Understanding Social Groups

Lesson Objectives

• Understand the definition of social groups
• Differentiate various forms of social groups and their functions
• Identify personal social groups

Social Group Definition

• A social group is a collection of people who interact regularly with each other based on shared expectations related to behavior.
• Members of a group share a sense of common identity and belonging, resulting from interaction.

Aggregate

• An aggregate is a cluster of people who are in close physical proximity but do not interact with one another.
• A shopping mall, a crowd of people at a bus station, or a queue at a Roxas Night Market are examples.

Category

• A category is a collection of people who share common traits or interests.
• Members of a category may not be physically together, and may have limited or no social interaction but still share a sense of belonging.
• For Example: Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) or college students.

Interdependence

• Interdependence is a necessary condition within social groups.
• It enables members to pursue shared goals or promote common values and principles.

Collectivity

• A collectivity refers to a cluster of people interacting with one another in a passing or short-lived manner.
• This can include people at a concert or protest, or people temporarily gathered in a public place.

Primary Group

• A primary group is a long-lasting group with intimate, personal, continuous, face-to-face relationships.
• These relationships are characterized by love, affection, personal identity with the group, mutual interest, cooperation, and a "we" feeling.
• Examples include families and close friendships.

Secondary Group

• A secondary group is usually large, not very enduring, with limited relationships and weak ties of affection.
• Members have a weak sense of personal identity with the group, and interaction is limited to face-to-face interaction.
• Examples include classmates in a large class, coworkers, or members of a club.

Social Group According to Ties (Summary)

Social Group According to Organizations

• In-group: A social unit where individuals feel at home and identify with. This fosters a "we" feeling.
• Out-group: A social unit where individuals do not belong, due to differences in social categories. Individuals often view the out-group as "they".
• Reference group: The aspect used as a standard for behavior, achievement, or life quality judgments.

Types of Reference Group

• Positive reference group: A group one aspires to join, whose norms one follows to achieve acceptance.
• Negative reference group: A group one wants no connection with (norms avoided).

Network

• A network is a group of individuals who have casual connections, but lack a strong sense of belonging or boundary.  

Function of Social Group

• Fosters social interaction
• Supports shared goals
• Provides common values

Collective Behavior

• Involves limited and short-lived social interactions.
• Has no clear social boundaries; anyone can be a member, though membership usually involves discrimination.
• Generates weak and unconventional norms. 

Forms of Collective Behavior (Crowds)

• Crowd: An unorganized temporary gathering of people in proximity, due to a novel or problematic situation.   - Casual crowd: A gathering of people because of an event or happening.
• Conventional crowd: A gathering characterized by established, regular ways of behaving during performance activities within specified place and time.
• Acting crowd: A crowd where participants are involved in an event in pursuit of a goal. This includes riots and mobs
• Expressive crowd: A crowd of people joining for emotional expression such as during funerals or weddings.

Mass Behavior/Interaction

• Longer-duration forms of moral behavior than crowds.
• More focused on responses than threats.
• Involves people responding to the same event in the same way.

Types of Mass Interaction

• Fashion: Cyclic changes in lifestyle traits such as clothing, hairstyles, and homes.
• Trend: Sequential pattern of change in a given condition or process, displayed as a line or curve on a graph.
• Fad: A short-lived trend where a product or behavior gains popularity quickly and abruptly declines.
• Craze: An intense preoccupation or obsession with a specific object or activity.
• Propaganda: Deliberate attempts to lead people to accept ideas or beliefs in order to influence their opinions and behaviors.

Modern Devices for Propaganda (Summary)

References (Note: Provided in original text, not specific articles)

• San Juan, W, and Centeno, M. (2010).
• Ramos, A, and Fernandez, A. (2010).
• Riodique, F. (2016).
• Arcilla-Serapio, M.P. (2016).
• Atienza, M. et al. (2016).