Transcript Chapter 4

Chapter 4
Section 4
Groups Within Societies
• Societies are collections of smaller groups.
• A group can be two people or 500 people.
• Groups can be intimate or formal.
What Is a Group
• A group must have two or more people.
• There must be interaction among the
members.
• The members must have shared
expectations.
• The members must possess some sense of
common identity.
What Is a Group
• An aggregate is where people gather in the
same place at the same time without
organization.
• These are not groups.
• A social category is how we characterize
people by shared traits. Women
• These are not groups.
Group Size
• The smallest possible group consists of two
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people and is called a dyad.
In a dyad each member controls the group’s
existence.
Decision making can be difficult in a dyad.
A three member group is a triad.
No one person can disband the group.
Group Size
• Decision making in a triad is easier since
two against one can happen.
• A small group size is small enough where
all members can interact face-to-face.
Time
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Some groups meet once and that is it.
Other groups can exist for many years.
Most groups fall somewhere in between.
Group interaction isn’t continuous.
Organization
• In a formal group the structure, goals, and
activities are clearly defined.
• In an informal group there is no official
structure or rules of conduct.
• The student council is formal; your peer
group is informal.
Types of Groups
• Groups are classified by how intimate they
are.
• A primary group is a small group who
interact over a long period of time on a
personal basis.
• The family is the prototypical primary
group.
Types of Groups
• A secondary group is one in which
interaction is impersonal and temporary.
• These groups tend to be casual and limited.
• The person’s importance to the group lies in
the function that he or she performs.
Types of Groups
A reference group is any group with whom
individuals identify and whose attitudes and
values they adopt.
A group someone belongs to and identifies
with is called and in-group.
Any group a person does not belong to or
identify with is an out-group.
Types of Groups
• In in-groups members tend to separate
themselves from other groups with use of
symbols.
• Members view themselves positively and
out-groups as negative.
• In-groups compete with out-groups.
Types of Groups
• An e-community people interact with one
another on the Internet.
• Newsgroups use the Internet to provide
information and and outlets for discussion.
• A social network is the web of relationships
that is formed by the sum total of a person’s
interactions with other people.
• It includes direct and indirect relationships.
Groups Functions
• Groups must define boundaries so people
know who belongs and who doesn’t.
• Groups must also select leaders who
influence others.
Instrumental leaders are task-oriented and
find specific means that will help the group
reach its goal.
Groups Functions
• Expressive leaders are emotion-oriented.
• Instrumental leaders develop plans and
emotion-oriented leaders use songs and
chants.
• To achieve goals groups need to assign
tasks to their members.
• Groups need to control their members’
behavior.