Social Groups

and
Social Organization
Group
 Is defined as a collection of two or more
persons who are in social interaction,
who are guided by similar norms, values
and expectations and maintain a stable
pattern of relations over a period of
time.
 Is a set of individuals who identify and
interact with one another in a structured
way based on shared values and goals.
Social Organization
 Refers to a type of collectivity
established for the pursuit of specific
aims or goals, characterized by a
formal structure of rules, authority
relations, a division of labor and
limited membership or admission
 Aggregates
 Refer to a cluster of people who may be on close physical
proximity but do not interact with one another . They may
look at each other occasionally or they brushed shoulders or
any other part of their bodies unintentionally, but they are
not really concerned with one another.
 Example: People gathered in an unstructured manner in a
bus or jeepney stop, people sharing escalator etc.
 Collectivity
 Refers to a cluster of people interacting with one another in a
passing or short-lived manner. They are temporary collections of
people who may disperse immediately upon the satisfaction of
their individual or collective interests. It is characterized by
spontaneity, fleeting interaction, anonymity, lack of structure
and established norms to guide their behavior.
 Example: Crowd, mass, public and social movements are forms
of collectivity.
Social Category
 Refers to a collection of people who
are classified or categorized in
accordance with some status like
sex, race, age, religion, political
affiliation, occupation or profession,
income, social class and ethnicity.
 Example: National Alliance of
Teachers
 Characteristics of Social Group

1. Group may interact in a fairly regular basis through communication.

They affect and influence each other.
2. The members of the group develop a structure were each member
assumes a specific status and adopts a particular role. Each member
accepts certain duties and responsibilities and is entitled to certain
privileges.
3. The members of the group agree to some extent on important norms,
goals and values. Certain orderly procedures and values are agreed
upon.
4. The member of the group feel a sense of identity. They think of
themselves as united and interdependent, somewhat apart from other
people.
 Types of Social Group
1. According to Social ties
a. Primary Group – it is the fundamental unit of human society. It is a long lasting
group whose members have intimate, personal, continuous and face to face relationships.
Example: Family, gangs, cliques, play groups, friendship groups.

b. Secondary Groups- refers to the group which the individuals comes in contact later
in life. These groups have the characteristics which are opposite in primary groups. It is
characterized by impersonal, business-like, contractual , formal and causal relationship.
Example: Industrial Workers; business associates, faculty staff; company employees
 Types of Social Group
2. According to Self-Identification
a. In-Group – is a social unit in which individuals feel at home and with which they
identify. They have the “we” feeling.
Example: being poor, being rich, being a tagalog etc.
b. Out-Group – social unit to which individuals do not belong due to differences in certain
social categories and with which they do not identify.
Example: If we are Law abiders, our out-group are the law violators.
c. Reference Group – refers to the groups to which we consciously or unconsciously refer
when we try to evaluate our own life situations and behavior, but to which we do not
necessarily belong. Reference groups serves a comparison function; they provide us with
standards against which we evaluate ourselves.
Example: If we are middle class, we compare ourselves with the upper class. The upper
class then are the reference group.
 Types of Social Group
3. According to Purpose
a. Special interest groups – refers to groups which are organized to meet the special
interests of the members. Example: Hobby groups

b. Task group- refers to groups assigned to accomplish jobs which cannot be done by one
person. Example: working committee, construction workers.

C. Influence or pressure Groups- refer to groups organized to support or influence

social actions. Examples: Social Movements, campaign groups, political parties.
 Types of Social Group
3. According to Geographical location and degree or quality of relationship
a. Gemeinschaft – refers to social system in which most relationships are personal or
traditional. It is a community of intimate, private and exclusive living and familism.
Example: Tribal groups, agricultural and fishing villages, barrio.

b. Gesselschaft- refers to a social system in which most relationship are impersonal,

formal, contractual or bargain-like Relationship is individualistic, business like, secondary and
rationalized.
Example: City or Urban groups
 Types of Social Group
3. According to form of organization
a. Formal Groups- they are also called social organizations. They are deliberately formed,
an their purpose and objectives are explicitly defined. They have certain types of
administrative machinery which is aimed to enable members meet their goals. This
administrative structure is called “bureaucracy” (whose best example is the government.

Bureaucracy- refers to hierarchical arrangement in large scale formal organizations in

which parts of the organization are ordered in the manner of a pyramid based on division of
function and authority.
 Types of Social Group
3. According to form of organization
b. Informal Groups- arise spontaneously out of interactions of two or more persons. It is
unplanned; it has no explicit rules for membership, and does not have specific objectives
to be attained.
Example: barkadas and gangs

c. Relationship Groups- organized to fulfill the feeling of companionship. Example: Gang

 Elements of Effective Group
Functioning:
1.Democratic or “participate” leadership is employed.
2.Flexible patterns of communications ar used.
3.A cooperative problem-solving approach to discussion is employed
rather than a competitive “win-lose” approach.
4.Members deal openly and candidly with one another.
5.Decision techniques which favor a sharing of responsibility via
protection of the individual rights are used rather than techniques
which place the responsibility clearly in the hands of but a portion of
the group.
 Factor Affecting Group Dynamics
1. Group Size- Size is a limiting condition on the amount and quality of interaction and
communication that can occur among individuals.
2. Type of group goals- A group will develop structural forms or arrangement that will
facilitate the attainment of its goals.
3. Motivational base shared by individuals- People bound with mutual or shared
interests, common goals, expectations, or even the pursuit of nefarious activities
organized themselves and secure result through group concerted action.
4. The kind of group cohesion – Group cohesion refers to the degree which members of
the group have the ability to function and interact together towards the pursuit of their
goals.
5. Social Conformity- Members of the group evolve group norms and conform to them
to achieve goals. Ex. Code of Conduct of the group
6. Group decision-making- whatever the group’s composition or the task at hand goes
through this level:
 Orientation, Evaluation, Reaching a decision and Restoring Equilibrium
7. Leadership- is the process of influencing the activities of indviduals in group towards
the attainment of group goals in a given situation.
Styles of Leadership
1. Functional Leadership- leader need not occupy a vantage position
but he is accepted by the group because he wields influence on the
thinking and behavior of the members. Ex. Teachers-Leaders
2. Status Leadership – the leader occupies the position of authority.
He holds the vantage position and is the accepted leader only
because of innate bureaucratic fear of a person in authority Ex.
Manager, Director, Principal etc.
3. Task-Oriented Leadership –Leader is production-oriented and gives
emphasis on the needs of the organization. He is high on tasks but
low on relationship.
4. Relationship or person-oriented leadership. Leader stresses
building and maintaining good personal relationship with himself and
his followers. He is high in relationship but low in tasks.
5. Transactional leadership – Leader scores high both on task and
relationships. He is a team player.
Styles of Leadership
6. Authoritarian leadership- leader decides on the goals to be achieved
and prescribes how this is to be achieved.
7. Democratic Leadership – leader engages in cooperative planning. He
believes that members of the group are as capable as he is in making
decisions in relation with their particular training and experience.
8. Tradition Oriented-Leadership- Leader clings tenaciously to establish
practices and norms and perceives change with no little apprehension and
distrust.
9. Development-Oriented Leadership- Leader conceives change as a
component of development, making sure that whatever changes are
adopted shall improve the delivery system of the organization and
consequently the organizational product.