Sociology: Understanding Groups

Study Notes

A group is defined as two or more individuals connected by and within social relationships.
The shared quality or "commonality" that links members together defines a group.
Groups can be small or large.
Groups can vary in how tightly connected their members are.

Primary Groups are small, intimate, and deeply influence members' behaviors, emotions, and social development. Examples include families and close friends.
Social (Secondary) Groups are larger, more formally organized groups like work teams or clubs. They are less emotionally intense than primary groups.
Collectives form temporarily around a common event or activity. Members do not necessarily have strong ties to each other.
Categories are collections of individuals who share a common characteristic. For example, people who are all 20 years old, or all women, or all dog owners.

Group Composition describes the individual qualities of members, such as talents and experiences.
Boundaries define a group's membership, which can be either clear ("you're in or you're out") or ambiguous ("in between"). Boundaries can change over time.
Size impacts group interaction. Smaller groups often foster intimacy, while larger groups can be more complex.
Interaction can be task-focused (e.g., solving a problem) or relationship-focused (e.g., building friendships).
Interdependence describes how much members rely on each other. High interdependence means members' outcomes are influenced by other members' actions.
Structure refers to roles and norms, which organize the group and create challenges.

Group dynamics are the study of how individuals interact and work together in groups.
Dynamic Group Processes are how groups function and evolve over time. They include things like communication, conflict, power dynamics, and decision-making.
Group processes and progress occur over time.

Groups are often formed to achieve specific goals. Some common group goals include:
- Generating ideas and plans (e.g., brainstorming)
- Choosing solutions (e.g., decision-making)
- Negotiating solutions to conflicts (e.g., resolving disagreements)
- Executing tasks (e.g., performing actions or competing)

Groups can form in planned or emergent ways:
- Planned Groups are organized with specific purposes (e.g., study groups, teams).
- Emergent Groups arise spontaneously (e.g., people waiting in line). Emergent groups are less formal.

Group cohesion refers to the strength of the bonds within the group.
Entitativity is the perception of a group as a single, unified entity.
Factors contributing to group cohesion and entitativity include:
- Similarity amongst members
- Physical proximity
- Shared goals