UNIT-5-LESSON1-Groups PDF

Module 5:GROUPS (social groups) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (UCSPOL) Franz Sioson Our Lady of Fatima University Group Man by nature is a social being. As such, he needs others to satisfy his psychological, social and biological needs. And to a large extent, man’s personality is...

Module 5:GROUPS (social groups) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (UCSPOL) Franz Sioson Our Lady of Fatima University Group Man by nature is a social being. As such, he needs others to satisfy his psychological, social and biological needs. And to a large extent, man’s personality is determined by the kind of experiences he has with the different groups of which he is a member. So what then is a group? A social group has been understood as a unit of interacting personalities with interdependence of roles and statuses existing among them. Group is a collection of people whose members interact with each other in accordance with the position they occupy and the roles they are expected to perform. Characteristics of a Group 1. The members interact with each other over some period of time. Through communication they affect and influence one another. 2. Each member identifies with the group and is recognized as part of the group by the other members. 3. Each member is entitled to certain privileges and at the same time is expected to accept certain responsibilities and duties. 4. There is specialization, or role in their activities which is carried out by the members of the group. TYPES OF GROUPS 1. According to the NATURE OF SOCIAL TIES 2. According to SELF-IDENTIFICATION 3. According to PURPOSE 4. According to SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Groups according to SOCIAL TIES: PRIMARY & SECONDARY GROUPS Module 5: Lesson 1 PRIMARY GROUP Primary group is the basic universal human relationship. This is the kind of group where the members have intimate, personal, “face-to-face” relationship. It is usually characterized by bonds of tenderness, sympathy, mutuality of interest and a “we” feeling. It is in the primary group where members imbibe and internalize their own values, e.g., social, religious, political, economic and moral values. The primary group, therefore, is considered as the nursery of human nature. EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY GROUPS Family Neighbourhood Peer Group Family Family – is a group of people united by ties of blood (consanguinity), or adoption which provides for the rearing of the child and supplying his needs. It is generally composed of grandparents, sons and daughters, their spouses and their children, unmarried sons and daughters, living under one roof and united in love. The family is considered the oldest social institution; the basic unit of society. It is in the family where there is an interlocking network of interpersonal and interdependent relationships. Neighbourhood Neighbourhood - is a geographically localized community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural area. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. Neighbourhoods are the spatial units in which face-to-face social interactions occur—the personal settings and situations where residents seek to realize common values, socialize the youth, and maintain effective social control. ayanihan; “community spirit” Peer Group Peer Group – is a group of two or more members who are more or less of the same age with a loosely organized structure; often called gang, barkada or tropa. As the child grows, he joins other groups who are linked to his age and interest, usually coming from a kin group, neighbourhood or school.  The peer group plays an “Tell me who your friends are important part in the socialization of the child and has a powerful influence in the development of the child’s personality. Peer group influences the norms, values, interests and activities of its members. It also plays a crucial role in influencing a child’s style and prerogative. As the famous cliché goes, “tell me who your friends and I will tell you who you are.” And I will tell you who my friends are para barkada.” SECONDARY GROUP Secondary group is a group which the individual comes in contact with later in life. It is characterized by impersonal, business-like, contractual, formal, and casual relationships. It is larger in size, of short duration, and is physically and spatially distant with other groups. Persons engage in secondary interactions because people need other people and because they have certain obligations toward them. Functions of Secondary Groups Since secondary groups are established to perform functions, people's roles are more interchangeable. A secondary group is one you have chosen to be a part of. They are based on interests and activities. They are where many people can meet close friends or people they would just call acquaintances. Secondary groups are also groups in which one exchanges explicit commodities, such as labour for wages, services for payments, etc. Example of Secondary Groups 1. Employer-Employee Relationships 2. Vendor-to-Client Relationships 3. Doctor to Patient Relationships 4. Mechanic to Client Relationships 5. Accountant Office 6. A Drugstore 7. A University Class 8. Athletic team 9. Workers in an Office Groups according to SELF- IDENTIFICATION: IN-GROUPS & OUT- GROUPS Module 5: Lesson 2 IN-GROUPS It is a well-known principle in social psychology that people define themselves in terms of social groupings and are quick to denigrate others who don't fit into those groups. Others who share our particular qualities are our "in-group," and those who do not are our "out-group." In-groups are