SOC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Alumnus, Topnotch, Ivy League
Document Summary
Institutions allow sociologists to focus on a smaller level than society, but larger than the individual. Social institutions are patterns of behavior (norms) that are connected to organized areas of social life. But institutions are still very large and fairly abstract because they refer to entire areas of social life. The importance of social networks: more than individual characteristics, student race and class shaped the networks they had. All tight knitters with academically supportive/motivated friends graduated, but only half of tight knitters without this type of support graduated. Compartmentalizers felt time pressure and identity pressure with keeping up with multiple friend groups. Samplers often lacked support and a sense of belonging on campus, yet tended to be academically successful. 5 years later, only about 25% of the original friends remained in their network. Tight knitters maintained the most friends (about 1/3): overall, this study shows the social and academic benefits of our social networks.
