Sociology Ch.7
Building Social Relationships
Life with Others
People who live in complex, urban, industrial, or postindustrial societies gradually become less integrated
and connected to others
US adult today is more likely than an adult two decades ago to be completely isolated from others
oSome sociologists attribute these trends to US culture’s emphasis on individualism, which takes
away a sense of community, diminishes our ability to establish ties with others, and makes it easier
for people to walk away from groups they see as unfulfilling
High value that contemporary society places on self-reliance and individual achievement
can sometimes make social relationships, even family relationships, seem expendable
But, in collectivist societies, group ties play a more substantial role in people’s everyday lives
oPeople consider duty, sacrifice, and compromise more desirable traits than personal success and
individual achievement
oAssume that group connections are the best guarantee for an individual’s well-being
Micro-Macro Connection: That’s What (Facebook) Friends Are For
Some research points to serious isolating effects of technology
oUsers of social media are 28% less likely to seek out their neighbors as sources of companionship
than nonusers
oThe more we expect from technology, the less we expect from each other
Other evidence suggests that technology gives people an additional means of establishing important
interpersonal ties both within and outside their immediate neighborhoods
Social Diversity and Intimate Choices
Exogamy
Exogamy rules = require that an individual form a long-term romantic or sexual relationship with someone
outside certain social groups to which she or he belongs
oEx. in almost all societies, exogamy rules define marrying or having sex with people in one’s own
immediate family as incest
Endogamy
Endogamy rules = limit people’s intimate choices to those within certain groups to which they belong
oLess formal, but just as powerful
oMajority of marriages in US occur between people from same religion, ethno-racial group, and
social class
oThese rules increase the likelihood that the couple will have similar backgrounds and therefore
share common beliefs, values, and experiences
oReflect our society’s traditional distaste for relationships that cross social-group boundaries
Religious Endogamy
oMost religious leaders still actively discourage interfaith marriages
oWorry about maintaining their religion’s influence over how people identify themselves within a
diverse and complex society
Racial and Ethnic Endogamy
oIt was believed that a mixing of the races (“mongrelization”) would destroy the racial purity (and
superiority) of whites
Social Class Endogamy
oPeople face strong pressures to choose marital partners of similar social standing, because more
likely to participate in similar activities together
Family Life
Defining Family
Family = two or more persons, including the householder, who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption,
and who live together as one household
Having one’s living arrangement legally recognized as a family has many practical implications
1
Building Social Relationships
Life with Others
People who live in complex, urban, industrial, or postindustrial societies gradually become less integrated
and connected to others
US adult today is more likely than an adult two decades ago to be completely isolated from others
oSome sociologists attribute these trends to US culture’s emphasis on individualism, which takes
away a sense of community, diminishes our ability to establish ties with others, and makes it easier
for people to walk away from groups they see as unfulfilling
High value that contemporary society places on self-reliance and individual achievement
can sometimes make social relationships, even family relationships, seem expendable
But, in collectivist societies, group ties play a more substantial role in people’s everyday lives
oPeople consider duty, sacrifice, and compromise more desirable traits than personal success and
individual achievement
oAssume that group connections are the best guarantee for an individual’s well-being
Micro-Macro Connection: That’s What (Facebook) Friends Are For
Some research points to serious isolating effects of technology
oUsers of social media are 28% less likely to seek out their neighbors as sources of companionship
than nonusers
oThe more we expect from technology, the less we expect from each other
Other evidence suggests that technology gives people an additional means of establishing important
interpersonal ties both within and outside their immediate neighborhoods
Social Diversity and Intimate Choices
Exogamy
Exogamy rules = require that an individual form a long-term romantic or sexual relationship with someone
outside certain social groups to which she or he belongs
oEx. in almost all societies, exogamy rules define marrying or having sex with people in one’s own
immediate family as incest
Endogamy
Endogamy rules = limit people’s intimate choices to those within certain groups to which they belong
oLess formal, but just as powerful
oMajority of marriages in US occur between people from same religion, ethno-racial group, and
social class
oThese rules increase the likelihood that the couple will have similar backgrounds and therefore
share common beliefs, values, and experiences
oReflect our society’s traditional distaste for relationships that cross social-group boundaries
Religious Endogamy
oMost religious leaders still actively discourage interfaith marriages
oWorry about maintaining their religion’s influence over how people identify themselves within a
diverse and complex society
Racial and Ethnic Endogamy
oIt was believed that a mixing of the races (“mongrelization”) would destroy the racial purity (and
superiority) of whites
Social Class Endogamy
oPeople face strong pressures to choose marital partners of similar social standing, because more
likely to participate in similar activities together
Family Life
Defining Family
Family = two or more persons, including the householder, who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption,
and who live together as one household
Having one’s living arrangement legally recognized as a family has many practical implications
1
