Chapter 7:

Social groups
The study of groups has become an important art of sociological investigation because groups
play a key role in the transmission of culture. As one social groups interacts with other social
groups, it passes on it ways of thinking and acting from language and values to the manner of
dressing and leisure activities.
In sociology, a group is any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who
interact with one another on a regular basis and share a common identity, while an aggregate is
merely comprised of a number of individuals who exhibit cohesiveness to a larger degree.
A sociology group must have members who interact one another and who share a common
cause or interest in the organizational structure.
In Kuwait men gather in groups called diwaniyas, which means little guest house in Arabic.
Hundreds of these gatherings take place every night. The diwaniyas have a rich history in
Kuwait going back over 200 years ago. Recently in handful of diwaniyas allowing women to
attend the gathering a major departure from their custom ( shaefer, 2005).

Consciousness of Kind
The concept of consciousness of kind was introduced by the American sociologist Franklin H.
Giddings. It is the concept that explains the tendency of human beings to join or associate with
other people who perceived to have some similarities to themselves.

Types of groups
Primary Group
- The family gives an individual basics lesson in life. As the individual grows, he/she joins
friends finding more intimacy and added sense of belonging. According to Charles
Cooley (1902), this is the primary group that provides face-to-face interaction and
feeling of identity to the individual. Cooley calls the primary groups “the spring of life.”
- Primary groups are important because their values and attitudes become fused into
one’s identity. They remain “inside” a person even as he/she becomes a grown-up, and
wherever he/she is.
There are four basic characteristics of a primary group:
1. Primary groups tend to be small- ordinarily composed of fewer than 15 individuals.
2. Interaction and communication among members in a primary group tend to be intimate
and personal in nature.
3. Members in a primary group commonly develop strong emotional bonds with one
another.
4. Primary groups generally persist over an extended period of time.

Secondary groups
- Secondary groups, in contrast to primary groups, ae large groups of people whose
relationships are formal and institutional. The formation of primary groups generally
happens within secondary groups.
- The term “secondary group” is used in sociology to describe any group which lacks one
or more of the characteristics of a primary group. In general, a secondary group is
composed of individuals who lack strong emotional ties to one another.
- Secondary groups are larger than primary groups. They are likewise temporary,
anonymous, formal, and impersonal. Secondary groups are formal based on the interest
or preffered activity of members such as employees, managers, students, or workers.
Since secondary groups are temporary, they may break down into primary groups when
needs are not met.

Table 1: Comparison of Primary and Secondary Groups

Primary Secondary
Generally small in size Usually large in size
Relatively long period Relatively short
of interaction duration of interaction,
often temporary
Intimate, face-to-face Little social intimacy or
association mutual understanding
Some emotional depth Relationships are
in relationships generally superficial
Cooperative, friendly More formal and
impersonal

In-groups and Out-groups

- A group can hold special meaning for members because of relationship to other groups.
- An in-group is any group or category to which people feel they belong. Simply put, it has
a sense of “we” or “us.” The in-group may be as narrow as a teenage clique or as broad
as an entire society.
- The very existence of an in-group implies that there is an out-group viewed as ‘they” or
“them.” An out-group is a group of category to which people feel they do not belong.
- This double standard enhances their sense of superiority. This process is the conversion
of in group virtues and out-group vices.
 Reference group
- A reference group is composed of individuals who possess a set of similar characteristics
that are used as standards by other individuals in evaluating their own behavior.
Reference groups, in many cases, are not true groups in the sense that the individuals
who compose them may not share the common identifying characteristics of groups.
Peer group
- A peer group is made up of persons of relatively equal status, with whom an individual
interacts frequently.

Voluntary and Involuntary Group

- Groups may also be classified according to how certain persons are admitted to the
group and become members. If an individual chooses to become a member of a group,
then that group can be reffered to as voluntary. On the other hand, if an individual
becomes a member of a group as a result of factors over which he/she has no control,
then the group may be reffered to as involuntary.

