Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives » (2nd Edition)

David Rohall (de-rohall@wiu.edu), received his Ph.D. in 2000 from University of Maryland-College Park, and is now Associate Professor of Sociology at Western Illinois University. In addition to general courses in sociology, Dr. Rohall teaches courses in sociological social psychology, identity, and socialization. His primary research interests lie within the social structure and personality perspective, including the study of how social structural conditions impact individuals' sense of self and their attitudes and beliefs about the world.

Melissa A. Milkie (mmilkie@socy.umd.edu) received her Ph.D. in 1995 from Indiana University, and is currently Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland-College Park. Her primary research interests, often framed within a symbolic interactionist perspective, include examining how cultural ideals related to dimensions of stratification like gender, race, and social class influence the self-concept and mental health. Much of her recent work examines family and school contexts of children’s and adults’ mental health.

Jeffrey W. Lucas (jlucas@socy.umd.edu) received his Ph.D. in 2000 from the University of Iowa and is now Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland-College Park. His primary research interest, centrally located within the group processes perspective, is the experimental analysis of theories of basic social processes.

This text, written by a team of sociologists, introduces students to social psychology by focusing on the contributions of sociology to this field, and on the perspectives, theories, and issues that are of the greatest importance to sociology.

This text emphasizes sociological work in the field, such as the effect of larger social-structural conditions on individuals and groups, and theories/perspectives from macrosociology. Also, it reflects more of the issues that sociologists are concerned with, such as social inequality, than psychology texts do.

The 2nd edition now includes new concepts, theories, and methodologies such as frame analysis, identity control theory, and autoethnography, to name a few.

