Groups are prevalent in our social lives and provide a significant way to understand and define

ourselves—both through groups we feel a connection to and those we do not. Groups also play
an important role in society. As social units, they help foster shared value systems and are key to
the structure of society as we know it. A social group can be defined as two or more people who
interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity.

The most basic, fundamental type of social group that consists of two people is called a dyad.
The pair of individuals in a dyad can be linked via romantic interest, family relation, interests,
work, partners in crime, and so on. The relation can be based on equality, but may be based on
hierarchy such as the master–servant relationship, where one is in a higher position compared to
the other person. The strength of the relationship is evaluated on the basis of time the individuals
spend together, as well as on the emotional intensity of their relationship.

A dyad can be unstable because both persons must cooperate to make it work. If one of the two
fails to complete their duties, the group would fall apart. Because of the significance of
marriages in society, their stability is very important. For this reason, marital dyads are often
enforced through the law.

Dyadic friendships refer to the most immediate and concrete level of peer interaction, which is
expanded to include new forms of relationships in adolescence – most notably, romantic and
sexual relationships.