Social group facts for kids

"Group structure" redirects here. For group structures in business, see Corporate group.

"Social circle" redirects here. For the city in Georgia, see Social Circle, Georgia.

People in groups are connected by friendships and other relationships.

In social studies, a social group means two or more people who talk to each other, share similar things, and feel like they belong together. Social groups come in many sizes and types. For example, a whole society can be seen as a very large social group. The way people act and think within a group, or between different groups, is called group dynamics.

What is a Social Group?

How Groups Stick Together

A social group has a certain level of social cohesion, meaning its members feel connected. It's more than just a bunch of people standing together, like at a bus stop. Members of a group often share interests, values, backgrounds, or kinship (family ties). Some experts believe that what truly defines a group is how much its members interact.

A social psychologist named Muzafer Sherif suggested that a group is made of people who interact based on:

Shared goals and reasons
Accepted roles (who does what)
Clear status or social rank
Agreed-upon rules and values
Ways to praise or correct members when rules are followed or broken

This idea helps us understand:

"How does a group form?"
"How does a group work?"
"How do people interact before they become a group?"

Why This Definition Matters

Most studies of groups focus on how they work, especially in big organizations or when making decisions. Less attention is paid to everyday social behaviors that don't clearly show all five parts Sherif described.

Early studies looked at youth groups in cities. These groups often formed as a reaction to authority. Their main goals were to protect their area and decide who was in charge within the group. Understanding these basic social behaviors, like protecting one's space or showing who's in charge, can help explain how groups develop and work. These actions happen even before a group fully forms.

How People Identify with Groups

Another way to define social groups comes from the social identity idea. This view says that being part of a group is mostly about how you see yourself. It suggests that people act as group members if they are "aware of belonging to a common group." So, a social group is made of people who see themselves as part of the same group.

Instead of asking "Who am I friends with?", this idea suggests group members ask "Who am I?" This means your identity is linked to the group. Studies have shown that just putting people into random groups can make them favor their own group, even if there's no personal gain. This shows that simply feeling like you belong to a group can be very powerful.

This idea started with social identity theory, which explained conflicts between groups. Later, self-categorization theory explained how people first come to see themselves as part of a group. This self-grouping process then affects all other group behaviors.

Key Features of Groups

In his book Group Dynamics, Forsyth (2010) talks about several common things that help define groups.

How Members Interact

Group members interact in many ways, like talking, sharing ideas, or working together. Researchers like Bales found two main types of interactions:

Relationship interactions: These are actions that affect the feelings and connections within the group. They include positive things like support and negative things like arguments.
Task interactions: These are actions related to the group's projects, goals, and tasks. Members organize themselves and use their skills to get things done.

Group Goals

Most groups exist for a reason. This could be to learn something, get emotional support, or share spiritual beliefs. Groups help members achieve these goals. Joseph McGrath's model organizes group goals into four main types:

Generating: Coming up with ideas and plans.
- Planning tasks
- Creative tasks
Choosing: Picking the best solution.
- Thinking tasks
- Decision-making tasks
Negotiating: Finding a solution to a problem.
- Conflict tasks
- Mixed-motive tasks
Executing: Carrying out a task.
- Competitions
- Performance tasks

How Members Depend on Each Other

“Interdependence” means that people rely on others to some degree. What one person does can affect others' actions, thoughts, and feelings. Some groups are more interdependent than others. For example, a sports team relies heavily on each other, much more than people watching a movie in a theater. This dependence can be mutual (everyone depends on everyone) or one-sided (some depend more on a leader).

Group Structure

Group structure means the rules, roles, and relationships that form within a group over time. Roles are the expected actions of people based on their position in the group. Norms are the ideas the group accepts about what is good or bad behavior. Group structure is very important. If members don't meet their expectations or fulfill their roles, they might not feel accepted by the group.

Group Unity

When you look at a group as a whole, it feels like more than just a collection of individuals. People often talk about the group as one entity. For example, you might say, "The band played beautifully." Factors like how connected the group feels (cohesiveness) and how unified it appears to outsiders (entitativity) create this sense of unity.

Types of Social Groups

There are four main types of groups: primary groups, social groups, collectives, and categories.

Primary Groups

Primary groups are small, long-lasting groups. They have strong connections, members feel a strong sense of belonging, they interact face-to-face, and they are very united. These groups are often the first place individuals learn about social behavior, shaping their attitudes and values.

Three common types of primary groups are:

Family (relatives)
Close friends
Neighbors

Social Groups

Social groups are also small but last for a moderate amount of time. They often form because members share a common goal. It's fairly easy for new people to join these groups. Examples include study groups or coworkers. They interact moderately over a longer period.

