Understanding

Culture, Society
and Politics
Chapter 4: How a Society is Organized
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY
Primary Group
SOCIAL GROUP – is a Secondary
Group
collection of individuals who
Reference Groups
have relations with one another
that make them interdependent In - Groups
Out - Groups
to some significant degree
Networks
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY
Interdependence – necessary
condition that exist within social Aggregate – mere
groups because it is what collection of people
enables its members to pursue within a particular place
shared goals or promote and time
common values and principles
EXAMPLE
Friends hanging out in a mall
SOCIAL GROUP
✔ interacts with one another
✔ may depend on one another in different aspects

The rest of people in the mall

AGGREGATE
✔ only occupy the same time and space
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY Primary Group Reference
Secondary In - Groups Groups
Group Out - Groups Networks

Primary Groups
– small, intimate and less
specialized group

Secondary Groups
– engage in impersonal
and objective-oriented
relationship
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY Primary Group
Secondary
Reference
Groups
In - Groups
Group Out - Groups Networks

In-groups and Out-groups

Self-categorization Theory
– people’s appreciation of
their group membership is
influenced by their
perception towards people
who are not members of
their groups
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY Primary Group
Secondary In - Groups
Reference
Groups
Group Out - Groups Networks

In - Groups
– group which one belongs and with
which one feels sense of identity

Out - Groups
– group which one does not belong
and which he/she may feel sense of
competitiveness or hostility
Characteristics of in-groups

1. members devise ways to distinguish themselves from

nonmembers
2. members display positive attitudes and behaviors toward
their fellow members for the most part, while they may
exhibit negative attitudes and even form negative views
toward members of out-group.
3. differences with nonmembers could transform into feelings of
competition and even hostility.
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY Primary Group
Secondary In - Groups
Reference
Groups
Group Out - Groups Networks

REFERENCE GROUP
A group within the individual compares
himself/herself. It strongly influence
an individual behavior and social
attitudes.

9
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY Primary Group
Secondary
Reference
Groups
In - Groups
Group Out - Groups Networks

Networks

- refers to the structure of relationships

between social actors or groups

- interconnections, ties, and linkage

between people , their group, and the
larger social institutions to which they all
belong to.
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY Primary Group
Secondary In - Groups
Reference
Groups
Group Out - Groups Networks
END