9th Grade

9th Grade

SOCIAL GRIOUPS
What are social groups?
In everyday speech people use the term group to describe any collection of individuals
whether 3 strangers sharing an elevator or thousands at a rock concert.

However, social group is formed by two or more individuals who consistently interact
based on shared expectations and possess a common identity. These people may have
similar norms values expectations and they continuously interact.
 Table of contents
Primary and In and Out
01 Secondary groups groups
02
Reference Group Importance
03 04
 2 basic types: Primary &
Secondary Groups
Primary group consists of small number of people who
interact over A relatively long. Direct intimate basis the
relationship among the members have an emotional depth
and the group tends to endure over time.

Primary groups are always small because large number of

people cannot interact in a highly personal face to face
manner.

Examples of primary groups include family members,

College Group.
These the members duplicate about each other and share a
sense of belonging
 2 basic types: Primary &
Secondary Groups
A secondary group consists of members of people who
interact on a relatively temporary anonymous and impersonal
basis.

The members come together for some specific practical

purpose such as making a decision or attending a convention
there is limited face to face contact and members relate to one
another only in terms of specific roles such as supervisor
employee, colleague or classmate

Any newly formed small group is a secondary group at first

although it may become a primary group if its members
eventually come to know each other well and begin to interact
on a more intimate basis
 In & Out groups
Every group must have some boundaries otherwise there would be no way of distinguishing between
members and non members sometimes these boundaries are formal and clearly defined And there is no
difficulty in maintaining these boundaries because the criteria for membership are formally defined for
example police department a family or a union.

All groups tend to maintain their boundaries by developing a strong sense of distinction between the
“WE” of the group and the “they” who are outside it.

The very existence of an in-group implies that there is an out group viewed as they or them more
formally in our group is a group to which people feel did not belong. One typical consequence of an in
group membership is the feeling of distinctiveness and superiority and seeing themselves better than the
out group.
 In & Out groups

In group Out group

“we” feeling, Proud, Dislike hatred
Love, Feeling of inferiority
belongingness and
attachment
 Reference groups

There is one kind of group to which people may feel they

belong even if they are not actually members. This is called
a reference group, a group To which people refer when
making evaluations of themselves and their behavior.

When making these evaluations on the basis of our

behavior or appearance or values our ambitions are
lifestyles we refer ourselves to the standards of some group,
But it may also be the one we do not actually belong to.
 2 Basic functions of Reference
group

Normative function Comparison function

They serve this function by setting and enforcing
standards of conduct and belief.
For example a high school students who owns
approval of his game partners Will be expected to cut
classes and rebel against parental curfews
They will make their roles according to the
expectations of the group due to internal desires
without external social pressures.
They also perform a comparison function by
serving as a standard against which people
can measure themselves and others
For example a medical student may refer to
standards of a experienced physician.
Our evaluations of ourselves are strongly
influenced by reference groups we choose
Importance of social groups
 Group
Groupininaasocial
sociallife
lifeenhance
enhancesissisindividual
individual
capabilities during their daily activities.
capabilities during their daily activities.
AAsingle
singleindividual
individualcannot
cannotprovide
providehealth
healthfacilities
facilitiestotoaa
community
community

Enhances individual capacities

 AAsingle
singleindividual
individualisisaahelpless
helplessperson
personhence
hencethey
theyhave
have
biological
biologicalneeds,
needs,social
socialneeds
needsand
andpsychological
psychologicalneeds.
needs.
All
All groups play their role in provision of basic humanneeds
groups play their role in provision of basic human needs

Fulfillment of basic needs

ItItisisthe
thegroup
grouplife
lifewith
withmakes
makeshumans
humansaasocial
socialbeing.
being.Society
Society
teaches him languages norms values skills and capabilities
teaches him languages norms values skills and capabilities
required
requiredtotolive
livethis
thislife.
life.
Socialization
Socialization is a lifelong process and alwaystakes
is a lifelong process and always takesplace
placeinin
groups
groups

Socialization
Open
Openwith
withstress
stressisiseasier
easierfor
forpersons
personswho
whomaintain
maintainhope
hopeand
and
face challenges. Most people meet these challenges
face challenges. Most people meet these challenges
successfully
successfullywith
withthethehelp
helpofofsocial
socialsupport
supportprovided
providedbybyour
our
social groups
social groups
Social
Social support hasprotected
support has protectedeffects
effectson
onhealth.
health.

Social support and well being