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

Part 1 Perspectives and Methods 1

1 Introduction to Sociological Social Psychology 2

Sociology, Psychology, and Social Psychology 4

Macrosociology and Microsociology 5

Sociological and Psychological Social Psychology 8

Historical Context of Sociological Social Psychology 9

Section Summary 12

Perspectives in Sociological Social Psychology 12

Symbolic Imeractionism 13

Social Structure and Personality 14

Group Processes 14

Section Summary 15

Your Psychological Tool Kit 15

The Sociological Imagination 15

Other Tools in Your Kit 16

Section Summary 22

Bringing It All Together 22

Summary 23

Key Terms and Concepts 23

Discussion Questions 24

2 Perspectives in Sociological Social Psychology 25

The Symbolic Interaction Perspective 26

Society and Agency 27

Basic Principles of Symbolic Interactionism 27

Two Schools of Symbolic Interactionism 34

Section Summary 36

The Social Structure and Personality Perspective 37

The Components Principle 38

The Proximity Principle 40

The Psychology Principle 42

Section Summary 43

The Group Process Perspective 43

Studying Processes 45

Group Structures 48

Relationships among Groups 50

Section Summary 50

Bringing It All Together 51

Summary 51

Key Terms and Concepts 52

Discussion Questions 53

3 Studying People 54

Basic Concepts and Issues 55

Theories and Hypotheses 55

Independent and Dependent Variables 57

Sampling Issues 58

Reliability and Validity 59

Ethical Issues in Studying People 59

Section Summary 60

Different Ways to Study People 60

Qualitative Methods 62

Quantitative Methods 65

Mixed-Method Approaches 73

Section Summary 74

Steps in Developing Research Projects 75

Step 1 Assess Theory and Literature 75

Step 2 Develop Research Questions or Hypothesis 76

Step 3 Choose Research Methods 76

Step 4 Conduct Data Analysis 77

Step 5 Report Results 77

Section Summary 79

Bringing It All Together 79

Summary 80

Key Terms and Concepts 80

Discussion Questions 82

Part 2 The Individual in Society 83

4 The Social Psychology of Stratification 84

Constructing Inequalities 85

Basic Stratification Processes 86

Doing Gender 89

Multiple Inequalities: "Doing Difference" and Intersectionality 90

Section Summary 93

Structures of Inequality 94

The Wisconsin Model and Education 95

Networks and Social Capital 97

Education, Occupations, and Aspirations 100

Section Summary 103

Stratification Processes in Groups 103

Status and Power in Social Exchange Processes 104

Status in Groups 106

Power in Networks 112

The Difference Between Power and Status 115

Section Summary 117

Bringing It All Together 117

Summary 118

Key Terms and Concepts 118

Discussion Questions 120

5 Self and Identity 121

The Self as Process 122

The I, the Me, and Self-Narratives 123

Identity Theory 125

Identify, Emotions, and Behavior 127

Dramaturgical Sociology and the Presentation of Self 128

Section Summary 132

The Self and Social Structure 132

Evaluative Dimensions of the Self-Concept 133

Measuring the Self-Concept 138

Social Class, Race, and the Self 141

Section Summary 143

Identity and Group Processes 144

Social Identity Theory 144

Section Summary 146

Bringing It All Together 146

Summary 147

Key Terms and Concepts 147

Discussion Questions 149

6 Socialization Over the Life Course 150

Developing the Self 151

Stages of Development 151

The Role of the Other 152

The Sociology of Childhood 154

Adult Socialization 157

Section Summary 157

Structural and Time Dimensions of Socialization 158

The Life Course 159

Agents of Socialization 167

Section Summary 177

Group Processes and Socialization 178

Finding Socialization in Group Processes 178

Assessing the Effects of Socialization 180

Section Summary 185

Bringing It All Together 185

Summary 185

Key Terms and Concepts 186

Discussion Questions 187

Part 3 Areas of Social Life 189

7 The Social Psychology of Deviance 190

Interactionist Approaches to Deviance 191

Ethnomethodology and Deviance 192

Labeling Theory of Deviance 193

Section Summary 201

Social Structure and Deviant Behavior 201

Anomie and Social Strain 202

Social Control Theory 204

Section Summary 208

Group Relationships and Deviance 208

The Principles of Differential Association Theory 209

Studying Deviance in a Lab 213

Section Summary 216

Bringing It All Together 217

Summary 218

Key Terms and Concepts 218

Discussion Questions 220

8 Mental Health and Illness 221

The Social Construction of Mental Health 222

Defining Mental Illness 223

Modified Labeling Theory and Mental Disorders 227

Section Summary 228

Social Causes of Stress 229

Stressors and Outcomes 230

Mediating and Moderating Resources 231

Social and Economic Characteristics: The Epidemiology of Mental Health 233

Section Summary 239

Mental Health as a Status Characteristic 239

Mental Health and Selfhood 240

Section Summary 243

Bringing It All Together 244

Summary 244

Key Terms and Concepts 245

Discussion Questions 246

9 Attitudes, Values, and Behaviors 247

The Construction of Attitudes 248

Dimensions of Attitudes 248

Studying Behavior: How People Use Their Time 249

Linking Attitudes and Behavior 251

Prejudicial Attitudes and Behavior 254

Changing Prejudicial Attitudes 260

Section Summary 261

Social Structure, Attitudes, and Behavior 261

Attitudes and Agents of Socialisation 261

The Effects of Social Status on Attitudes and Behavior 262

Attitudes across the Life Course 265

Section Summary 267

Group Processes and Attitudes 269

Status Construction Theory 270

Social Identity Theory and Attitudes 272

Section Summary 274

Bringing It All Together 274

Summary 274

Key Terms and Concepts 275

Discussion Questions 276

10 The Sociology of Sentiment and Emotion 277

Constructing and Using Sentiment and Emotions 279

The Dimensions and Components of Emotions 280

Socialization of Emotions 283

Identity, Interactions, and Emotions 284

Society and Emotions 287

Section Summary 289

Structural Conditions Affecting Emotions 289

Power, Status, and Emotions 290

Feeling Rules and Norms 291

Section Summary 296

Group Processes and Emotions 296

Peelings and Social Exchange 297

Section Summary 303

Bringing It All Together 303

Summary 303

Key Terms and Concepts 304

Discussion Questions 306

11 Collective Behavior 307

Constructing Collective Behavior 309

Mass Hysteria Theory 309

Rational Choice in Collective Behavior: Emergent Norm Theory 316

Value-Added Theory 318

Perception Control Theory 320

Section Summary 321

Structure of Crowds and Social Movements 321

Social Structure and Social Movements 322

Behavior during Collective Events 323

Collective Memory 327

Section Summary 328

Group Processes and Collective Behavior 329

Section Summary 331

Bringing It All Together 332

Summary 332

Key Terms and Concepts 333

Discussion Questions 335

References 337

Photo Credit 363

Index 365