Basic Concepts of Sociology

Ms Fatima Ali
Outline
Basic Concepts
a. Group, Community, Society
b. Associations
i. Non-Voluntary
ii. Voluntary
c. Organization
i. Informal
ii. Formal
d. Social Interaction
i. Levels of Social Interaction
ii. Process of Social Interaction
a) Cooperation
b) Competition
c) Conflict
d) Accommodation
e) Acculturation and diffusion
f) Assimilation
g) Amalgamation
Group

• In sociology, a group is usually defined as a number of people who

identify and interact with one another. This is a very broad
definition, as it includes groups of all sizes, from dyads to whole
societies.
• In the social sciences, a social group is defined as two or more
people who interact with one another, share similar
characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity.
Regardless, social groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties.
For example, a society can be viewed as a large social group.
Community and Society
• A society is defined as a group of people sharing the same
culture, interests, opinions, etc. On the other hand, a community
is defined as the group of living in a social structure.
• Society is a group of people with a common territory and culture,
interacting with one another while community is a group of
people living in the same place or having a particular
characteristic in common.
Associations

• An association is a group of people organized for the pursuit of

a specific purpose. Family is an association organized for the
preparation of children.
• An association is a “using” relationship between two or more
objects in which the objects have their own lifetime and there is
no owner. As an example, imagine the relationship between a
doctor and a patient. A doctor can be associated with multiple
patients.
Non-Voluntary & Voluntary Association

• A voluntary group or union (also sometimes called a voluntary

organization, common-interest association, association, or society)
is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement, usually
as volunteers, to form a body (or organization) to accomplish a
purpose.
• Involuntary associations are groups into which we are born, such
as ethnic or religious groups, not ones we choose. Because we all
are born into such groups, the notion that in liberal societies every
association is joined voluntarily is for Walzer a myth or, at least, an
overstatement.
Organization

• In sociology, organization (or organisation) is understood

as planned, coordinated and purposeful action of human beings to
construct or compile a common tangible or intangible product.
This action is usually framed by formal membership and form
(institutional rules).
Example:
• Colleges, businesses, political parties, the military, universities,
and hospitals are all examples of formal organizations, which are
secondary groups that have goal‐directed agendas and activities.
Formal and Informal Organization
• A formal organization is defined as an organization that has set rules
and regulations to be followed by the employees. On the other hand,
an informal organization is defined as an organization that focuses on
building social relationships and networks.
Example:
• Businesses and governments are examples of formal
organizations. Clubs or social networks are examples of informal
organizations.
Social Interaction
• Social interaction emphasize how people react in the presence of
others.
• Erving Goffman is a sociologist who created a new fields of study
called micro sociology or social interaction. Social interaction is a
process by which we act and react to those around us.
Levels of social interaction
• Between individual and individual.
• Between individual and groups.
• Between groups and groups.
Between individual and individual:
• Between doctor and patient.
Between mother and child:
Between individual and group:
• Between singer and audience.
Between politician and public:
Between group and group:
• Conference
Process of social interaction

These are the modes of social interaction. In society individuals

continuously come in contact with one another. They cooperate and
compete with each other .
1- Cooperation
• The term cooperation has been derived from two Latin words ‘Co’
means “together” and 'operary’ means “to work”. Hence,
cooperation means working together for achievement of common
goal or goals. When two or more persons work together to gain
common goal is called cooperation. Cooperation is the form of social
interaction in which all participants benefit by attaining their goals
2- Competition
• In competition, individuals or group struggle to reach the same goals
but there main concern is directed toward the goals and not towards
the competitors.
• To prevent the competition from degenerating in to conflict, it is
necessary for the parties to agree on the rules of the game and stick to
them.
3- Conflict
• Conflict is “the process of social interaction in which two or more
person struggle with one another for some commonly prized object
or values”. It is the opposite of cooperation, defeat of an opponent
is considered essential for achieving the desired goals.
• It involves disagreement and disharmony which result due to the
difference in living standard, ideology and other social factors.
• It us universal phenomenon, which take place in both at micro and
macro levels.
• Conflict may be between males and females, youngsters and older
generation, different religions and political groups.
4- Accommodation
• Accommodation is a social process whereby people try to accept one
another, avoiding the sources of conflict to live in peaceful
coexistence. It is a conscious adjustment and compromise among
conflicting groups so that they can live with one another without overt
conflict.
5- Acculturation and Diffusion
• Diffusion is when cultural traits of a culture spread to another culture.
Acculturation is when a culture completely transforms and becomes
accustomed to the new cultural traits.
6- Assimilation

• Assimilation is a social process whereby a group of individuals learns

and accepts the values, norms, etc., of another group and becomes
sometimes virtually identical with the dominant groups. Assimilation
involves the acceptance or the internalizing of the larger or dominant
group's culture, values and life styles by the smaller or minority group.
Assimilation could imposed or voluntary. In this age of globalization
there are westernization processes, whereby peoples of the Third
World are taking up the values, notions and practices of the
Industrialized West.
Cont
• Assimilation plays a significant role in Allowing humans to adapt and
learn about their environment Especially during Childhood When We
are learning New Things. Assimilation can be Viewed as a mental
shortcut that let us process and Categorize massive amounts of
information at one Time.
7- Amalgamation
• Amalgamation theory suggests that new cultures are created when
multiple existing cultures come together. Much like a child carries
characteristics of both parents and yet is a unique individual, the new
culture has elements of both "parent" cultures yet is distinctive.
Difference
• Assimilation is when a minority group adapts and conforms to the
majority's culture. Amalgamation combines a minority and majority
culture to create something new.