Social Group
A social group is 2+ people who identify and interact with one another.
Non-groups
- Category: common status
- Crowd: non-interacting group
Charles Horton Cooley – 2 types of groups:
- Primary group
- Secondary group
Primary Group Small group, members share personal & enduring relationships:
- First groups we experience in life
- Shape attitudes, behaviour, and identity
- An end, not a means
Secondary Group
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Large, impersonal
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pursue a goal or activity
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often short term
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In groups: social group commanding members’ esteem & loyalty
- From Psychology: Ingroup members are those we are expected to cooperate with and who are expected to cooperate with us Reciprocal Altruism
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Outgroups: social group toward which one feels some opposition
Dyad (2 member group): Very intimate, but unstable Triad (3 member group): More stable, more types of interaction possible
What happens as groups grow in size?
- Larger groups are less intimate, but more stable
- Leaders often emerge or are put in charge
Group Leadership Roles:
- Instrumental - Task oriented
- Expressive - Collective well-being oriented
Decision Making Styles:
- Authoritarian: Leader makes decisions
- Democratic: Member involvement
- Laissez-faire: lets group function on its own
Psychology
How we are likely to treat others often depends, at least in part, on their group membership.
- If we perceive them as belonging to the same group as us (an ingroup member), then we tend to show them favourable treatment.
- Conversely, if we perceive them as belonging to a different group (outgroup member) than we tend to discriminate against them.
Also see Agents of Socialization.