Sociological Texts and Concepts
TOPIC- 2 -TYPES OF SOCIAL INTERACTION
Seven broad types of social interaction seem to be universal , that is , apply to all humanity . They are (1) cooperation (2) conflict (3) competition(4) coerion (5) exchange (6) assimilation (7) amalgamation. The most significant type of social interaction is cooperation , a process in which individuals or groups act together in order to promote common intersts or shared goals , which might otherwise be difficult or impossible to achieve individually . In a broad sense , all social life is based on cooperation . People get together in groups and societies to adapt to the environment and to meet environmental threats such as floods , famine and pestilence ; they work together to meet individual needs and to get protection from threats of other societies . Society would be impossible without a minimum of co-operative effort.
Sociologists Robert Nisbet has noted four main types of cooperation . The oldest and most universal is spontaneous cooperation , or mutual aid . It orises out of the needs of a situation as….
The cooperation that has held societies together throughout history may have originated in a spontaneous manner , but through repetition it has become established custom and tradition passed on from generation to generation . The cooperation thus ingrained in a primitive tribe is called traditional cooperation.
Modern societies rely less on traditional cooperation than on cooperation that is directed by a third party who holds a position of authority . The third party may be an employer , a swimming instructor , a teacher ....ets . Modern societies also depend on contractual cooperation , in which groups agree to co-operate in certain explicit ways . Contractual cooperation is found among groups and individuals . A group of young mothers , for example , can agree among themselves to take turns caring for each others babies follow ....
COMPREHENSION
1- What are the main types of social interaction ?
2- What is social life based on ?
3- Name some environment threats .
4- Where is traditional co-operation usually found ?