Social Groups

1. Social Groups

2. Types of Groups GROUP • Agroupconsists of two or more people who are distinct in the following three ways: • Interact over time. • Have a sense of identity or belonging. • Have norms/rules that non-members don’t have. • Example: our class—we interact, meet at scheduled times and have expectations that do not apply to those not in this class • A clique is an internal faction that forms within a group.

3. Types of Groups AGGREGATE • An aggregate is a collection of people who happen to be at the same place at the same time but who have no other connection to one another. • Example: people dining in the same restaurant on a particular evening, they generally have no other connection and that collection of people are not likely to meet again

4. Types of Groups CATEGORY • A category is a collection of people who share a particular characteristic. They do not necessarily interact with one another and have nothing else in common. • Example: people who have green eyes, people who were born in Bridgewater, and women who have given birth to twins.

5. Summary of Groups • A groupconsists of two or more people who interact frequently over time, have a shared sense of identity and rules that apply to belonging to that group. • An aggregate is a collection of people who happen to be at the same place at the same time but who have no other connection to one another. • A category is a collection of people who share a particular characteristic. They do not necessarily interact with one another and have nothing else in common.

6. Primary & Secondary Groups • A primary group offers a great deal of intimacy. Members of a primary group meet the following criteria: • Meet frequently on a face-to-face basis. • Have a sense of identity or belonging that lasts a long time. • Share little task orientation. • Have emotional intimacy. • Example: family

7. Primary & Secondary Groups • A secondary group is more formal and less personal. Members of a secondary group meet the following criteria: • Do not meet frequently, or they meet only for short periods of time. • Share a sense of identity or belonging only until the group ends. • Are task-oriented. • Feel little emotional intimacy. • Example: part-time job co-workers

8. In-Group & Out-Group • An in-group is a group to which we belong and to which we feel loyalty. • Example: family, people from same school or hometown • Anout-group is a group to which we do not belong and to which we feel no loyalty. Thereis often hatred towards or perceived competition with out-groups. • Example: enemy, homeless, mentally ill

9. Reference Group • A reference group is the group to which we compare ourselves for purposes of self-evaluation. • Example: People compare themselves to others in similar age groups and with similar educational levels to determine how successful they are materially. • Grads of the same year, people in same occupation with similar amount of experience

10. Review • Flashcard Practice

11. Consequences of Group Behaviour • Group Dynamics • Group Size & Stability • Dyads, triads & larger groups • Social Pressure • Asch & conformity • Milgram & obedience

12. Conformity and Compliance HAZING & INITIATION RITUALS • Military (Boot Camp) • Athletic/Sports Teams • Fraternities and Sororities • Gangs CULTS Scientology (L. Ron Hubbard) Hare Krishna Unification Church (“Moonies”) Children of God (David Berg) The Manson Family (Charles Manson) Heaven’s Gate Branch Davidians (Waco) The People’s Temple (Jonestown) OTHER SOCIAL GROUP STUDIES • The Halo Effect • Bystander Theory • Sherif’s Robbers Cave Experiment • Groupthink