module 7 – social organization

Pre-test: True or False – Write True if the said statement is true, and write False if the statement is false, on a
one-half cross-wised sheet of yellow pad paper.

1. Social organization is a pattern of relationships between and among individuals and social groups.
2. Repa is a term that most Filipinos in their youth use to refer to a group who share the same social
inclinations.
3. An Instagram is a visual representation of the social networks present in one group or more.
4. A social network consists of individuals who have dyadic relationships that are interacting with other
relationships within a structure.
5. Intergroup aggression take place as members of the in-group harm individuals from the out-group due to
their undesirable traits that clash with the in-group’s prescribed norms.
6. Primary groups are the direct sources of an individual’s social skills and knowledge.
7. Collectivist Organization Model is lifted from Max Weber’s concept of Modern Western society.
8. A social network is a social structure consisting of people who have varying degrees of relations and
interrelationships.
9. Sociogram was developed by Jacob Moreno, a psychotherapist in 1951 to understand the dynamics of
the intersections of social groups within the structure.
10. When an individual receives a positive self-evaluation, he or she experiences the comparative effect that
being a member of the reference group has.
11. A small group of three individuals is called a triad.
12. Organizations are created by individuals to foster a more direct relationship in secondary group setting.
13. Bullying is an example of intergroup aggression
14. A social group consists of individuals who are united by their similar characteristics and these
characteristics serve as the bases of their constant interaction.
15. An out-group is a group that an individual is not part of. Negative attributes are usually associated with
individuals who are part of this group.

Lesson 1 – Social Organization

 module 7 – social organization

In sociology, a social organization is a pattern of relationships between and among individuals and
social groups. Characteristics of social organization can include qualities such as sexual composition,
spatiotemporal cohesion, leadership, structure, division of labor, communication systems, and so on.

Barkada is a term that most Filipinos in their youth use to refer to a group who share the same social
inclinations. The fondest memories of one’s youth would often be of the experiences they shared with their
barkada. Every age group in every society creates and subscribes to a social group.

A social group consists of individuals who are united by their similar characteristics and these
characteristics serve as the bases of their constant interaction. However, not all individuals who share similar
characteristics interact with one another.

Another classification of human grouping is that of social aggregate. In this, individuals gather in the
same place but are neither interacting nor sharing similar characteristics. People gathered in a shopping mall
may be categorized in this.

2.1 – Social Network

A social network consists of individuals who have dyadic relationships that are interacting with
other relationships within a structure. Simply stated, a social network is a social structure consisting of
people who have varying degrees of relations and interrelationships.

A sociogram is a visual representation of the social networks present in one group or more. This
was developed by Jacob Moreno, a psychotherapist in 1951 to understand the dynamics of the
intersections of social groups within the structure.

2.2 – In-group, Out-group and Reference Groups

An in-group is the social group in which an individual directly affiliates and expresses loyalty
to.

Its three primary characteristics reinforce the boundary that it creates between its members and
those coming from other groups.

1. Members use titles, external symbols, and dress to distinguish themselves from the out-
group.

One of the most recent subcultural categories formed in our country is that of the jejemons.
This group is popular for their distinguishable dress code and language (or what Facebook
called, Leet Speak). Males usually wear rainbow-colored caps, loose shirts and pants.

2. Members apply positive stereotypes to their in-group and negative stereotypes to the
out-group.

Generally, the in-group consists of the majority who defines what is normal and acceptable.
Those who do not conform to the prescribed norms are considered part of the out-group.

The phenomenon of individuals preferring members and behaviors practiced within an in-
group as opposed to those from the out-group is call in-group favoritism. This is crucial in
reinforcing self-esteem within the group by creating biases that make the in-group the
“superior” over the out-group.

3. Members tend to clash or compete with members of the out group.

module 7 – social organization

This competition with the other group can also strengthen the unity within each group.

Rivalries among schools, which are highlighted during competitions in sports, quiz bees, and
ranking are a prime example of how members from an in-group tend to compete with the
out-group.

In some cases, intergroup aggression take place as members of the in-group harm individuals
from the out-group due to their undesirable traits that clash with the in-group’s prescribed norms.

Bullying is an example of intergroup aggression, as members of a dominant group inflict harm

on an individual who is perceived to be an outsider.

An out-group is a group that an individual is not part of. Negative attributes are usually
associated with individuals who are part of this group. Individuals from an out-group are usually
considered malevolent even if they are not.

For example: an individual who is part of an in-group of heterosexuals would consider those with
different genders as part of the out-group without distinguishing what types of gender they have.

In case of war, opposing groups tend to dehumanize each other, often lead to countless deaths.

The behavior of an individual can be shaped by the set of behavior and beliefs of a group that
such an individual considers as ideal. This ideal group is called the reference group, which is used by
an individual as a standard to measure his or her actions.

The existence of reference groups can have two effects of an individual’s self-evaluation.

1. When an individual receives a positive self-evaluation, he or she experiences the normative

effect that being a member of the reference group has.
2. On the contrary, a negative self-evaluation often results from the comparison effect that a
reference group has on individuals, who try to appraise their behavior based on its prescribed
norms.

In this case, an individual may attempt to alter his or her behavior to conform to the standards of
the reference group.

Primary groups are the direct sources of an individual’s social skills and knowledge. The bonds that
an individual form with members of these group extend over long periods of time.

An individual’s primary groups usually consist of family, friends, peers, classmates, and church. Due
to the connection between the individual and the members of this group, primary relationships are
formed from these social sets.

