SOCIAL GROUP SOCIOLOGY NOTES

SOCIAL GROUP

Meaning of Social Group

Social group is the foundation of society and culture. Man is also a product of group life. Most of the Anthropologists believe that man started his life on this earth by living together. Man has always been dependent upon his fellow beings in defence, food and shelter.

The satisfaction of various needs could be done only by cooperation among various people in society. This reciprocal help brought them into social contact with one another and here the social group was founded. It was the real foundation of human society.

A social group has an organizational aspect i.e. rules, regulations, rituals, structure etc. and a Psychological aspect i.e. awareness or consciousness of the members. Members of a social group linked together in a system of social relationships with one another and they interact with each other according to norms of the group. A social group is also dynamic in nature.

What is Social Group

A group is became social when interaction interplays among its participants. Social interaction is its basic condition.

People walking in markets, in fairs, travelling in train are not social groups. Because social interaction among them does not exist. Two persons, in India and Bhutan, having interaction on telephone form it although they are far away from each other. Therefore social interaction is the basic condition of social groups.

Social Group Definition

Merrill “Two or more persons are in communication over an appreciable period of time and who act in accordance with common function or purpose”.

A.W. Green “An aggregate of individuals which persists in time, which has one or more interests or activities in common and which is organized”.

Emory S. Bogardus “a number of persons, two or more who have common objects of attention, who are stimulating to each other, who have common loyalty and participate in related activities are called as group”.

Ogburn and Nimkoff, “Whenever two or more individuals come together and influence one another, they may be said to constitute a social group”.

According to A.W. Green, “A group is an aggregate of individuals which persists in time, which has one or more interests and activities in common which is organised”.

Horton and Hunt, “Groups are aggregates or categories of people who have a consciousness of membership and of interaction”.

Maclver and Page a social group is “any collection of human beings who are brought into human relationships with one another”.

Williams, “A social group is a given aggregate people playing inter-related roles and recognized by themselves or others as a unit of interaction”.

 

Characteristics of Social Groups

The basis of grouping may be numerous but the division of population on the basis of age, sex, income, profession and other gave them various types of social groups. Following are the characteristics of Social Groups:

The Most Important Characteristics of Social Group

The 12 Most Important Characteristics of Social Group is listed below:

(1) Given number of Individual: A social group consists of a given number of individuals. Without a number of individuals no social group can be formed. Two or more than that individual are necessary to form a group. This number may vary. These individuals belong to the group as members of the group and are considered as unit of the group.

(2) Reciprocal Relations: There exist reciprocal relations among the members of a social group. These reciprocal relations among the members are the basis or foundation of social group without which social group cannot be formed. The members must interact or inter-related with each other.

(3) Common Goals: It is another important characteristic of a social group. The aims, objectives and ideals of the members are common. For the fulfillment of these common goals social groups are formed. Here individual interests are sacrificed for group interests.

(4) Sense of unity and solidarity: Members of a social group are always tied by a sense of unity and bond of solidarity, common goals and mutual relations strengthens this bond of unity and solidarity. This creates loyalty and sympathy among the members of social group.

(5) A strong sense of a we-feeling: Members of a social group is characterized by a strong sense of awe-feeling. This we- feeling fosters co-operation among members. Because of this we- feeling the members identify themselves with the group and consider others as outsiders.

(6) Group Norms: Every social group has its own, regulations and norms which the members are supposed to follow. With the help of these rules and norms the group exercises control over it’s members. These norms may be written or unwritten. Any violation of group norms is followed by punishment. The group norms maintain unity and integrity in the group.

(7) Similar Behavior: Members of a social group show similar behavior. As the interests, ideals and values of a group are common hence its members behave in a similar manner. This similar behavior helps in the achievement of common goals.

(8) Awareness: Members of a social group are aware about the membership which distinguishes them from others. This is perhaps due to ‘the consciousness of kind’ as opined by Giddings (Sociologist).

(9) Group Control: Social group exercises some sort of control over its members and over their activities. This control may be direct or indirect. Of course group exercises control only over non-conformists or deviants.

(10) Social groups may be permanent or temporary in nature. There are permanent groups likes family and temporary groups like crowd, mob etc.

(12) Social groups are dynamic in nature. It is not static. It responds to different changes. The nature of change may be slow or rapid but it is bound to occur.

(13) Social groups have established patterns.

Types of Social Groups