CHAPTER 6

The Sociorelational Context

The sociorelational context refers to how group memberships affect communication.

DIMENSIONS OF GROUP VARIABILITY

Membership groups• Involuntary membership groups• Voluntary membership groups

Nonmembership groups

IN-GROUPS AND OUT-GROUPS

Ingroup—a group whose norms,

aspirations, and values shape the

behavior of its members.

Out-group—a group whose attributes are

dissimilar from those of the in-group, or that opposes the

accomplishment of the in-group’s goals.

REFERENCE GROUPTypically, voluntary

membership in-groups serve as

positive reference groups…

…and voluntary nonmembership out-groups are

seen as negative reference groups.

A group to which we may or may not belong but with which we identify in some important way• comparative function• normative function

ROLE RELATIONSHIPS Formal roles: well-defined behavioral expectations Explicit Violations can

lead to removal from role.

Informal roles: expectations vary greatly Implicit. Learn from

experience.

One’s relative position in a group with an expected set of verbal and

nonverbal behaviors.

Roles and Communication

Roles prescribe • (1) with whom• (2) about what, and • (3) how to

communicate with others.

Social identity Dimensions upon which roles vary• the degree of

personalness, formality, hierarchy, and deviation from the ideal role enactment

Role Differentiation and Stratification

Social Stratification• The rank ordering of roles within a culture • Varies across cultures

Role differentiation• The complexity of role hierarchy varies by culture• Some cultures make relatively few distinctions, whereas others

make many

Differences in cultures with• high/low context• high/low power distance

Family Groups

The socialization influence on the child

Patriarchy and matriarchy

Sex and Gender

Sex is biological; gender is socialized and constructed

More masculine cultures:• Japan• Ireland• USA

More feminine cultures: • South Korea• Finland • Sweden

Japan

Japanese Constitution stipulates all are equal

Younger Japanese have more egalitarian attitudes

toward sex roles

Older Japanese have more traditional attitudes

toward sex roles

Japanese women continue to sacrifice personal goals for harmony of family, in

accordance with collectivism

India

Preamble of the Indian

Constitution

guarantees

equality

• Male children seen as a blessing• Continue family name• Economic asset

• Female children seen as a burden• Dowry• Less education

China

1950 Marriage Law abolished feudal forms of

marriage.

Women have little freedom and few

rights.

Women discouraged from

living alone.

Women are considered more vulnerable and less capable of

dealing with the outside world than

are men.

MexicoMore Mexican women than men are divorced, possibly

because Mexican men tend to emigrate once they divorce

Today, Mexican women are more educated than ever.

Nearly 93% of women age 12 years and older do domestic work

During the past few years, the roles of men as providers and women as in charge of domestic work have

changed noticeably

Israel

Women have been guaranteed equal rights since Israel’s

establishment as a state in 1948.

Segregation still occurs

Certain fundamental religious groups reject such rights

Israel is the only country in the world with a compulsory military service requirement for women.