Social Interaction

Social
Interaction

Social interaction
Refer to the ways in which people respond to one another, whether face to face or over the telephone or on the computer. Social Structure refers to the way in which a society is organized into predictable relationships.

The closely linked concepts of social interaction and social structure are central to sociological study. - Sociologists scrutinize patterns of behavior to understand and accurately describe the social interactions of a community or society and the social structure in which they take place.

 Considering how social interaction shapes the way we view the world around us, we will focus on

The Five Elements of Social Structure:

Statuses Social Roles

Groups
Social Networks Social Institutions

1. Statuses - refers to any of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society.
Ascribed status is assigned to a person by society without regard for the person's unique talents or characteristics. This takes place at birth such as age, gender, racial background and other biological characteristics. Ascribed status does not necessarily have the same social meaning in every society. Achieved status comes largely through efforts. Examples are statuses such as bank president, lawyer and other professions. Our ascribed status frequently influences our achieved status. Master status is a status that dominates others and thereby determines a person's general position in society. It only shows that an individual can hold different and conflicting statuses in his/her lifetime.

2. Social Roles is a set of expectations for people who occupy a given social position or status. With each distinctive social status whether ascribed or achieved, come particular role expectations. The actual performance of social roles varies from individual to individual. roles are a significant component of social

Groups
A group is any number of people with similar norms, Values and expectations who interact with one another on a regular basis.

Every society is composed of many groups in which daily social Interaction takes place.
We seek out groups to establish friendships, to accomplish certain goals, And to fulfill the social roles we have acquired. Groups play a vital role in a societys social structure. Much of our social interaction takes place within groups and is influenced by their norms and sanctions.

 New technology has broadened the definition of groups to include those who interact electronically. Not all the people with whom we converse online are real. At some websites, chatterbots fictitious correspondents created by artificial intelligence programs respond to questions as if a human were replying.

Ultimately, such conversations may develop into a chat group that includes other online correspondents, both real and artificial. New

groups organized around interests, such as antique collection or

bowling, have already arisen from this type of virtual reality.

Social Network

Social
Networks

a series of social relationships that links a person directly to others, and through them indirectly to still more people. may constrain people by limiting the range of their interactions, yet networks may also empower people by making available to them vast resources.

and
Technology

Involvement in social networks (networking) is especially valuable in finding employment. According to Manuel Castells, these emerging electronic social networks are fundamental to new organizations and the growth of existing businesses and associations. One such network, in particular, is changing the way people interact.

Social
Networks

and
Technology

Texting- is the exchange of wireless e-mails over cell phones.

began first in Asia in 2000 and has now taken off North America and Europe. popular among young users, who sent shorthand messages such as WRU and CU2NYT. Sociologists caution that devices such as cell phones may create a workday that never ends, and that increasingly people are busy checking their digital devices rather than actually conversing with those around them (Rosen 2001).

Social
Networks

and
Technology

Well-established networks have developed to help beginners at electronic communication to connect to the Internet. Social
Networks

and
Technology

In 2003, when the U.S. troops were sent to the Middle East, many people relied on e-mail. Today, digital photos, and sound files accompany e-mail messages between soldiers and their family and friends.

Social Institutions

Mass Media

Government

Economy

Family

Health Care System

Conclusion
Social interaction is negotiated between people with structural rules supplied by the surrounding environment. Depending on one's personality, an individual may adjust their presentation to present what they deem to be most appropriate in the situation.

RAHIL KHAN & NILADRI SHEKHAR SAHA