Secondary groups are more formal in context as the relationships and interactions in them are
limited to a particular role that an individual play within the group. This may consist of relationships
that are temporary and practical such as that of a client and an agent, a researcher and an informant,
and a tenant and a landlord, to name a few.

Small groups – the type and extend of human interaction depends on the size of the group that they
belong in. A large group tends to promote detachment through indirect interaction. Isolated members
often cope by creating small groups that foster direct interaction among its members.

A family is an example of a small group, and a village (barangay) is an example of a large group.
The most cohesive and directly interacting small group is called the dyad, which consists of two
individuals.
module 7 – social organization

A small group of three individuals is called a triad. This type of small group has lesser cohesion than
a dyad because of the lesser personal connection that each individual has with the other members in
the group.

Social loafing, a phenomenon of free riding, can also be experienced in larger groups, as some
individuals tend to depend on others’ initiative to perform tasks that are originally expected of them.

2.2 – Leadership and Conformity

Leadership is both a research area and a practical skill encompassing the ability of an individual
or organization to “lead” or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations.

There are two types of leaders in a small group:

1. An expressive leader is motivated by the relationships that he or she has with the members of
the group. This leader employs a cooperative style of management, wherein the opinions of
the members are accounted for as the main goal of group is to maintain its cohesion.

2. Instrumental leaders implement a directive style of management, wherein members of the

group are directed to perform tasks that lead to the achievement of the group goal. This type of
leader is achievement motivated, which makes the purpose of the group and the individuals
defined by the goals they have set.

Conformity is the behavior of an individual that relates to following the prescribed norms of his
or her group due to pressure or influence that members of the group have on him or her.

2.3 – Social Organizations

As said in the first part, in sociology, a social organization is a pattern of relationships between
and among individuals and social groups. Characteristics of social organization can include qualities
such as sexual composition, spatiotemporal cohesion, leadership, structure, division of labor,
communication systems, and so on.

Organizations are created by individuals to foster a more direct relationship in secondary group
setting. When a secondary group is directed by its goals, it is referred to as formal organization. This
would include groups such as political parties, and academic and professional organizations.

Within these formal organizations are informal organizations that are characterized by the
informal relations between members. Hence, a professional organization such as a medical practitioners’
association can be considered a formal organization because the ties that the members have in general
are defined by the objectives of the organization, whereas a subgroup created through camaraderie
among colleagues can be called an informal organization.

Every organization is defined by its objectives that may be for the betterment of the society in
general or to address certain group issues. It can then be said that the existence of organizations is
attributable to the goals that are set before them. To achieve these, organizations use rational planning.
This process implies identification of tasks, roles, implementation programs and general policies.

This provides organizations a business-like nature.

Organizational models:
 module 7 – social organization
1. Bureaucratic Organization Model – this model is lifted from Max Weber’s concept
of Modern Western society. He claimed that due to the plurality of cultures and the
development of technology, modern Western societies are required to create formal
organizations that are bureaucratic in nature.

These types of organizations operate within the frame of written rules and regulations
that allow for a more efficient implementation of organizational objectives.

2. Collectivist Organization Model – this organization model responded to the issues

that confronted the bureaucratic model. Based on Karl Marx’ theory on the evolution
of society, this model predicts the demise of bureaucratic organizations within a shift
from a class-based to a classless society. In this new order, the hierarchy created in a
bureaucratic society is erased to the extent that the supervisors and workers are
collectively and harmoniously functioning toward the achievement of the
organization’s goals. Equality is a common theme in this model.

Activity Time!

1. Differentiate an in-group from an out-group and give 3 examples.

2. How can a reference group affect an individual’s behavior?
3. How is conformity created in a small group as opposed to a large group?
4. Why do humans create informal organizations?
5. How does rational planning relate to the nature of formal organizations?

Evaluation: True or False – Write True if the said statement is true, and write False if the statement is false,
on a one-half cross-wised sheet of yellow pad paper.
 module 7 – social organization

1. Social organization is a pattern of relationships between and among individuals and social groups.
2. Repa is a term that most Filipinos in their youth use to refer to a group who share the same social
inclinations.
3. An Instagram is a visual representation of the social networks present in one group or more.
4. A social network consists of individuals who have dyadic relationships that are interacting with other
relationships within a structure.
5. Intergroup aggression take place as members of the in-group harm individuals from the out-group due to
their undesirable traits that clash with the in-group’s prescribed norms.
6. Primary groups are the direct sources of an individual’s social skills and knowledge.
7. Collectivist Organization Model is lifted from Max Weber’s concept of Modern Western society.
8. A social network is a social structure consisting of people who have varying degrees of relations and
interrelationships.
9. Sociogram was developed by Jacob Moreno, a psychotherapist in 1951 to understand the dynamics of
the intersections of social groups within the structure.
10. When an individual receives a positive self-evaluation, he or she experiences the comparative effect that
being a member of the reference group has.
11. A small group of three individuals is called a triad.
12. Organizations are created by individuals to foster a more direct relationship in secondary group setting.
13. Bullying is an example of intergroup aggression
14. A social group consists of individuals who are united by their similar characteristics and these
characteristics serve as the bases of their constant interaction.
15. An out-group is a group that an individual is not part of. Negative attributes are usually associated with
individuals who are part of this group.

Essay: For ten points, write what have you learned about this weekly topic that we have on this interactive
module.

Some Notes:

1. Post-test will be recorded and the instructor will collect your answers.
2. Activities will also be recorded and the instructor will collect your exercises.

Bibliography/References:

Internet Connection, Wikipedia

Understanding Culture, Society and Politics by DIWA Publishing

Maria Carinnes P. Alejandria-Gonzalez, Author