Social Group and

communication
 social Group

• Two or more individuals who are connected

to one another by social relationships.

• Collection of two or more people having

interaction/ contacts

• Number of people who share some

organized pattern of recurrent interaction. It
can be an educational institution where
people come and work, study, play.
 What is a social Group?
A social group is two or more people who
identify and interact with each other.
Human beings come together in
couples, families, circles of friends,
neighborhoods, and in work organizations.
Whatever it form, a group is
made up of people with shared experiences
(through social interaction), loyalties, and
interests.
 Concept of Groups
Man cannot live alone. He is born into a family and then joins
in a neighborhood, a school group, church group,
association and other social groups. The sociologist
observes the regularities, informalities and analysis of a
person’s behavior on how it is affected by the patterned
ways of the group. By this, the sociologist is able to predict
the behavior of the individual and the group.
In short, a group is defined as an aggregate or collection of
persons who have common interest, who are stimulating to
each other, who have common loyalty, and who participate in
common activities, while society is the broadest grouping of
people who share common set of habits, ideas, and attitudes,
live in a definite territory, and consider themselves as a
social unity. i.e. an aggregate of persons riding in a bus
bound for a certain place is a group, while Philippine society
is a typical illustration of the latter principle.
In short, a group is defined as an aggregate or collection of persons who have
common interest, who are stimulating to each other, who have common loyalty,
and who participate in common activities, while society is the broadest
grouping of people who share common set of habits, ideas, and attitudes, live in
a definite territory, and consider themselves as a
social unity. i.e. an aggregate of persons riding in a bus bound for a certain
place is a group, while Philippine society is a typical illustration of the latter
principle.
 Types of social groups
Primary and secondary groups
Formal and informal groups
In group and out group
Reference group
 Types of social groups
 Primary groups: small and
intimate groups come together
with frequently and face-to-face.
 Secondary groups: less
intimacy and personal
interaction Key difference is the
extent of influence over one’s
attitudes, beliefs, behavior, etc.
 Types of social groups
 Primary groups:
 Small size often < 20- 30
 Personal and intimate
relationship
 More face to face
communication
 Permanency for long
time
 Ex: Family, group of
close friends
 Secondary groups:
 Large
 Impersonal and aloof
 Little
 Temporary period of
time
 Cooperative,
Society, Council
 Types of social groups
 Formal groups: a formal group is
one that has structure, officers,
regular meetings, etc. there are
usually by-laws and a charter.
 Informal groups: often emerge
from formal groups, but may
also emerge between
neighbors, friends, etc.
 Types of social groups
In-group :is social group commanding
a member’s esteem and loyalty. It is a
social group toward which a member
feels respect and loyalty
Out - group : is a social group toward
which one feels in competition or
opposition. Or Out-group is a group or
category to which people feel they do
not belong.
 Types of social groups
Reference group: is a group
that people use as a
standard in evaluating or
understanding themselves,
their attitudes, and their
behavior
 What are some common
characteristics of groups?

 Interaction: task and relationship

 Interdependence: sequential,
reciprocal, mutual
 Structure: roles, norms,
 relations
Goals: generating, choosing,
negotiating, executing
Characteristics of Groups - Interaction

 Groups are systems that create, organize,

and sustain interaction among members
 Task Interaction – actions performed by
individuals pertaining to group’s tasks
and goals
 Relationship Interaction – actions
performed by the group relating to
emotional and interpersonal bonds
Characteristics of Groups - Interaction

 Experiences are determined by other

members of the group and vice versa
 Sequential – influence of one member to
the next.
 Reciprocal – two or more members may
influence each other
 Multilevel – the outcome of larger groups
are influenced by the activities of smaller
groups
 Group Size and Relationships
 Dyad- group composed of two
people.(one relationship)
 Triad- groups composed of three
people.(three relationships)
 A group of four.(six
relationships)
 A group of five.(ten relationships)
 Group Size and
Relationships

A
A B
C B

Dyad Triad
 Group Size and
Relationships

A A

E B
C B

D D C
A Group of Four A of
Grou
• Communication
Communicating
~>Social groups is a form of promotes well being.
communication amongst
friends or peers.
Communication plays an
essential and vital role in life.
Communication has many
forms and is used on a daily
basis in one form or another.
Again, it is not mentally
healthy to be alone all the
time as it often leads to
inverted personality traits and
depression.
New forms of electronic communication, sometimes called
the information superhighway or cyberspace, have made our
homes “less bounded environment”. While remaining within
the walls of our homes, we can instantly “travel”
electronically to previously remote settings around the
world. There, we can share information with people who
have never met, or seen, and even develop friendship with
them. The result is a new type of group known as an
electronic community. In some cases, the term “electronic
primary group” seems more appropriate to refer to this
new type of group, for people regularly interact with one
another, share personal information, identify with one
another, and develop a sense of intimacy – even though they
have “met” only electronically.
 Networks

A network is a web of weak social ties. Think of a network as

“fuzzy” group containing people who come into occasional
contact but who lack a sense of boundaries and belonging.
Network is “social web” expanding outward, often reaching
great distances and including large numbers of people.

Some networks are close to being groups, as is the case with

college fellows who stay in touch after graduation by e-mail
and telephone. Usually a network includes people we know
of – or who know of us –but with whom we interact rarely.
Why social group is important for us?
What role social group is playing in
our life ?
Fun Activity