the self and interaction chapter 5 - winthropfaculty.winthrop.edu/solomonj/spring 2012/socl 201/ch 5...
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SOCIAL INTERACTION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQMB5teKf7M&NR=1
Free hugs
SOCIAL INTERACTION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0BBgVCAxg0String experiment
SOCIAL STRUCTURE: A GUIDE TO EVERYDAY LIVING
SOCIAL INTERACTIONThe process by which people act and react in relation to others
STATUSA social position that a person holds
STATUS SETAll the statuses a person holds at a given time
ASCRIBED AND ACHIEVED STATUS
Ascribed StatusA social position a person receives at birth or takes involuntarily later in life
Achieved StatusA social position a person takes on voluntarily People’s ascribed statuses influence the statuses they achieve
ROLEBehavior expected of someone whoholds a particular statusA person holds a status
Who we areA person performs a roleWhat we do
ROLE CONFLICT AND ROLE STRAIN
Role ConflictConflict among the roles connected to two or more statuses (student, job, athlete)
Role StrainTension among the roles connected to a single status (student)
ROLE EXITProcess by which people disengage from
important social roles
Becoming an “ex”GraduatingRetirementWidowDivorce
Status Set and Role SetsA status set includes all the statuses a person holds at a given time. The status set defines “who we are” in society. The many roles linked to each status define “what we do.”
Social Construction of Reality
The process by which people creatively shape reality through social interaction
Social interaction is:Complex NegotiationBuilds reality
Perception of events are based on different interests and intentions
ETHNOMETHODOLOGY
The study of the way people make sense of their everyday surroundings
Behavior rests on assumptions
“Breaching experiments”
BREACHING EXPERIMENTSOffering to pay more than posted price for an item.
Taking items from others’ shopping carts.
Standing very, very close.
Haggling with bus driver over the fare.
Tipping friends for small kindnesses.
Eating with fingers in fancy restaurant.
REALITY BUILDING: CLASS AND CULTUREHow we act or what we see depends on:Our interestsSocial classGenderRace/ethnicityCulture
DRAMATURGICAL ANALYSIS: THE PRESENTATION OF SELF
DRAMATURGICAL ANALYSISStudy of social interaction in terms of theatrical performance
Erving Goffman (1922-1982)People live like actors performing on a stage.
Presentation of Self
A person’s efforts to create specific impressions in the minds of others
Also called “Impression Management”
PERFORMANCESReveal information consciously & unconsciouslyIncludes:Dress (costume)Objects we carry (props)Tone of voice and way we carry ourselves (demeanor)Performances vary based on context (the set)
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Communication using body movements,
gestures, & facial expressions rather than
speech
“Body Language”Using body to convey information
Eye contactGestures
BODY LANGUAGE AND DECEPTIONContradictions in verbal & nonverbal meaningNonverbal communication hard to control
Clues to deception
Recognizing dishonest performances is difficulthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGQf9O61cww
Key to detecting liesView whole performanceLook for inconsistencies
VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-eC2QQ-nSM&feature=fvstInstructor on body language (Still images)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9YTxff3pHU&feature=more_related
Funny video on learning body language
STARING, SMILING, AND TOUCHING
Women hold eye contact more than men doMen stare
Claiming social dominance
Smiling-Sign of trying to please or of submissionWomen smile more than men do
Mutual touching suggests intimacy & caring
EMBARRASSMENT AND TACTEmbarrassment: Discomfort after aspoiled performance
Embarrassment is an ever-present danger One moment can shatter the intended impressionAudience often overlooks flaws in performance
TactHelping someone “save face”
“Tact is the ability to describe others the way they see themselves.” (Abraham Lincoln)
Embarrassment creates discomfort for the actor and everyone else
People are reminded of how fragile their own performances are
THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION
Socialization is the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our social group.
The socialization process begins in infancy and lasts throughout the lifetime.
Language facilitates socialization.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF
• The self is our personal identity •Separate and different from all other people•Who are you?• The self is created and modified through social
interaction •Socialization process
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
Agents of socialization are the social groups, institutions, and individuals that provide structured situations where socialization occurs.
Major agents include:FamilySchoolsPeersThe mass media
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION (CONT’D)
The family is the single most significant agent of socialization in all societies and teaches:Basic values Norms that shape our identity
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION (CONT’D)
Schools:EducationHidden curriculumSet of behavioral traits such as:PunctualityNeatnessDisciplineHard work, competition, and obedience
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION (CONT’D)
Peers provide very different social skills and often become more immediately significant than the family, especially as children move through adolescence.
The media has become an important agent of socialization, often overriding the family and other institutions in instilling values and norms.
REALITY PLAY: THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF HUMOR
Humor an important part of everyday life
By using humor, we “play with reality”
HUMOROUS QUOTES
“You can observe a lot by just watching”.
-- Yogi Berra
"He who laughs last probably didn't get the joke." ---Unknown
"Not all chemicals are bad. Without hydrogen or oxygen,
for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital
ingredient in beer." ---Dave Berry
THE FOUNDATION OF HUMORHumor is produced by the social construction of reality.Create and contrast two different realities
1. ConventionalWhat people in a specific situation expect
2. UnconventionalAn unexpected violation of cultural patterns
Humor arises from contradictions, ambiguities, and double meanings in differing definitions of the same situation
The Dynamics of Humor: “Getting It”
To “get” humor, must understand the two realities enough to appreciate the difference
Enjoyment of a joke increased by pleasure of figuring out the pieces needed to “get it”
The joke makes you an insider
If a joke has to be explained, not very funnyYou’re an outsider
The Topics of Humor
Humor is a universal element of human culture
Different cultures, humor rarely travels well
People find humor in different situations
Jokes can break through cultural barriersMust touch on universal human experiences
Topics with double meanings or controversy generate humor
Controversy of humor: Fine line between what is funny and what is “sick”
Middle Ages – “humors” from the Latin “humidus” meaning “moist”
A balance of bodily fluids that regulated a person’s health
Researchers today document the power of humor to reduce stress and improve health
“Laughter is the best medicine”
At the extreme, people who always take
conventional reality lightly, risk being defined as
deviant or mentally ill
Every social group considers certain topics too
sensitive for humorous treatmentPeople’s religious beliefsTragic accidentsAppalling crimes
Here is a joke about sociologists:
How many sociologists does it take to change a light bulb?Answer: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; it’s the system that needs to be changed!
What sort of people are likely to get it?
What makes this joke funny?
What kind of people probably won’t?
Why?
The Functions of Humor
Humor is found everywhere--As a safety valve for potentially disruptive emotions
Humor provides acceptable way to discuss sensitive topicWithout appearing to be serious or offensive
Humor used to relieve tension in uncomfortable situations
Humor and ConflictHumor also used to put down others“Put-down” jokes make one category of people feel good at expense of anotherReal conflict can be masked by humor“The Dozens”http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/1-dozen-classic-yo-mamma-jokes-for-your-mom-on-mothers-day/99c09fb952545f10d3e099c09fb952545f10d3e0-165711512563?q=the%20dozens%20jokes&FROM=LKVR5>1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/the-dozens/1b8c8ced681accaf06221b8c8ced681accaf0622-257130430521?q=the%20dozens%20jokes
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/top-10-yo-mama-jokes/45d62e5de7219b1af9da45d62e5de7219b1af9da-168729313694?q=the%20dozens%20jokes
Humor: More important than we think
Mental escape from world not entirely to our liking
Survival: Comedians from historically marginalized
groups
Sense of humor asserts freedom
We are never a prisoner of reality