Social Groups

Social groups are crucial to the transmission of culture in society. Due to this, studying them has become an essential component of sociological research. When we interact with others in our groups, we impart our ways of thinking and acting - from language and values to styles, preferences, and recreational pursuits.

Groups can also comprise formal social organizations, which have specific and varied impacts on society and culture.

Let's now dive into the study of social groups and organizations, focusing on social groups before moving onto organizations.

Definition of Social Groups

First things first, let's clarify what we mean by 'groups'.

The crucial aspect is that members of a group must share some feeling of unity. This trait separates groups from aggregates, which are simple collections of individuals, such as people who are on public transport at the same time. This also separates groups from categories - people who operate independently but have something in common, like being born in the same year.

Fig. 1 - In sociology, people on the bus together would not be classified as a group but as an aggregate.

Types of Social Groups

Sociologists recognize several differences between various types of groups in society.

Primary and Secondary Groups

The term 'primary group' was first used by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902 to

refer to a small group that is characterized by close-knit cooperation and association between members.

Primary groups can be very impactful in a person's daily life. This is because they perform an expressive, i.e. emotional, function for us. Both the process of socialization and the formation of roles and statuses depend heavily on primary groups.

A 'secondary group', on the other hand, is a formal, impersonal group with little social connection or understanding among its members. They serve an instrumental function, meaning that they tend to be goal-oriented. Secondary groups tend to form in spaces where people have a shared understanding, but minimal personal interaction.

However, the distinction between primary and secondary groups is not always clear, and sometimes a primary group can become a secondary group (and vice versa).

In-groups and Out-groups

Sometimes, a group's connections to other groups might give it additional significance for its members. This is what forms the basis of in-groups and out-groups.

• Any group or category that people believe they belong to is considered an in-group. In other words, it includes everyone who is referred to as "we" or "us."

• The presence of an in-group necessitates the existence of an out-group, which is a group or category to which people believe they do not belong. Out-groups are perceived as "they" or "them."

In-groups are often marked by a sense of importance and superiority from those who are not a part of the group, i.e. out-groups. Members of in-groups feel their behaviors, values, attitudes, etc. are not only better than but also unsuitable for the out-group.

Reference Groups

A 'reference group' is any group people view as a benchmark for assessing themselves and their behavior. By establishing and enforcing morals, norms, and codes of conduct, reference groups serve a normative purpose.

Reference groups also serve as a baseline by which individuals can judge each another, serving as a tool for comparison.

Examples of Social Groups

Let's now look at examples of all the different types of groups we explored above:

• The primary group is typically made up of significant others - people who have the greatest influence on how we socialize. The family is therefore the most relevant example of a primary group.

• Since secondary groups typically arise when people have a common understanding, but little intimacy; classrooms or offices can serve as examples of secondary groups.

• Examples of in-groups and out-groups include sports teams, unions, and sororities; individuals might be a part of any of these groups or consider themselves outsiders.

• Peer groups act as typical reference groups in American society. Children and adults alike watch what their friends wear, like, watch/listen, and do in their free time. They then compare themselves to what they observe.

Characteristics of Social Groups: Group Size and Structure

Characteristics of social groups include group size and structure. Group size and structure are important because, even in tiny ranges, the composition of the group can radically change its dynamics. This is because when a group's size increases, so may the position of both its leaders and non-leader members.

Group Leadership

Formal leaders are uncommon in primary groups, although informal leadership may exist. There are two different leadership functions in secondary groups: expressive leaders, who prioritize emotional well-being, and instrumental leaders, who prioritize results.

Additionally, there are various leadership styles, including democratic, authoritarian, and laissez-faire.

Dyads and Triads

A small group is usually defined as a collection of individuals who are close enough to one another to interact at the same time. Georg Simmel (1902) differentiated between two types of small groups: dyads and triads.

The dyad, or two-member group, is the most basic of all social groups or partnerships. Adding one more person to a dyad drastically changes the dynamics of the small group. The dyad expands to a triad of three people.

Fig. 2 - A dyad refers to a group of two people.

Group Conformity

The degree to which someone complies is their level of conformity with expectations or group norms. As you may remember, reference groups are used to evaluate and understand how to act, think, behave, present oneself, etc.

Numerous studies have demonstrated how powerful the desire to fit in with reference groups can be. Real-life experiments by Solomon Asch (1956) and Stanley Milgram (1962) show how conformity and obedience can push people to act in morally and ethically questionable ways.

Formal Organizations

According to sociologist Amitai Etzioni (1975), formal organizations can be divided into three types:

• Normative organizations are built on common interests and are often known as voluntary groups. Examples of such organizations that people choose to join are charities and book/sports clubs.

• We have to be forced or pressured into joining coercive organizations. Rehabilitation centers and prisons/corrections centers are good examples.

• The third category consists of utilitarian organizations, which, as their name implies, are joined to receive a particular material benefit. For instance, people may go to graduate school or work at a corporation.

Bureaucracy as a Formal Organization

A bureaucracy is a formal organization distinguished by impersonality, a hierarchy of power, clear rules, and a distinct division of labor. Bureaucracies are an ideal kind of formal organization. 'Ideal' in the sociological context refers to a broad model that represents a set of features, in this example those listed by Max Weber (1922).

They are designed to increase efficiency, guarantee equal opportunity, and ensure that the majority of people can be served. A strict division of labor and rigid adherence to rules might, however, cause an organization to 'lag' behind the times.

Q. What is an example of a social group?

A. An example of a social group is one's friend group, which is a type of primary group.

Q. What are the types of social groups?

A. Types of social groups include primary and secondary groups, in-groups and out-groups, and reference groups.

Q. What are social groups?

A. In sociology, a group refers to "any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who interact with one another on a regular basis." (Schaefer, 2010).

Q. What is the difference between social groups and social organizations?

A. A social group refers to a group of people with shared characteristics who interact regularly. A formal social organization, on the other hand, is a group created for a specific goal and systematized for the highest efficiency.

Q. What are the characteristics of social groups?

A. Different social groups have different characteristics, but a crucial aspect of all of them is that members of a group must share some feeling of unity.