You are on page 1of 16

Social Groups

Lesson 1:
Meaning, Characteristics and
Importance of Group
Meaning of Group

• A group consists of two or more people who are


bound together in relatively stable patterns in
social interaction and who share a feeling of unity
(Hughes & Kroehler, 2009).
• A group is any collection of people who interact
on the basis of shared expectations regarding
another’s behavior (Kornblum, 2003).

• A group is comprised of two or more persons who


are in social interaction, who are guided by
similar norms, values and expectations, and who
maintain a stable pattern of relations over a
period of time (Kendall, 2000).
General Characteristics
of a Group
Joseph Fichter
1. A group has identity identifiable by both its
members and outsiders.
2. A group has social structure in the sense that
each part or member has a position related to
other positions.
3. Each member in a group has roles to play.
4. There is mutual reciprocity among members in
a group.
5. A group has norms of behavior that influence
the way in which the roles are enacted.
6. A group has goals or purposes, which are
commonly based on the interests and values of
each member.
7. Group activity is directed towards the attainment
of goals.
8. A group has relative permanence, a measurable
duration over a period of time.
Lesson 2:
Group Classification and
Boundaries
Charles Horton
Cooley
1. Charles Horton Cooley (1964) first formulated
the concept of primary groups. He believed that
primary groups are an extemely important unit of
social organization, a necessary part of social life.

The basic characteristics of primary groups are:


• personal and intimate relationship
• face-to-face communication
• permanence duration
• a strong sense of loyalty or “we” feeling
• small in size
• informal structure
• traditional or non-rational decision-making
2. Secondary groups are characterized as ff:
• large
• impersonal, aloof relationship
• indirect communication
• temporary duration
• weak group cohesiveness based on self-interest
• rational decision-making
• formal structure
Group Boundaries
1. An in-group is an esteemed social group
commanding a member’s loyalty. It is a group to
which a person belongs. It consists of people in
whose presence the person feels comfortable and
with whom he/she shares common experiences.

Example: friendship groups and religious groups


2. An out-group is a scorned social group to which
one feels competition or opposition. It is a group to
which a person does not belong.

Example: If you are a member of a club, those who


are not members are the out-groups.
Types of Group Boundaries
1. Formal group boundaries are determined by
predetermined criteria such as being accepted as a
fraternity member or a Rotarian. They may be
maintained, and group members are identified by
such things as a particular mode of dress, an
unusual handshake, or a union card.
2. Informal group boundaries are determined by non-
specific criteria as in a school peer group. Member
and non-member boundaries are informal when a
group develops around a temporary activity such
as playing basketball or meeting with friends.
Consequences of Group Boundaries
Members of a group tend to believe that their group is
something special, and they seek to maintain its
boundaries. By joining together with some people
while simultaneously avoiding contact with others,
people gain a clearer sense of their place in a world of
diversity. However, this process often promotes self-
serving distortions of reality. Ethnocentrism may grow
out of the tendency to overvalue one’s own group while
undervaluing other cultures as out-groups.

You might also like