1 As a young child, how did you learn what was expected of you in various group set–
tings? Did the media, especially entertainment media, provide lessons or guidelines
for what to expect or how to behave? For example, how did you learn what you were
expected to do when in school, or church, or in a restaurant with your family? What
were the expected norms of behavior, the specialized roles, ranking, and social con–
trols of these groups?
2 What is the socio-cultural paradigm? Define the components of social organization
present in human groups (norms, roles, ranking, and social controls). How can an
understanding of these components help you or your group to achieve its goals?
3 In many communities, there is an annual funding drive that solicits charitable con–
tributions for various non-profit organizations in the community. Often, there is a
well-known person or celebrity who “kicks off” the drive, and a fund-raising goal is
set for the community. Employees at their place of work are asked to contribute, and
may receive a pin or sticker to wear to indicate that they have done so. Discuss how
the components of social organization (norms, roles, ranking, and social controls) are utilized to achieve the goal of the funding drive. How can these tools be applied to other groups and organizations to aid in achieving their goals?