Collectives

Collectives are spontaneous groups, like people watching a street performer or an audience at a concert. They exist for a very short time. It's very easy to join or leave these groups. Members of collectives might act or think similarly for a brief period.

How Groups Affect Your Health

The social groups you are part of, like at school or work, can directly affect your health. Feeling like you belong in a group is key to overall well-being. Leaders, like teachers or managers, can help everyone feel included, which boosts morale and productivity.

Studies show that feeling socially connected helps both your mind and body. Strong social relationships are linked to better health. On the other hand, having fewer or lower quality social connections can be linked to issues like heart problems, high blood pressure, and slower healing. For example, marriage is a very studied social relationship, and its history can affect health outcomes.

When people are more socially connected, they have more support. This support can help with many challenges, like dealing with stress at school or work. Being well-connected socially also has a big impact as people get older. A study found that older people who were more active in social circles tended to be healthier.

Joining and Recruiting for Groups

Social groups often form because people are attracted to each other. Here are some reasons why individuals might join groups:

The Proximity Principle: People tend to form relationships with those they are physically close to. We often like things or people we are familiar with.
The Similarity Principle: People tend to connect with others who share their attitudes, values, or backgrounds.
The Complementarity Principle: People might like others who are different but in a way that balances them out. For example, a leader might attract someone who likes to be led.
The Reciprocity Principle: If you like someone, they are more likely to like you back.
The Elaboration Principle: Groups can grow over time as existing members bring in new people through their connections.

Other things also influence group formation. People who are extroverted might seek out groups more because they enjoy interacting with others. Groups might also prefer extroverts. Those who care a lot about their relationships with others are also more likely to join and value group membership.

Past experiences with groups (good or bad) influence decisions to join new ones. People weigh the benefits of a group (like belonging or support) against the costs (like time or effort). If someone had negative experiences before, they will be more careful about which groups they join.

Once a group starts, it can grow in different ways. If it's an open group, members can join and leave easily. If it's a closed group, with stricter rules, it will actively recruit and welcome new members.

Very strong groups, like clubs or some youth organizations, often have special ways to bring in new members. These might include initiations or challenges. These processes help new members feel more connected and show their dedication to the group. Initiations can also help new members feel more comfortable with the group's beliefs.

Sometimes, joining a group can be like a "conversion." One idea suggests three steps:

Compliance: A person accepts the group's views but doesn't necessarily agree with them deep down.
Identification: The member starts to copy the group's actions, values, and traits.
Internalization: The group's beliefs and rules become part of the member's own personal beliefs and goals. This shows how new members can become very deeply connected.

How Groups Develop

If you put a small group of strangers together in a room with a shared goal, certain things will likely happen. First, people will start talking in pairs or threes, looking for others they have something in common with. These small connections will become stable.

Eventually, these smaller groups will combine into larger groups of six to eight people. This often involves some disagreements, like who gets what resources or how decisions are made. Some conflicts might be about who has control or who gets favored. But most will be about who has the most status.

These behaviors are like how animals act when they claim territory or show who is in charge. As people's skills become clear and the group works toward its goal, leaders and different roles will develop. Once these roles, rules, and relationships are set, a productive group is formed.

Arguments can mean that the group's pecking order isn't settled. For a group to work well, everyone needs to know their place and feel secure in their role. Some people might leave or be excluded. Depending on the number of people, one or more smaller, competing groups might form.

When Groups Change or Break Up

Groups can also change or break up. This often happens if they stop following the main rules that define a group. Two common reasons for problems are adding too many new people or if the leader fails to keep everyone focused on the common goal.

In a large society, many people need to work together, more than a small group can handle. Organizations like companies or government agencies create systems with different levels, like teams and departments, when they have too many members for one small group. Not all large groups need the strong connections found in small groups.

Trying to add new members to a working group in a casual way can cause problems. A group can usually work well with five to ten members. If there are too many people, smaller groups will start to form, and the main group's purpose and roles can become unclear. A classroom with many students and one teacher is an example of a leader trying to manage many small groups.

A group's purpose can weaken if new members are added, conflicts about roles aren't solved, or the leader doesn't pay attention to the group. If a leader leaves, it can be very damaging unless the group prepared for the change. The loss of a leader can break down relationships, weaken the group's purpose, and confuse roles and rules.

Signs of a troubled group include less efficiency, less participation, or a weaker purpose, and more arguments. If the group still has a strong common goal, reorganizing with a new leader and a few new members can often fix things. This is usually easier than starting a completely new group.