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Socio-Philosophical Foundations of Development

GroupsIntroduction

Structural Concepts of Sociology

Primary Groups

SecondaryGroups

Exercises

Introduction

Structural theory sees society as a system

of relationships that creates the structure

of the society in which we live. It is this structure that determines our lives and characters.

Introduction

Not all sociological perspectives base their analysis upon

an examination of the structure of society as a whole. Rather than seeing human behaviour as being largely determined by society, they see society as being the product of human activity. They stress the

meaningfulnessof human behaviour, denying that it is primarily determined by the structure of society

SOCIETY

COMMUNITYFAMILY

INDIVIDUAL

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In sociology, a group is usually defined as a number of people who identify and interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity.

Groups

Key Points

A social group exhibits some degree of social cohesion and is more than a simple collection

Social cohesion can be formed through shared interests, values, representations, ethnic or social background, and kinship ties,among other factors.

Groups

Renowned social psychologist Muzafer Sherif formulated a technical definition of a social group. It is a social unit consisting of a number of individuals interacting witheach other with respect to:

1. common motives and goals;2. an accepted division of labor;3. established status relationships4. accepted norms and values with reference to matters relevant to the group.

Groups

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A primary group is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships.

Primary Groups

Key PointsPrimary groups are marked by concern for one another, shared activities and culture, and long periods of time spent together. They are psychologically comforting and quite influential in developing personal identity

The goal of primary groups is actually the relationships themselves rather than achieving some other purpose.

Primary Groups

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Secondary groups are large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal oriented; their relationships are temporary.

SecondaryGroups

Key Points

Secondary relationships involve weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one another. In contrast to primary groups, secondary groups don't have the goal of maintaining and developing the relationships themselves.

Secondary groups include groups in which one exchanges explicit commodities, such as labor for wages, services for payments, and such. They also include university classes, athletic teams, and groups of co-workers.

SecondaryGroups

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Exercises

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Exercises

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Exercises

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Exercises

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Exercises