28.11.2011
Sociology
„Social groups and social
movement“
Characteristics of social groups
related theories – theories of crowd (behavior)
characteristics – existence of direct interactions
ZDENĚK SLOBODA
[email protected]
(7. 11. 2011)
Primary social groups
C. H. Cooley
groups where an individual acquires elementary value system,
moral standards and social experience
interaction between group members – direct, indirect
existence of communication network
common activities – stabilizes the group (integration needed)
social relations - repetitions of three above leads to establishing of social
relations
differentiation of roles and positions – vertical (superiority, subordinance),
horizontal (division within the group)
system of values and norms
system of sanctions – strengthening of norms with their abidance (reward)
and with punishing of their non-abidance
sense of membership („us“ and „them“)
sense for own group distinction - autostereotypes about us, heterostereotypes
about the other
Secondary soc. groups
E. W. Burgess
other, non-primary groups
1) family, 2) children‘s play-groups, 3) neighborhood
association – long-term, formal organization,
characteristics:
face-to-face/personal contact with group members;
with only few members;
relations of mutual intimacy and confidentiality that is the base of
cohesion;
basic motive comes from satisfaction of mutual and emotional dispositions,
not based on „outside“ pressures;
relatively long-term groups;
an individual is involved with his whole personality (not limited on
exercising of one social role)
voluntary membership (work-groups, clubs,
political parties, also prison or army)
ethnic groups – based on factual membership,
specific type of sec.group (modern nation)
social classes and strata – in sociology as basic
distinguishing macrostructure, or as an description
for social inequality
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Social groups
theory of reference groups (R. K. Merton)
the group with which values, norms, behavioral models,
leading personalities and lifestyle an individual is comparing
or identifying him/her-self … positive is, when it is his/her
own membership group
social groups as
social category – grouping of people with at least one common
identification characteristic
social aggregation – group of geographically coupled people
(people from one village, city, students of the university etc.)
Social movements – episodic model
theory of the crowd
stress on instincts, role of leaders, loss of individuality; pathology of
crowds
theory of collective behavior
SocMov as a noninstitutionalized reaction on institutional tension
conditions of coll. behavior: structural tension, generalized conviction,
mobilization; reckless events; agency of social control
theory of mass society
industrialization as base for extermination from the society/community
theory of relative deprivation
SocMov as result and solution of non-fulfillment of social expectations,
difference between what is and what should be frustration
Social movements - definitions
various definitions, often synonymic to „collective
behavior“
synthetic definition (by Diani): It is a network of
informal interaction between plurality of individuals,
groups or organizations involved in political or cultural
conflicts, and having a shared collective identity.
SocMov arise within a network of informal interactions
must have a collective identity
SocMov have conflict character
SocMov have institutional character
Social movements – episodic model
theory of status inconsistence
individual confrontation with reality; status inconsistence (high
education but low salary) = cognitive disonance … SocMov as solution
generalization of the episodic model
direct interconnection between life conditions and the emergence of
social movement
reaction on arisen condition has pathologic character
individual participation based on psychological motivations
Episodic model (from the 1960‘s) has been overcome and
was not verified by research. (Not the single theories.)
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Typologies of evolutionistic approach
to SocMov
Social movements – evolutionistic model
based on the chicago school of social sciences (R. Park)
SocMov are normal part of society.
In contrast to crowd SocMov doesn‘t surpress
rationality.
SocMov as collectiv enterprise for establishing of new
social order. (H. Blumer)
SocMov as social group that is becoming more
organised with the aim of social change. (Rudolf
Haberle, 1951 used the term Social movement for the
first time)
Blumer (1950‘s)
(A) general SocMov (cultural flows), (B) value oriented (asserting own
interests), (C) normative oriented (reform) movements (modification of
social rules)
David Aberle
(1) transformative SocMov (change in social structure), (2) reformative
(partial change), (3) messianic (change in the conscious of an individual), (4)
alternative (partial reformation of the individuals)
R. Turner & L. Killian
(a) value based SocMov (ideals and ideas), (b) power oriented (status and
share on power), (c) participative SocMov (satisfaction through activities
and rituals)
A. Turaine
social control of movements – movements organized by government against
activities of spontaneous SocMovs
Typologies of evolutionistic approach
to SocMov
dominant typology
old SocMov
industrial society, labor movement, unions
Claus Offe (paradigm change; focus on political participation) conventional political participation (elections, parties)
Habermas – inner and outer security
new SocMov
technoelite, citizens of postindustrial society
Offe – SocMovs as fight against irrationality of institutional order
Habermas – quality of living, self-fulfillment
New Social Movements
theory of resources mobilization | theory of political
opportunities | theory of collective identity
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