PERSONAL DISORGANIZATION

AND SOCIAL GROUP

 TERMINOLOGY
• Personal- A person
• Disorganization- ineffective/ abnormal
 personal disorganization
• Personal disorganization represents the behaviour of the individual which
deviates from the social norms.
• It results in social disapproval.
• Accordingly, individuals respond either positively or negatively to social
disapproval.
 Causes
Elliott and Merrill have mentioned four kinds of factors or situations that often disturb the
individual’s pattern of living and the following are:
• Biological factors: This include difficulties arising out of functional disorder, for example,
physical illness, injury, mental deficiencies or personal inadequacies which may occasion
reorganization in an individual’s life. Due to his biological nature, the handicapped
individual becomes maladjusted and unable to overcome his obvious disadvantages.
• Environment factors: This includes situations like economic distress, confusion,
contradiction and conflict in social relations in the family, in the economic world, in
religious institutions or in recreational activities, which may bring disorganization in the
individual's life.
• Insecurity of status and role: When the child or the adult may search for security in
the society, as we know that the child’s sense of security is based upon the fact that he is
his parent’s child and belongs to his parents in a very real sense. When this sense is
threatened and when the individual feels there is a lack of recognition and acceptance
with the members of his family or his playmates or his fellow-workmen or other
associates status this further results in disorganization. The psychological need of the
individual to feel himself an essential part of the universe is a recognized fact.
• Social Crises: It includes sudden shocks in the life of an individual whether due to the
death of his near relation or loss of services, loss of property, death of breadwinner etc.
which may disturb his life organization.
 Causes
•The failure of an individual to adjust himself to society.
•Desires which often cannot be satisfied.
 STAGES OF PERSONAL DISORGANIZATION

Queen and Mann have pointed out three stages in individual or personal
disorganization. The stages are:
• First Stage: In the first stage there is a problem and the individual attempts to
find a solution. But if the individual fails to find a solution, he loses his stability.
• Second Stage: In the second stage of personal disorganization, some persons may
reach the third stage without even passing through the second stage. Therefore,
the third stage becomes important.
• Third Stage: In the third stage the individual loses his stability, he may have a
nervous breakdown. If there is no satisfactory solution the individual enters upon
more or less permanently unadjusted. For example, the criminal or the prostitutes
who have lost all sense of social values. This personal disorganization may also
lead to insanity or suicide.
 Types of personal disorganization
• Physical disorganization
• Mental disorganization
• Social disorganization
 Physical disorganization

• Physical health plays a major role in maintaining the equilibrium. Some

individuals may get genetic defect, like low IQ, congenital defects etc.
Certain diseases like cancer, TB etc.
• CVA, AIDS can affect the persons productive life. Accidents can also alter
the physical appearance. Which leads them to lose confident, self-reliance
and strength. This leading them to alcoholism and drug addiction.
 Mental disorganization

• Mental health is the basement of physical health. Whenever the problems

affect the mind, body and environment mental disorganization may
develops.
• Stressful situations, frustrating moments, facing multiple loss in life may
alter the normal equilibrium. Thus, people start to engage in suicide like
self-harming activities, which leads to personal disorganization.
 Social disorganization

• The people who are economically poor cannot lead their successful life in
the society.
• An illiterate cannot enjoy all the advancements available in the society.
• When an individual is inadequate to face the challenges or fails to solve the
problems, he can not lead a successful productive life. This can lead to
personal disorganization.
 Other forms of personal disorganization

• Sex Offenders: Rape

• Prostitution: Both prostitute and her patrons are liable to be unstable. Sex without love
may not upset some highly sophisticated persons but on the whole, a feeling of guilt is felt
by all such persons.
• Alcoholism and Drug-addiction: man drinks or eats LSD, marijuana or smokes ganja or
swallows amphetamines and barbiturates, in order to escape from the realities of life and
live in spurious heaven.
• Juvenile Delinquency: Social and family disorganization affect young people most. The
children coming from slums and broken homes see all types of sex and crime while very
young. Therefore, their minds are overexcited but immature.
 Effects of personal disorganization

• The people may get alcoholic

• Criminal activities increase
• Drug addiction
• Family disorganization
• Community disorganization
• Job discrimination
• It gives rise to frustration
SOCIAL GROUP
 Social group
• Man is a social animal, he can not live alone. His nature and needs compel him to
live in one or the other form of the group. Basis of group is two or more than two
persons having some type of interaction i.e. direct or in-direct.

