Chapter 7. Groups and Organizations
Chapter 7 Resources and Activities
Key Terms
aggregate: A collection of people who exist in the same place at the same time, but who do not interact or share a sense of identity.authoritarian leader: A leader who issues orders and demands compliance from subordinates.
bureaucracy: A formal organization characterized by a hierarchy of authority, a clear division of labour, explicit rules, impersonality and meritocracy.
category: People who share similar characteristics but who are not otherwise socially connected.
coercive organization: Organization that people do not voluntarily join, such as prison or a mental hospital.
collective effervescence: The elevated feeling experienced by individuals when they come together as a group
conformity: The extent to which an individual complies with group or societal norms.
contents: The specific drives, needs, purposes, or interests of individuals that motivate them to interact with others.
core discussion group: The group of close, personal contacts with whom one confides on personal matters and with whom one chooses to spend free time.
democratic leader: A leader who encourages group participation and consensus-building before acting.
division of labour: Organizational structure in which each individual has a specialized task to perform.
dyad: A two-member group.
explicit rules: Rules that are explicitly stated, written down, and standardized.
expressive function: A group function that serves an emotional need.
expressive leader: A leader who is concerned with process and with ensuring everyone’s emotional well-being.
formal organizations: Large, impersonal organizations.
formal sociology: The study of how specific social contents are organized into regular patterns of social coordination.
forms: The patterns of behaviour that guide or regulate individuals’ actions in different social settings.
glass ceiling: An invisible barrier that prevents women from achieving positions of leadership.
group: Any collection of at least two people who interact with some frequency and who share a sense that their identity is aligned with the group.
groupthink: The tendency to conform to the attitudes and beliefs of the group despite individual misgivings.
hierarchy of authority: A clear chain of command.
ideal type: An abstract model of a recurring social phenomenon that describes the form and logical relation of components.
impersonality: The absence of personal feelings in the conduct of organizational tasks.
in-group: A group a person belongs to and feels is an integral part of their identity.
instrumental function: A group function that serves achieving a task or goal efficiently and effectively.
instrumental leader: A leader who is goal oriented with a primary focus on accomplishing tasks.
iron law of oligarchy: The theory that an organization is ruled by a few elites rather than through collaboration.
laissez-faire leader: A hands-off leader who allows members of the group to make