Sociological Research Analysis of Group Collectivism and Term Paper

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Sociological Research

Analysis of group collectivism and interaction in "Culture in Interaction" by Nina Eliasoph and Paul Lichterman

The journal article entitled, "Culture in Interaction," authored by Nina Eliasoph and Paul Lichterman, brought into fore the use of empirical studies in identifying, analyzing, and interpreting the group culture of organizations and civil groups in terms of their use of speech acts and group interaction. The study's general objective was to describe the culture of civil organizations through a qualitative analysis of their speech acts and styles. Using the method of ethnographic analysis, Eliasoph and Lichterman was able to analyze and interpret how these civil groups' cultures, i.e., through collective representations, are characterized by their use of specific kinds of speech acts and styles.

Through the literature gathered by the researchers/authors, the choice of the sample was to select a civil group that center on activities related to activism and volunteerism, since these groups have significant impact in mobilizing people and promoting causes that have potential benefits to society. More specifically, ethnography was conducted on two civil groups -- that is, the study involved two cases of ethnographic analysis. These two civil groups were the Airdale Citizens for Environmental Sanity (ACES) (activist group) and bar patrons of the Buffalo Club (volunteer group), two civil groups that were found to have a unique culture, specifically in their speech and interaction.

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Concepts that were used in the study were group boundaries, group bonds, and speech norms. Group boundaries determined the position of the group's culture and nature in the context of the larger organizational setting; group bonds identified the type of interaction prevalent in the group; and speech norms determined the communication style of the members of the group.

Results of the study reflected the unique culture of each civil group. The ACES was identified as an organization that, when put in the larger context of group activism, was more 'individualist' rather than collectivist. This meant that ACES members tend to focus more on the idea that empowerment and motivation to participate actively was not through group cohesion, but on the pursuit of one's self-interest. This self-interest was identified as the will to fight for a cause, which, in ACES's case, was environmentalism. The concept of "timid affiliation" was also another character of the group, wherein one's affiliation of the group was not public knowledge, mainly because members felt that 'association' was made "calmly, individually, finding one's own way into the thick of public engagement -- no standing out individually and loudly from others. ACES was considered an activist….....

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