Characteristics of Groups
In general, a group may exhibit the following:
1. Even after metings, the members remain with the group and communicate with one
another.
2. All members are identified through similar characteristics.
3. A group has a certain way or mechanism of recruiting members, which ensures the
group’s continuity.
4. Group members share the same goals, purposes, or objectives for joining the group.

Bases for Social Groups

- In the hierarchy of human motivation, humanistic psychological Abraham Maslow
identifies the need for love and belonging in fundamental to human happiness. One way
to satisfy this social need is by joining a group, which help individuals feel a sense of
belonging source.
- At about the same time he published his work on the hierarchy of motivation. Maslow
came up with his social comparison theory. He said that another reason for joining the
groups is the people’s to compare themselves with others who are similar to them.
- In a socially oriented group, the members are primarily concerned about fostering and
maintaining social relationships with one another. Compared to a task-oriented group,
 which helps members achieve certain academic, business, political, or career goals, a
socially oriented group provides a pool of friend fun activities and social support.

Classifying Groups
- A key difference exist between formal groups, which are established by the organization
and have public identity and goal to achieve (such as committees and project groups),
and the informal groups, which are formed on the basis of common interest, proximity
and friendships. In many companies, informal groups are typically formed on the basis
of regional origin of the employees such as the Bicolanos, the Ilonggos, the Cebuanos,
the Ilocanos, etc. They come together as support groups for their kababayans.
- Another fundamental distinction is between the types of formal groups. Some have a
relatively temporary life; they are created to accomplish a short-term task and are then
disbanded. An example of temporary group occurs when people are discussing ideas or
solving problems. This is generally called a meeting. The other type is called a team
which is a more natural and enduring work group.

Social Groups in the Cultural- anthropological Perspectives

- Everyone belong to social groups that interact on a regular basis and have a sense of
collective identity even as they differ in degree of formal organization and permanence.
Some may stay for a long time; others only exist for a short period.
- Emile Durkheim, as a sociologist, focused on the social forces that hold society together.
Social solidarity, according to him, was based on members shared values and belliefs.
- Social solidarity as identified by Durkheim have two type 1) Mechanical solidarity – in
which members are provided with similar tasks; 2) Organic solidarity – in which
members are assigned to different tasks necessary for the continuance of society
(Palipis, 2008).

Social Network
- Groups do not merely serve to define other elements of social structure, such as roles
and statuses, but they are also link the individual and the larger society. A person
belongs to a number of different groups, and through acquaintances, he/she makes
connections with people from different social circles. These may constrain people by
limiting the range of their interactions, yet networks may also empower them by making
available to them vast resources (Lin, 1999).
- Today with modern technology, people have influenced and kept in touch with others
more often by having social networking accounts in Linkedln, Twitter, Facebook, and
others through the Internet.

Chapter 8
Social Interactions: Types, Elements, Premises, and Influences
- Sociologist use term “social interaction” in referring to the ways by which people
respond to one another, whether face-to-face, over the telephone, or through a
computer.
- Furthermore, the term “social structure” refers to the way by which a society is
organized into predictable relationships.
- The closely linked concepts of social interaction and social structure are central to the
study of sociology.

Social Interaction and Reality

- According to sociologist Herbert Blumer (1969), a distinctive characteristics of social
interaction among people is that “human beings interpret or ‘define’ each other’s
actions instead of merely reacting to each other’s actions.”

Defining and Reconstructing Reality

- To many people, a tattoo elicited an automatic negative response. Now, however, a
growing number people have tattoos- including the society’s trendsetters and major
sports figures. At this point, as result of increased social interaction with the tattooed
people, tattoos look perfectly at home to people in a number of settings.
- The “definitions of the situation does affect the thinking and personality of an
individual. People respond not only to the objective features of a person or situation
also to the meaning such person or situation has for them.

