Notes:
social groups, two or more individuals connected by common bonds and shared social relations
dyad, a group of two people
triad, a group of three members
FORMING
- Socializing
- Displaying eagerness
- Asking questions
- Focusing on group identity and purpose
STORMING
- High emotions
- Competition among members
- Lack of participation by some members
- Conflict among members
NORMING
- Members are engaged and supportive
- Less emotion and anxiety
- Reconciliation among members
- Developing cohesion
PERFORMING
- Interdependent
- Productive
- Balance of workload among members
- Efficient workflow and systems
ADJOURNING
- Sadness about the group dissolving
- Awards distributed to recognize members and team
- Concern about change
Primary groups are small-scale, intimate, face-to-face long-lasting associations
secondary groups are large-scale, impersonal, task-focused, and time-limited associations
reference group, a collection of people used for comparison and identification
in-group, a social unit in which an individual belongs and feels a sense of “we,”
out-group, individuals who do not belong or are excluded from one’s group
social clique, a small, close-knit, and exclusive group of individuals
group conformity, aligning attitudes and behaviors with group norms
Groupthink, the tendency of group members to yield the desire for consensus rather than expressing individual or alternative ideas
Eight Symptoms of Groupthink
Pressure for Conformity Dissenters are pressured not to express their opinion
Self-Censorship Dissenters choose to withhold their counterarguments
Illusion of Unanimity The majority view and judgments are assumed to unanimous
Mindguards Self-appointed members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s views
Illusion of Invulnerability Members ignore dangers, take excessive risks, and are overly optimistic
Collective Rationalization Members discount and explain away warning signs
Belief in Inherent Morality Members believe their decisions are morally correct and ignore ethical considerations
Stereotypes Views of Out-groups Out-groups are labeled with negative stereotypes and considered as rivals
Three characteristics that normally exist before groupthink
intense in-group cohesiveness
Meaningful threat
Group insulation
organization, a structured, purposeful, and goal-oriented collection of people
Informal organizations, a system of the personal contacts and relationships of groupings of people
formal organizations, structured and bureaucratic systems regulated by clearly stated norms and rules
Utilitarian organizations, groups of people based on contractual obligations that seek tangible benefits such as monetary compensation
Greenwashing, the promotion of being a sustainable and green company, when, in fact, sustainable practices are not the norm for the organization,
coercive organization, groups of people whose membership is primarily forced and must abide by strict rules and regulations
resocialization, an identity transformation in which social norms and roles are altered or replaced
total institutions, isolated groups with strict rules and regulations to control every aspect of members’ lives
| Normative Organization | Utilitarian Organization | Coercive Organization | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benefit of Membership | Intangible benefits | Tangible benefits | Corrective benefits |
| Type of Membership | Voluntary basis | Contractual | Required |
| Feelings of Connectedness | Shared affinity | Some affinity | No affinity |
bureaucracies, a hierarchical authority structure that uses task specialization, operates on the merit principle, and behaves with impersonality
ideal type, logical or consistent traits of a given social phenomenon
The ideal type of bureaucracy that he observed within formal organizations consisted of the following characteristics:
- specialization
- hierarchy of authority
- rules and regulations
- technical competence
- impersonality
- formal written communication
red tape, adherence to excessive regulations and conformity that prevents decision-making and change
Peter Principle, the notion that workers in a bureaucratic organization will continue to be promoted until they reach their level of incompetence
spoils system, the practice of politicians awarding jobs to friends and supporters based on liking and not skill
iron law of oligarchy, a system in which the concentration of power in a democracy rests in the hands of a few elite leaders
McDonaldization, the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society and the of the rest of the world
The elements of McDonaldization include rationalization, efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control
instrumental leadership, is one in which the leadership is very task-oriented
expressive leadership, leadership endeavors to establish more personal or primary connections with the group members
The three most commonly recognized styles of leadership:
- Authoritarian: A leadership style that is based on orders and directives.
- Democratic: A leadership style based on increasing harmony and reducing conflict between group members.
- Laissez-faire: A leader who takes a hands-off approach to leadership
transformational leader causes individuals, groups, and social systems to change. This change may or may not be for society’s good in the long run, but it creates a sense of urgency around the need for social change
Transactional leader acts as a manager by keeping the group functioning smoothly. The transactional leader’s impact on the group should not be undervalued simply because it is less glamorous than the transformational leader. Transactional leaders keep the group functioning on a day-to-day basis. This leader focuses on these types of daily tasks:
- establish and standardize practices
- provide productive feedback on performances
- set goals and give specific direction
- focus on increasing the efficiency of routines
nepotism, the practice of favoritism directed toward family members
social capital, the network of links that develop between people, which may result in a personal, social, and professional advantage
Meritocracy, a system that fosters and rewards personal effort, ability, and talent through competition to determine social standing
The reasons workers give for slacking off include the following:
- they think it improves productivity
- boredom
- lack of interest in the work
- lack of incentive
- unsatisfied with their jobs
- feeling underpaid
cyberslacking, when workers spend excessive time online for personal reasons that do not benefit their employer
telecommuting or remote working, working from someplace other than the office on a full- or part-time basis, has been an overwhelming success for employers and employees alike