Soc 100 Week 7
1)
A professional network made up of mentors, successful coworkers, or industry experts
serves as an excellent example of a positive reference group that can help people along
their career trajectories. Members of these groups serve as live role models of
achievement, offering insightful counsel, imparting their wealth of knowledge, and
inspiring others to act morally and aim high. On the other hand, a bad reference group,
such as a delinquent peer group, serves as a sharp warning of what not to do. These
groups frequently engage in criminal or deviant activity, acting as cautionary examples
and highlighting the negative effects of deviating from accepted behavior and the law. In
essence, reference groups play a crucial role in forming a person's self-concept and
behavior by pointing out the potential hazards of undesired behavior or motivating them
to take beneficial behaviors.
2)
The FSB (Focal Structural Balance) theory of sociology contends that social networks
and geographic location are linked elements influencing participation and appeal in a
community like Westgate. It implies that social connections between people are
influenced by their physical proximity and that within these networks, the harmony of
triad relationships is essential. Unbalanced triads might signify disputes or tension in the
setting of deviant behavior, which may encourage people to follow deviant behavior in
order to preserve societal harmony. This may therefore have an impact on who engages in
abnormal conduct and who becomes popular in such a community.