social groups to which an individual feels he or she belongs, while an individual doesn't identify with the out- group. The In-Group is a group in which an individual identifies himself and is given a sense of belongingness. It can be as small as the family or as big as the nation. It is in this group that the individual learns to use “my” and “we”. OUT-GROUPS The Out-Group is a group towards which one has a feeling of indifference, strangeness, avoidance and dislike. It refers to the members’ position in reference to another group or to a group where they do not belong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2DzwcNrfjU Groups according to PURPOSE: Task, Relationship, Influence Groups Module 5: Lesson 2 TASK GROUPS Task Group is a group of persons formed to accomplish jobs, tasks or obligation. It is similar to a work group, but operating within a larger organizational context. A task group is charged with the responsibility for making a specific contribution to the goals of the parent organization RELATIONSHIP GROUP Relationship Group is a group of persons formed to fulfil the feeling of companionship. It is similar to a “barkada” or peer group. INFLUENCE GROUP Influence Group is a group of persons formed to support a particular cause or ideology. Examples are political parties or campaign groups. Groups according to SOCIAL ORGANIZATION: Gemeinschaft & Gesellschafts Module 5: Lesson 2 Gemeinschaft Gemeinschaft is a social system in which most relationships are personal or traditional and often both. It is composed of many primary groups. Its structure is referred to as “community.” Gesellschaft Gesellschaft is a society of bargaining and contract. Relationships are individualistic, impersonal, formal, contractual and realistic. This is also referred to as “society.” What is Peer Pressure? Peer pressure is a social pressure by members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted. It is normal to want to belong and feel part of a group. There is nothing wrong with having good friendships. However, choosing who are friends are, is an integral aspect of friendship. There is a down side to seeking out good relationships. REFERENCE GROUPS: FORMAL & INFORMAL Module 5: Lesson 3 REFERENCE GROUP Reference group is a group to which the individual refers and with whom he identifies either consciously or unconsciously. It serves as a model to which the individual patterns his lifestyle. It can be a primary group, status group, or a professional association, etc. The individual may or may not be a member of this group. Example of this group: A group of doctors may serve as a reference to an individual who wants to become a doctor. REFERENCE GROUP A reference group is a group to which we compare ourselves. Reference groups, such as college freshmen, serve as a standard to which we measure our behaviours and attitudes. We use reference groups in order to guide our behaviour and attitudes and help us to identify social norms. For example, suppose that Susie is a 13-year-old female who transfers to a new school. Susie may pay attention to what her schoolmates wear, how they speak, where they hang out, and how they behave. Susie then takes this information and uses it in order to modify her speech, determine what she wears to school, how she does her hair, which shows to watch on television, etc. REFERENCE GROUP A group that we have been a part of in the past or that we will be a part of in the future can serve as a reference group. A married man may still look to his single friends as a reference group, even though this is a group that he no longer belongs to. In the same token, a woman pregnant with her first child may use women with children as a reference group, even though she does not yet belong to this group. It is important to note that a majority of us rely on multiple reference groups. So, Susie may not only look to her schoolmates to identify social norms, but also her favourite singers to compare her body size to see if she is of normal weight. INFORMAL & FORMAL REFERENCE GROUPS Most reference groups are informal reference groups, which mean that they are based on the group members' shared interests and goals. Informal groups are not structured with a specific goal in mind. Group members interact on a very personal level. Examples of informal reference groups include: Families, a group of local mothers, peer groups. Formal reference groups have a specific goal or mission. They also have a specific structure and positions of authority. Examples of formal reference groups include: Labor unions, Greenpeace, PlanetSavers THREE BASIC FUNCTIONS OF REFERENCE GROUP They serve a normative function by setting and enforcing standards of conduct and belief. “The significant thing about a reference group is, in fact, that its norms provide frames of reference which actually influence the attitude and behaviour of a person.” (T. Newcomb (1953) 2. They also perform a comparison function by serving as a standard against which people can measure themselves and others. 3. They serve not only as sources of current evaluation but also as sources of aspiration and goal attainment (as a means of anticipatory socialization). A person who chooses to become a professor or a lawyer begins to identify with that group and becomes socialized to have certain goals and expectations.  