Essentials of Sociology. George Ritzer

no question that some people conform to group demands at least some of the time. Conformity is especially likely when the demands come from someone in authority in the group. However, it is important to remember that about two-thirds of the choices made by subjects in the Asch conformity experiments indicated independence from the group. It is also important to note that these experiments are decades old, and many of them occurred in a period of American history more defined by conformity than the era we are in today.

      This chapter has focused largely on such micro-level phenomena as individuals, interaction, and groups. In Chapter 5, we turn to the progressively more macro-level phenomena of organizations, societies, and the globe as a whole. ●

      Summary

      The sociological perspective on the individual and the self focuses on the social interactions humans are capable of having with each other. Cooley’s concept of the looking-glass self, the idea that humans develop self-images reflecting the way in which others respond to them, is fundamental to sociology. Symbolic interactionism posits that humans use significant symbols, such as gestures and language, to develop a sense of self. George Herbert Mead defined the self as the ability to take oneself as an object. Once individuals are able to internalize the perspective of a group or community, they come to possess a sense of the generalized other. According to Mead the self is composed of two parts, the “I” that is impulsive and the “me” that is conformist.

      Erving Goffman believed that in every interaction, or performance, individuals attempt to manage projections of themselves. On a front stage, they operate in an idealized manner, but on a back stage, they can more freely express themselves.

      Socialization is the process through which a person learns and generally comes to accept the ways of a group or of a society as a whole. Primary socialization begins with newborns and infants and continues over the course of their childhood during anticipatory socialization. Socialization does not end with childhood—adults continue to be socialized throughout their lives. Our families, peers, workplaces, and the media are important agents of socialization.

      Socialization involves interaction, or social engagement, between two or more individuals. Some interaction involves reciprocity, or the expectation that those involved in it will give and receive equally, while other interactions transpire between those with power and their subordinates. Interaction is deeply involved in people’s statuses and their related roles.

      Patterns of interaction and social relationships that occur regularly and persist over time become social structures. A group is one type of social structure that develops when individuals interact over time and develop a patterned relationship. A small, close-knit group with intimate face-to-face interactions is a primary group. A secondary group is larger and more impersonal; its members do not know each other very well.

      Key Terms

       achieved status, 112

       agents of socialization, 102

       anticipatory socialization, 103

       ascribed status, 112

       back stage, 102

       conversation analysis, 111

       cyberbullying 107

       dramaturgy, 99

       dyad, 113

       front stage, 102

       game stage, 97

       generalized other, 98

       gestures, 96

       group, 115

       “I,” 99

       impression management, 100

       in-group, 115

       interaction, 110

       interaction order, 111

       looking-glass self, 95

       master status, 112

       “me,” 99

       micro–macro continuum, 94

       mind, 97

       out-group, 115

       play stage, 97

       primary groups, 115

       primary socialization, 102

       reciprocity, 111

       reference groups, 115

       resocialization, 108

       reverse socialization, 103

       role, 112

       role conflict, 112

       role making, 113

       role overload, 113

       secondary groups, 115

       self, 97

       significant symbol, 97

       socialization, 102

       status, 112

       symbolic interaction, 97

       total institution, 109

       triad, 113

      Review Questions

      1 How can we use the literature on feral children to explain the importance of interaction to human development? In what ways does this relate to the “nature versus nurture” debate?

      2 According to Mead, what distinguishes humans from nonhumans?

      3 How does the socialization process help individuals develop their sense of self? Why are games so important to the socialization process?

      4 What is the difference between the “I” and the “me”? Why do people and society as a whole need both the “I” and the “me”?

      5 According to Goffman, in what ways do we use impression management in our front-stage performances?

      6 Why are families important agents of socialization? How do families from higher social classes socialize their children differently than families from lower social classes do? What effects might these differences in socialization have on children?

      7 How are we socialized to be consumers? In what ways has the internet resocialized us as consumers?

      8 Is being a fifth grader in the United States an ascribed or an achieved status? Or is both? What does this suggest about the differences between roles attached to ascribed statuses versus those attached to achieved statuses?

      9 In the realm of social networks, why are “weak ties” helpful to those looking for jobs? What effect has the internet had on the development of weak ties and strong ties?

      10 In what ways do we use images in the mass media as reference groups? How do the mass media help to define in-groups and out-groups?

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      Descriptions of Images and Figures

      Back to Figure

      The image has two sets of wheels with spokes.

      The first, on the left, consists of a set of dots connected by a line to make a circular figure. The circle is incomplete since one of the dots does not directly connect to its