Negotiated Order
- People can reconstruct social reality through a process of change, taking a different view
of everyday behavior. The term “negotiation” refers to an attempt to react agreement
with others concerning a particular objective.
- Negotiation occurs in many ways. As interactionists point out, some social situations,
such as buying groceries, involve no mediation, while other situations require
committing some time.
- Sociologists use the term “negotiation order” to understand the fact that the social
order is continually being constructed and altered through negotiation.
- Negotiation can be added to the list of cultural universals because all societies provide
guidelines or norms in which negotiations take place.

Elements of Social Structure

 - There are five basic elements of social structure: statuses, social roles, groups, social
network, and social institutions. Groups are important because much of man’s social
interaction occurs within them.

Status
- One normally thinks of a person’s status as having to do with influence, wealth and
fame. However, sociologists use the term “status” to refer to any of the full range of
socially defined positions from the lowest to the highest within a large group or society.
Within a society, a person can occupy the status of a president of the Philippins, son or
daughter, violinist, teenager, boxing champ, dental technician, or neighbor.

There are several types of status, to wit:

1. Ascribed and achieved status. – Sociologist view some statues as ascribed, while
they categorize others and achieve. An ascribed status is assigned to person by
society without regard for the person’s unique talents or characteristics. Generally
this assignment takes place or birth; thus a person’s racial background, gender and
age are all considered ascribed statues.
2. Master status- each person holds many different and sometimes conflicting statues;
some may cannote higher social position and some, lower. Inconsistencies by
agreeing that certain statues are more important than others. A master status that
dominate others, thereby determining a person’s general position in society. For
example, Manny Pacquiao has recently acquired a master status of a pound-for-
pound boxer king.

Social roles
- Throughout man’s life, he acquires what sociologist call social roles. A social role is a set
of expectations of people who occupy a given social position or status.

Role Conflict

- Occurs when incompatible expectations arise from two or more social positions held by the
same person. Fulfillment of the roles associated with one status may directly violate the roles
link to a second status.

Role strain

- Role conflict describes the situation of a person dealing with the challenge of occupying two
social positions simultaneously. However even a single position can cause problems. Sociologist
use the term “role strain” to describe the difficulty that arise when the same social positions
imposes conflicting demands and expectations.

Role exit
- Often, when assuming a social role, one focusses on its preparation and anticipatory
socialization. Such in true if person is about to become an attorney, a chef, a spouse, or a
parent. Yet until social scientist have given little attention to the adjustments involved in leaving
a social roles.
- It was sociologist Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaugh who coined the term role exit to describe the
process of dis engagement from a role that is central to one’s self-identity and the
establishment of a new role and identity.
- Ebough offers a four- satge model of rol exit. The first stage begins with doubt. A person, in this
stage, experiences frustration, burnout, or simply unhappiness with an accustomed status and
roles associated with the social position.
- The second stage involves a search for alternatives. A person who is unhappy with his/her
career may take a leave of absence.
- The third stage of role exit is the action stage or departure. Ebaugh found that the vast majority
of her respondents could identify a clear turning point that made them feel it was essential to
take final action and leave their job, end their marriage, or engage in another type or role exit.
- The last stage of role exit involves the creation of a new identity. Many participate in a role exit
when they make the transition from high school to college. They leave behind the role of a child
living at home, anad take on the role of a somewhat independent college student living with
peers in a dorm.

New groups organized around old interest, such as antique collection or bowling, have already
arisen from this type of virtual reality (Van Slambrouck, 1999).

Networking, Employment and Technology

- Involvement in a social network, which is commonly known as networking, is especially valuable
in finding employment. Scientist Albert Einstein was successful in finding a job only when his
classmate’s father put him in touch with his future employer.
- Recent developments in the work force reveal the effective use of social networks in finding
employment for women. Social networking also helps them locate child care and better housing,
do indirect selling, and eventually find employment.
- With the advances in technology, men no longer need face-to-face contacts. Others with
common interests turn simply to the internet.
- One emerging electronics social network is seen as fundamental to the growth of existing
businesses and organization is “texting.” Texting refers to exchange of wireless e-mails over
mobie/cell phones. If first began in Asia in 2000 and has taken of worldwide.