Embracing the norms of a reference group and expressing them ourselves is how we achieve important connections with others that lead to social acceptance-doing so is how we "fit in" and achieve a sense of belonging. Conversely, those of us who either can't or choose not to embrace and express the norms of reference groups that are expected of us might be seen as outcasts, criminals, or in other cases, revolutionaries or trendsetters. SOCIAL NETWORKS Module 5: Lesson 4 SOCIAL NETWORK A social network is a social structure that exists between actors—individuals or organizations. A social network indicates the way that people and organizations are connected through various social familiarities, ranging from casual acquaintance to close familial bonds. Social networks are composed of nodes and ties. The person or organization participating in the network is called a node. Ties are the various types of connections between these nodes. Ties are assessed in terms of strength. Loose connections, like mere acquaintances, are called weak ties. Strong ties, like family bonds are called strong ties.  The study of social networks is called either social network analysis or social network theory. Research has indicated that social networks operate on many levels—from familial to national— and play a critical role in determining the ways that problems are solved, the way organizations are run, and the degree to which individuals succeed in achieving their goals. Social network theory argues that individual traits and characteristics usually presumed to have significance actually matter far less than an individual's relationship and ties to other actors in a network. Critics argue that this perspective diminishes the power and agency of the individual. Despite these criticisms, sociologists study social networks because of their influence on individuals. Social networks are seen as the basic tool individuals use to connect to society. SOCIAL NETWORK THEORY Module 5: Lesson 4 SOCIAL NETWORK THEORY Social Network Theory is the study of how people, organizations or groups interact with others inside their network. Understanding the theory is easier when you examine the individual pieces starting with the largest element, which is networks, and working down to the smallest element, which is the actor. THREE TYPES OF SOCIAL NETWORK Ego-centric networks are connected with a single node or individual. For example, you, the node, connected to all your close friends. Socio-centric networks are closed networks by default. Two commonly used examples of this type of network are children in a classroom or workers inside an organization. Open-system networks, the boundary lines are not clearly defined. A few examples in this type of network are America's elite class, connections between corporations, or the chain of influencers of a particular decision. Due to the lack of clearly- defined boundaries, this type of network is considered the most difficult to study. SOCIAL MEDIA Module 5: Lesson 4 SOCIAL MEDIA Most of the countries across the world call media as the fourth pillar of democracy. Many of the emotions of the democratic nation are expressed through media. In today’s world this pillar is supported by the social media to a great extent. For the general public that may not be able to access the main stream media as easily, social media has become a means of expression for almost all issues existent in the society today. Social media in general includes all the means of mass communication that are used by the public in general to interact with the rest of the society. Whether it be the more popular tools of social media such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Google + or be it the private forums which enable people with a common concern to interact with each other, social media is playing a great role in integrating the world as we know it. The importance of social media can’t be denied in the world where everyone is interested in becoming popular. Being a celebrity is no more localized to a few people in movies, sports or politics. Social media has given birth to a new category of celebrities called the social media celebrities. The people with unique talent or knowledge are no more in need of a major break so as to able to make the public listen to them. If you have the talent and social media on your side, any talent that is worthwhile can easily find its worth. One such example is of a toddler and her mother who recorded themselves singing a song from a Disney movie while in their car. The video did not only become viral on social media, it also made them celebrities overnight with over 4 million views in a few days. Given the degree of popularity that the common people can earn via social media, it is no surprise that the movie stars are leaving no stones unturned in using the same for connecting with their fans.  Another manner in which social media has greatly contributed in making our world a better place is by raising socially-important issues. So whether it is the breast cancer awareness campaign on Instagram or the YouTube video of Alia Bhatt talking about girls’ safety gone viral. The social media has started to talk about the issues which were never talked before. Through the social media, the general public has started to talk about the issues that earlier made them uncomfortable. In this manner, social media has helped the society take a big step towards reality. The above mentioned roles are of a more social nature. We now move on to talk about a more commercial aspect of social media. Since the social media has a huge audience, it has made a very popular mode of advertisement and marketing. More and more business organizations are using social media to connect with their target customers and serve them better. An example of the same is the fact that most major business houses proudly host Facebook and Twitter pages. Hence we see that social media has a major role to play in changing the world we live in.