ProfessorRobertBrym SOC101Y
IntroductiontoSociology Lecture#5 Networks,Groups&Bureaucracies 8Oct08
WhyMostPeopleConform
Normsofsolidaritydemand conformity. Structuresofauthoritytendto renderpeopleobedient. Bureaucraciesinparticular arehighlyeffectivestructures ofauthority.
ObediencetoAuthorityIncreaseswith SeparationfromtheNegativeEffectsof OnesActions
Percentof subjectswho 60 administered maximum shock 40
Sameroom; handforced Sameroom Differentrooms; seeandhear
20
Differentrooms; seebutnothear
0
Milgrams experiment supports the view that separating people from the negative effects of their actions increases the likelihood of compliance. When subject and actor were in the same room and the subject was told to force the actors hand onto the electrode, 30% of subjects administered the maximum, 450-volt shock. When subject and actor were merely in the same room, 40% of subjects administered the maximum shock. When subject and actor were in different rooms but the subject could see and hear the actor, 62.5% of subjects administered the maximum shock. When subject and actor were in different rooms and the actor could be seen but not heard, 65% of subjects administered the maximum shock.
Abureaucracyisalarge,impersonal organizationcomposedofmanyclearly definedpositionsarrangedina hierarchy.Ithasapermanent,salaried goals,rules,andprocedures.Staff staffofqualifiedexpertsandwritten membersalwaystrytofindwaysof runningtheirorganizationmore efficiently.Efficiencymeansachieving thebureaucracysgoalsattheleast cost.
Asocialgroupiscomposedoftwoorpeoplewho Asocialcategoryiscomposedoftwoormore
identifywithoneanother,routinelyinteract,andadhere todefinednorms,roles,andstatuses. peoplewhosharesimilarstatusbutdonotroutinely interactoridentifywithoneanother.
Inaprimarygroup,norms,roles,andstatusesare
agreeduponbutarenotputinwriting.Socialinteraction createsstrongemotionalties,extendsoveralong period,andinvolvesawiderangeofactivities.
Asecondarygroupislarger,andsocialinteractionis
moreimpersonal,createsweakeremotional,extends overashorterperiod,andinvolvesanarrowrangeof activities.
Groupthinkisthetende...