Reproducing social structure in task groups: The role of structural ritualization

The reproduction of social structure occurs with regularity, even when it i s not in the interest of the group, the individual, or the society. This ar ticle uses the theories of structural ritualization and expectation states to examine a specific case of social reproduction: the reproduction of hier archical group procedure and practices in small task groups. The experiment al test examines forty-four task groups under three different conditions a baseline condition under which group leaders observe no task groups; a cond ition under which leaders observe two groups characterized by hierarchical ritual and relatively authoritarian leaders; a condition under which leader s observe two groups characterized by lesser levels of hierarchical ritual and procedure. Based upon the two theories, we predicted that leaders would transform their own groups in the image of those they observed. This would occur even though there were no incentives for particular procedures and r ituals, and even though the observed groups were not involved in tasks simi lar to the tasks given to the leader and his group. The experimental tests generally support the theory.