• ‘A group is an aggregate of individuals which persists in time, which has one or

more interests and activities in common and which is organised’. Green Arnold

• ‘Whenever two or more individuals come together and influence each other , they
may be said to constitute a social group’ O Ogburn and Nimkoff
 Characteristics
• Given number of Individual: 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.
• 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.
• Common Goals: It is another important characteristic of a social group.
The aims, objectives and ideals of the members are common. For the
fulfilment of these common goals social groups are formed. Here
individual interests are sacrificed for group interests.
• 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.
• A strong sense of awe-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.
• 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.
• Similar Behaviour: • Members of a social group show similar behaviour.
As the interests, ideals and values of a group are common hence its
members behave in a similar manner. This similar behaviour helps in the
achievement of common goals.
• 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.
• Group Control: Social group exercises some sort of control over its
members and over their activities. This control may be direct or indirect.
• Social groups may be permanent or temporary in nature. There are
permanent groups likes family and temporary groups like crowd, mob etc.
 Classification of groups
C.H. Cooley classified groups on the basis of kind of contact into :
• primary and secondary groups
• In primary group, there is face-to-face, close and intimate relationship
among the members such as in the family.
• But in a secondary group the relationship among the members are indirect,
impersonal and superficial such a the political party, a city and trade union
etc
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary Group Secondary Group:
• Size:
A primary group is small in size as At the other end in a secondary
well as area. The membership is group the membership is
limited to a small area widespread. It may contain
thousands of members scattered in
different parts of the world
Difference between Primary Group and Secondary Group:

Primary group Secondary group

• Physical Proximity: • Secondary groups do not give its
Primary groups are based on close members feeling of close
contacts. People in these groups do proximity that primary groups
not merely know one another and give.
interact frequently. But they know
one another well and have strong
emotional ties.
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary group Secondary group
• Duration:
Primary groups exist for a longer Secondary groups, on the other hand
period. Relationships in primary are based on temporary relationship.
group are permanent in nature.
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary group Secondary group
• Kinds of Cooperation:
In a primary group, on the other hand, In a secondary group, the
the members directly cooperate with cooperation with the fellow
each other participating in the same members is direct. The members
process. They sit together, discuss cooperate only to achieve the
together play together. objective of the group.
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary group
• Types of Structures:
The primary group is based on a
informal structure. The members
participate in the same process. The
spontaneous adjustment in the working
of the group. No formal and detail rules
are drafted. The structure is simple.
Secondary group
Every secondary group is regulated by
a set of formal rules. A formal authority
is set up with designated powers and a
clear cut division of labour in which the
function of each is specified in relation
to the function of all the rest fellows
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary group Secondary group
• Position:
In primary groups, the position or But in secondary groups, the
status of a person is fixed according position of a person is determined by
to his birth, age and sex. his roles.
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary group Secondary group
• Difference in Development of
Personality: Secondary group, on the other hand,
Primary group is concerned with the is concerned with a particular aspect
total aspects personality of a person of personality and it develops only
and it develops his whole that aspect.
personality.
 Difference between Primary Group and
Secondary Group:
Primary group Secondary group
• Relationship:
The relationship of members with A secondary group is based on
each other in primary group is impersonal relationships. It does not
direct, intimate and personal. They exercise a primary influence over its
meet face to face and develop direct members because they do not live in
contacts. presence and thought of one another
 Classification of groups
W.G. Sumner made a division of groups into
• In-group and out-group.
• In-group :-The groups with which the individual identifies himself are his
in-groups such as his family, tribe, college, occupation etc. (‘WE’ group)
• out-group.:-All other groups to which he does not belong are his out-
groups.(‘THEY’ group)
 Classification of groups
P .A. Sorokin, an American sociologist, has divided groups into two major
types –
Vertical and the Horizontal
• The vertical group includes persons of different strata or statuses.
• But the horizontal group includes persons of the same status.
• A nation, for instance, is a vertical group, while a class represents
horizontal grouping.
 Classification of groups
Dwight Sanderson has classified groups into three types:
Involuntary, voluntary and delegate groups:
• An involuntary group is that to which man has no choice, which is based on
kinship such as the family, tribe or clan.
• A voluntary group is one which a man joins of his volition or wishes.
• A delegate group is one to which a man joins as a representative of a number
of people either elected or nominated by them. • Parliament or Assembly is a
delegate group.
 Classification of groups
• Formal group and informal group
• Formal group- Groups created by the organization, for the purpose of
accomplishing a specific task.
• It can be large in size
• Informal group- Groups created by the employees themselves, for their
sake.
• Comparatively small in size