Social group

• ‘any collection of human beings who are

brought into human relationships with one
another.’. - McIver and Page
• Whenever two or more individuals come
together and influence one another, they may
be said to constitute a social group.’
-Ogburn and Nimkoff
 Social group
• any number of people with similar norms,
values and expectations who regularly and
consciously interact.
• members of a group share some sense of
belonging. This characteristic distinguishes
groups from mere aggregates of people.
• A social group is a plurality of persons who
have a common identity, at least some feeling
of unity, certain common goals and shared
norms, and fairly high level of interaction.
Some examples are the family, peer group, a
social club, or neighbourhood group.
• Members of the social group have regular
channels of communication and social
interaction.
 Characteristics
• Collection of individuals
• Interaction among members
• Mutual awareness
• We –feeling
• Group unity and solidarity.
• Common interest.
• Collective behaviour
• Size of the group
• Groups are dynamic
• Groups are stable or unstable..
• Groups influence the personality
Classification of social groups

Primary and secondary groups

• Charles Horton Cooley
• members engage in intimate interaction and
cooperation of the sort that is basic to the
development of an individual’s personality
• Primary groups socialise the individuals. The
‘self is developed and moulded by the primary
group relations. The family is the foremost
example of a primary group.
• Relatively small in size
• Physical nearness of members.
• Intense interaction among members
• Group stability
• Similarity of background
• Relatively long duration.
• Relationship is personal
• Shared interest and co-operation.
• Face to face contact and communication
• Secondary groups are those characterised by
impersonal, contractual, formal and
rationalrelationships.
• The secondary groups are almost the opposite
of primary groups.
• Oburn and Nimkoff say that the “groups which
provide experience lacking in intimacy can be
called secondary groups.”
• In-groups and out-groups- W.G Sumner
• Horizontal groups and Vertical groups- P A
Sorokin