1. What is social group? How it is different form a social aggregate?

A social group is all about interaction of different individuals, with the same goal or thus promote
common values or principles. They are known to be interdependent to each other, it means that
people have relations to one another, they tend to depend with each other. Thus, it is different from
social aggregate as people do not necessarily interact or communicate between or among individuals.
Social aggregate is also characterized as an individual or a group to have each different goals or
objectives. In some situation, an aggregate of people only occupy same place and space in a certain
time but people don’t interact or communicate to one another.

2. What is the difference between a primary and a secondary group? Identify a significant and
primary and secondary group in your life and describe how these influenced you as an
individual.

A primary group is a society in which it is a small, intimate and less specialized group. Members in
certain group engage in face to face and emotion interaction for a long time. They are also
interdependent with one another with deep and profound relationship. Examples of these are my
family and close friends. My family helped me nourish and improve my values and principles in life, on
how to be respectful and considerate. They taught me what is wrong or right, what are my negative
behaviors and how to change them into a positive one. My close friends are always there to boost my
happiness and taught me to share that happiness. They also enlighten me to be confident and what I
want to pursue in near later, to be a nursing student and a nurse.

A secondary group, on the other hand, is larger, less intimate and more specialized group that
considers same goal or objectives in a small, limited time. They don’t tend to have deep and concise
relationship unlike to primary group. Example of this are my classmates, through them, I realize that
people have different perspectives, principles and idea of life. This helped me not be one-sided or
subjective, but to be more open or objective about people.

3. What are in-groups and out-groups? Explain the relationship between them as well as the
different factors that determine the social dynamics within each group.

An in-group is about individual’s own belongingness to a particular group and which he or she
feels a sense of identity. A person can consider that he or she is belong if the group have ways to be
recognized from others, it can be a unique name or symbols to represent the group and the members.
Also if members display positive behavior and attitude towards other members. These shared feelings
between them, can strengthen their relationship and bond in group. Lastly, if members cooperate and
unite through the shared feelings.

Lack of these in-group characteristics and relation can often led to individual’s thought, identify
him or herself as an outcast or out-group. Person does not belong in a certain group in which he or she
might feel a sense of competitiveness or hostility to others. An individual might also express negative
behavior or attitudes towards other in-groups.

4. What is a reference group? Explain why it has a major influence on an individuals’ beliefs,
attitudes, values and behavior.
 Reference group refers to a group which a person compares him or herself. It has a major
influence on an individuals’ beliefs, attitudes, values and behavior as an individual wants to be
accepted and relevant to his or her society. Since reference groups are utilized as a standard for self-
assessment, they are known to be the primary role models. Positive reference group can leads us to
positive outlook and future of society but having negative reference group can often lead to bad
habits or negative adopted values from peers. Sometimes, because too much comparing from others,
it can lead to person’s lost in uniqueness or distinction.

5. What are some of your reference groups? Why did you choose these reference groups?

I don’t think I have many reference groups because I'm not a particularly outgoing or engaged
with new people or strangers. I’ll choose my friends. I have small circle of friends, they are very
positive and very goal-oriented persons I’ve ever met. Even though we have different perspectives or
references, we tend to consider and respect it. B However, we share the same principles, values and
ideas in life, such as doing well in school, graduating, and having a professional degree in the near
future.

6. What is a network? Describe its functions and significance to socialization.

A network is a type of structure to relationships between social groups. It is one way of building
communication or socialization to other people especially in this pandemic. Through network, I can
communicate to my friends, have interaction with other groups on social media platforms or internet.
This technological tool can identify our close friends and acquaintances and can envision his or her
social interaction and group memberships. The innovation and rapid evolution of technology helped
us to make communication easier and fast-paced throughout our modern society.
 Type of Group Examples Advantages Disadvantages
Meant to take good
Their unfavorable
care of you even in
values or attitude may
difficult situations as
Primary Family be applied to you, or
we have deep
you may be molded by
relationships with
them.
them
Often cause
Impersonal and goal misunderstandings of
Secondary Employees
oriented having less personal
relation in each other
Promote academic Competition and
In-group Sororities excellence and negative outlook to
community services other groups
Volunteer in
community services,
Out-group Fraternities Violence or hazing
balance academic and
social activities
They are reference or
You might adopt some
standard when you
Reference Group Classmates of your classmates’
want to accept or fit in
bad habits or actions
society (school)