Social Groups

Objectives:
• Understand the nature and importance of a group
• Identify the different factors affecting group formation
• Explain the influence of the group on the development of the
individual
Meaning of Group
Group
• Two or more people bound together in relatively stable patterns of social
interaction and who share a feeling of unity.

• A collection of individuals characterized by communication; recognition of one

another as members; and specialized roles in the activities carried out by the
members.
Interaction
• the essence of group life; a reciprocal contact characterized by a stimulus-
response stimulation between 2 or more persons.
Why are groups formed?
1. To achieve an objective
2. To meet the needs of the individual member
3. To be treated alike by others
4. To gain a sense of belonging
5. To achieve security
6. To obtain recognition.
General Characteristics of a Group
A Group has:
• its own identity identifiable by all.
• a social structure. Each member has a position related to other positions.
• a role to play.
Status is our relative social position within a group, while
a Role is the part our society expects us to play in a given .
• mutual reciprocity.
• norms of behavior.
• goals or purpose.
• relative permanence or a measurable duration over a period of time.
Importance of a Group
• Major source of solidarity and cohesion
• Reinforces and strengthen integration into the society
• Shares basic survival and problem solving techniques
• Gives meaning and support to an individual
Other Collectivities
Aggregate
• People are clustered together temporarily in the same location who are in close proximity but do
not interact with each other.
• Ex. People gathered in a restaurant on a particular evening. They do not know one another, and
they’ll likely never again be in the same place at the same time.
Category
• People share a common characteristic but do not interact.
• Ex. People who have green eyes, people who were born in Nevada, and women who have given
birth to twins.
Collectivity
• People share some kind of belief characterized by an interaction that is short – lived.
• Ex. Political party, Riot, Protests, Rally, Mob, Fashion, Propaganda, Gossips, Craze, Fads
Classification of Groups
Primary group - conceptualized by Charles Horton Cooley in 1964 as an important
unit of social organization
• personal and intimate relationship
• face to face communication
• permanent duration
• strong sense of loyalty
• “we” feeling
• small in size
• informal structure
Secondary group
• large
• impersonal
• indirect communication
• temporary duration
• weak group cohesiveness
• rational decision making
• formal structure
Group boundaries
In group
• the “we group”
• feeling of belongingness /the person feels comfortable with the people in the group
• Ex. Barkada/religious group/family
Out group
• the “they group”
• feeling of competition or opposition / the person feels that he does not belong
Formal group
• characterized by pre-determined or clearly defined criteria, as in a particular mode of
dress or a union card
Informal group
• there is no specific criteria e.g. playing basketball or meeting with friends
Informal groups/organization
• arises spontaneously or from the spur of the moment
• unplanned and has no explicit rules for membership and does not have specific
objectives to be attained
• persons become involved because they manifest the same emotions and
sentiments thus sharing a feeling of confidence and a sense of belongingness
• Ex. Barkadahan, peer group
Formal groups /organization
• deliberately planned, constructed and organized to achieve a certain specific goal
and objectives.
• It is a special-purpose group designed and structured in the interests of maximum
efficiency
• Division of labor is based on member’s ability
• Every formal organization, whether civil, military, political, economic or
ecclesiastical, has a philosophy defining its vision and mission.
Organization
• The arrangement of personnel to facilitate the accomplishment of some agreed
purposes through the allocation of functions and responsibilities.
• A human grouping deliberately constructed nd reconstructed to meet specific
goals
• Classified as formal and informal
Bureaucracy by Max Weber
• Over the years, bureaucracy has become the dominant form of organization in
modern societies.
• Very often, bureaucracy is used in a negative manner of its failure to produce the
organizational results with adequate efficiency.
• The increasingly complex organization can be simplified by breaking down its
component parts into simple manageable structure.
• As a result, Weber’s bureaucracy was institutionalized.
Bureaucracy
• a formal, rationally organized social structure of hierarchical arrangement of
functions and authority in the form of a pyramid.
• an organization coordinating the work of many individuals in pursuit of large
scale administrative tasks.
• A formal rationally organized social structure with clearly defined patterns of
activity, the actions of which is functionally related to the purposes of the
organization.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BUREAUCRACY
• Division of labor - Positions and offices are clearly defined with specific tasks and
assignments
• The hierarchical arrangement of authority, rights and obligations is specifically
drawn and clear-cut. - Each position falls under the supervision of one.
• Impersonality - The personnel are selected on the basis of technical or professional
qualification and expert training and competence through competitive examination
• Definite rules govern official behavior to provide every member with a clear and
vivid norms of behavior and performance
• Security of tenure and the pursuit of a career with promotion in the hierarchy are
assured (Peter Principle)
• A career ladder – there is a system of promotion based on seniority or achievement
Problems of Bureaucracy in the Philippines
• Nepotism & favoritism
• Patronage system
• Graft & corruption
• Too much red tape
• Laxity in supervision
• Presence of factions
• Inefficient gov’t employees and employees
• Official misconduct
Group interaction
John Donne - conceptualized “no man is an island”. A social group influences
people’s lives and affects the structure of society. From the group, an individual
acquires his/her social self and personality. The members of the group are held
together and set apart from others by means of their interaction.

Interaction
• the essence of group life; a reciprocal contact characterized by a stimulus-
response stimulation between 2 or more persons.
Group Interaction Process
Cooperation
• People work together because of their common interests and to achieve a
common goal.
Competition
• People struggle within the bounds of shared rules to reach a common goal and
not to harm or destroy. They struggle because of scarcity of resources e.g. money,
power, prestige, honor,etc.
Conflict
• Two or more groups seek to block one another to achieve a common goal or to
defeat one another. There is a struggle over scarce resources that is not regulated
by shared rules.
Factors Affecting Small Group Interactions
• Size
• Proximity
• Communication patterns which can be as follows:
All channel network – there is equal access to others
Circle pattern – communication is limited to neighbors only
Wheel pattern – only one individual gains greater power in the group
• Cohesion
• Social control
• Decision making
Importance of Group Size in Social Relationships
• A group size depends on the group’s purpose.
• A small group offers unsurpassed emotional intensity, while a large group is
more stable and capable of accomplishing larger and more complex tasks.
• Groups of less than 5 requires much more effort, while larger ones are typically
impersonal.
• According to Research, a group of about 5 people generate the highest degree
of satisfaction among group members.

• Dyad – a group of 2 members

• Triad – a group of 3 members