Groups within Society

• Social Groups

  ➔ Collection of Humans or Animals

  ➔ Share certain characteristics

  ➔ Interact with one another

  ➔ Accept expectations and obligations

  ➔ Share common identity

  ➔ More than aggregate of individuals
• Charles Horton Cooley (1864–1929)

  ➔ American Sociologist

  ➔ Concept of Primary and Secondary Groups
• PRIMARY GROUPS

  ➔ Small Social Group

  ➔ Face to Face interaction

  ➔ Lasts for long period of time

  ➔ Essential in developing personal

  identity
• SECONDARY GROUPS

  ➔ Large Social Group

  ➔ Impersonal and Task-Focused

  ➔ Goal-Oriented and Temporary

  ➔ Weak Emotional Ties
• William Sumner (1840–1910)

  ➔ Concepts of In and Out Groups

  ➔ American Clergyman, Social Scientist
• In-Groups

  ➔ Social Group which individuals feels he or

  she belongs to

  Examples: Basketball team, Religion, Fraternities
• Out-Groups

  ➔ Group someone doesn’t belong to

  ➔ Individuals do not belong or identify

  ➔ Does not have any common sense of identity or affiliation tying

  Example: anyone who does not belong to group
• Herbert Hyman

  ➔ American Sociologist

  ➔ First to use the term “reference group”
• Reference Groups

  ➔ Standard for evaluating self and behavior

  ➔ Use to compare another group

  Examples: Celebrities, Heroes, Family