This document discusses different types of social groups and how they are organized. It defines a social group as a collection of people who regularly interact based on shared expectations and identity. Primary groups are small and intimate, with strong personal bonds, while secondary groups are larger and more impersonal, focused on tasks. Reference groups are those individuals compare themselves to help guide behaviors and identify norms. Networks are sets of social ties linking people without requiring a defined group. The document cautions that groups can influence thinking and actions in both positive and negative ways, sometimes resulting in phenomena like groupthink.
2. HOWSOCIETYIS
ORGANIZED
MAY 02, 2025
Social relationships and patterns of interaction
become ‘institution the moment they start being
governed by formal and informal agreement(e.g.,
written laws, contracts) or by strong traditional
norms. The agreements may dictate the concrete
forms of arrangements within the ambit (bounds or
limit) of specific interests and goals. The word
‘organizations’ here does not exclusively refer to
types of association. Rather, it pertains to patters of
arrangements shaped and conditioned by the
overarching concerns that they aim to address.
5. When individuals aggregate physically in a given space, they do not necessarily
make a social group. They are just a collection of warm bodies who happened to be
together in one space or who may happen to share a set of common characteristics.
Technically, the former is referred to in sociology as social aggregates—a simple
collection of people who happened to be together in a particular place but do not
significantly interact or identify with one another. The latter is technically referred
to as social categories. People who share common characteristics, (such as gender
or occupation) but do not necessarily interact or identify with one another.
6. But when the relationship starts to go beyond
mere “co-presence” or mere “co-category,” a
group starts to emerge. The situation then
suggests that groups are not just collection of
being; they have some common interests that
necessitate “interaction” with to each other across
time and space. Hence, group can be described as
a collection of individuals who have regular
contact and frequent interaction, mutual
influence, common feeling of belongingness, and
work together to achieve a common set of goals.
7. Although groups are collections of individuals, they may differ in
terms of what binds these individuals together. For example, a
family can be considered a group, but it is different from a peer
group or an interest group. The difference is not just in mere
physical closeness, but in the quality of feeling one has for and
with the other individuals in the group. Some groups are bonded by
the actual feeling of belongingness, but some individuals may have
the same feeling without them being recognized by the groups as
part of them.
8. SOCIALGROUP
Social group can be defined as a collection of
people who regularly interact with one another
on the basis of shared expectations concerning
behavior and who share a sense of common
identity. With these qualifications as to what
constitute a group, it will be better to
define/describe the categories of groups based
on some standards.
9. PRIMARY GROUP
This is typically a small social group who members share
close, personal, enduring relationships. Primary groups are
marked by members concern for one another and shared
activities and culture. Examples include families, childhood
friends, and the highly influential social groups. They are
typically small-scale, include intimate relationships, and are
usually long-lasting period. The members of primary groups
feel a strong personal identity with the group.
10. SECONDARY GROUP
This has the opposite characteristics of a primary group. Secondary groups
can be small or large and they are mostly impersonal and usually short-
term. These groups are typically found at work and school. An example of a
secondary group is a committee organized to plan a holiday party at work.
Members of the committee meet infrequently and for only a short period
of time. Although group members may have some similar interests, the
purpose of the group is about the task instead of the relationships.
Sometimes, secondary groups become pretty informal, and the members
get to know each other fairly well.
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12. REFERENCE GROUP
This is a group to which we compare ourselves. Reference
groups, such as those of college freshmen, serve as a
standard against which behaviors and attitudes are
measured. We use reference groups in order to guide our
behavior and attitudes and help us to identify social norms.
Hence reference groups may also be called as “identity
association group” since its creation is fueled by a person’s
desire to provide a character connection. Reference groups
may be classified as in-group or out-group as shown in the
matrix below.
14. Groups and how they behave are not necessarily categorized
in terms of membership, actual as in the primary and secondary
group, or imagined as in the reference groups. They may be
categorized in terms of how an individual is linked to any actual or
imagined groups, as in the networks defined as sets of informal
and formal social ties that link people to each other.
A network may not be a physical
group or a group that is populated by
actual group. It is formed by the
presence of social linkage invoked and
availed by an individual for some
personal, economic, religious, or political
reasons.
15. As we can see from the previous
discussion, groups may influence their
member in a variety of ways, from their
thinking to their actual behavior.
Sometimes, violent behaviors and
certain forms of biases result. With this,
we can appreciate the insight that
groups are part of our social psyches, in
thoughts and in actions.
History is replete with examples
with this phenomenon: the
holocaust, the Guyana mass
suicides, ISIS terrorism (or
terrorism in general), and many
others.
16. When this happens, a groupthink
—a processes by which the members of
a group ignore ways of thinking and
plans of action that go against the group
consensus—is said to be taking place.
Groupthink, in its general sense, is the
psychological influence exerted over as
by our respective groups on moral, legal,
scientific and religious matters.
Groupthink is normally evaluative in
nature, hence it may affect the
relationships of groups with each other.
17. Members:
Alexa L. Basierto
Sofia Maristela D. Galing
Princess C. Jarogon
Bianca B. Sales
Andrea Mae Carias
Angelyn Carias
Khenrick Pangandoyon
