupy people occupy

Master Status – Master Status – DEF – The status that dominates DEF – The status that dominates in the pattern of your lifein the pattern of your life

Statuses can pertain toStatuses can pertain to ReligionReligion Education Education EthnicityEthnicity Occupation Occupation Volunteer work, hobbies and other thingsVolunteer work, hobbies and other things

ASCRIBED VS ACHIEVED STATUSASCRIBED VS ACHIEVED STATUS

AscribedAscribed statuses statuses DEF: DEF: Conferred upon Conferred upon

us by our background us by our background our placement in them our placement in them is not due to our is not due to our actionsactions SexSex EthnicityEthnicity Birth orderBirth order

AchievedAchieved statuses statuses DEF: DEF: Occupied as a Occupied as a

result of the individual’s result of the individual’s actions.actions.

• ParentParent• OccupationOccupation• Group MemberGroup Member• Education LevelEducation Level

STATUS AND ROLESSTATUS AND ROLES Each status may include a number of Each status may include a number of

roles, and each role will be appropriate to roles, and each role will be appropriate to a specific social context. a specific social context.

DEF: Roles are the culturally defined DEF: Roles are the culturally defined rules for proper behavior that are rules for proper behavior that are associated with every status. associated with every status.

Any one person may occupy numerous Any one person may occupy numerous

statuses, each with multiple roles statuses, each with multiple roles (expectations of behavior) attached to (expectations of behavior) attached to them them

STATUS AND ROLESSTATUS AND ROLES

DEF - Role SetsDEF - Role Sets All the roles attached to a single status are All the roles attached to a single status are

known collectively as a role set .known collectively as a role set .

An individual’s role behaviors depend on the An individual’s role behaviors depend on the statuses of the other people with whom he or statuses of the other people with whom he or she is interacting. she is interacting.

STATUS AND ROLESSTATUS AND ROLESFor example:For example:

STATUS: SERVICE EMPLOYEESTATUS: SERVICE EMPLOYEE

ROLES: (CUSTOMER) SERVICERROLES: (CUSTOMER) SERVICER WORKER (TO BOSS) WORKER (TO BOSS) TRAINER (TO NEW TRAINER (TO NEW WORKER) WORKER)

ROLE STRAINROLE STRAINDEF - Role Strain, DEF - Role Strain, When a When a singlesingle role has role has

conflictingconflicting demands, individuals who play demands, individuals who play that role experience role strain that role experience role strain

EX: FACTORY WORKEREX: FACTORY WORKER

- TURN OUT QUALITY PRODUCT- TURN OUT QUALITY PRODUCT

- KEEP THE PRODUCTION LINE - KEEP THE PRODUCTION LINE MOVING QUICKLYMOVING QUICKLY

ROLE CONFLICTROLE CONFLICT DEF: When someone has DEF: When someone has more than one more than one

status at a time status at a time and who is unable to enact and who is unable to enact the roles of one status without violating the roles of one status without violating those of another statusthose of another status

EX: ELKS CLUB MEMBER AND EX: ELKS CLUB MEMBER AND POLICEMANPOLICEMAN

Find out that the club has broken laws Find out that the club has broken laws and duty to the job (law) conflicts with and duty to the job (law) conflicts with expectations of the club members (support expectations of the club members (support the good of group).the good of group).

DRAMATURGY - GOFFMANDRAMATURGY - GOFFMAN A A Theatrical Metaphor Theatrical Metaphor for social interactionfor social interaction In order to create an impression, people play In order to create an impression, people play

roles, and their performance is judged by others roles, and their performance is judged by others who are alert to any slips that might contradict who are alert to any slips that might contradict the role being asserted. the role being asserted.

These interactions are governed by planned These interactions are governed by planned behavior designed to enable an individual to behavior designed to enable an individual to present a particular image to others. In everyday present a particular image to others. In everyday interaction this is to meet the expectations of the interaction this is to meet the expectations of the role, not to fool or deceive others.role, not to fool or deceive others.

DRAMATURGYDRAMATURGY THEATRETHEATRE

ACTORSACTORS PLAYING PARTSPLAYING PARTS ON A STAGEON A STAGE BEFORE AN BEFORE AN

AUDIENCEAUDIENCE

REAL LIFEREAL LIFE

PERSONSPERSONS PERFORMING ROLESPERFORMING ROLES IN SOCIAL SETTINGSIN SOCIAL SETTINGS BEFORE A GROUP OF BEFORE A GROUP OF

OTHERSOTHERS

GOFFMANGOFFMAN Impression Management – This is the tendency Impression Management – This is the tendency

to put the “best foot forward” in social situationsto put the “best foot forward” in social situations

Front Stage – Is where presentations of self (or Front Stage – Is where presentations of self (or teams) occursteams) occurs

Back Stage – I private areas for rehearsal of Back Stage – I private areas for rehearsal of public presentationspublic presentations

Role Distance – Placing distance between one’s Role Distance – Placing distance between one’s self and ones self as part of a roleself and ones self as part of a role

GOFFMANGOFFMAN Civil Inattention – (studied nonobservance) – Civil Inattention – (studied nonobservance) –

acting as if you did not see somethingacting as if you did not see something This smoothes out disturbances in public This smoothes out disturbances in public

placesplaces It deemphasizes the breading of the civil It deemphasizes the breading of the civil

code of behavior and allows normal interaction code of behavior and allows normal interaction to continueto continue

Primary goal of all participants is to interact Primary goal of all participants is to interact without damage to any person or the public as a without damage to any person or the public as a wholewhole

ETHNOMETHODOLOGYETHNOMETHODOLOGYGarfinkelGarfinkel

DEF: DEF: The study of the sets of rules The study of the sets of rules (norms)(norms) used to initiate behavior, respond to used to initiate behavior, respond to behavior, and modify behavior in social behavior, and modify behavior in social settings. Social construction of reality.settings. Social construction of reality.

Method - observe social settings up close Method - observe social settings up close see how things are done see how things are done understand how meaning is understand how meaning is built up by the participants.built up by the participants.

ETHNOMETHODOLOGYETHNOMETHODOLOGYEthnomethodologists believe: Ethnomethodologists believe:

There are unwritten rules for social There are unwritten rules for social behavior that are shared, but not always behavior that are shared, but not always consciously known to the participantsconsciously known to the participants

If these are broken, communication is If these are broken, communication is impaired or impossibleimpaired or impossible

All social interactions are equally important All social interactions are equally important to understanding societyto understanding society

Breeching – Disrupting the taken for granted Breeching – Disrupting the taken for granted worldworld

Counseling – Provided random answers to Counseling – Provided random answers to subjects questionssubjects questions

Queing – Scatter a line at a counter through Queing – Scatter a line at a counter through a distraction and observe it reforming.a distraction and observe it reforming.

BOTH SHOWED THAT PEOPLE NATURALLY BOTH SHOWED THAT PEOPLE NATURALLY IMPOSE ORDER ON SITUATIONS IMPOSE ORDER ON SITUATIONS