Types of Groups:Primary and Secondary Groups

Ingroups and OutgroupsReference Groups

Networks

TERMS:Social Group: a

collection of two or more people who interact frequently with one another, share a sense of belonging, and have a feeling of interdependence

(a family, a sacred group of believers, an ethnic group who met together)

What constitutes a group? Groups have varying degrees of social

solidarity and structure. This degree of solidarity varies from

group to group. Some groups are large and impersonal

and other groups are small and personal.

We identify with certain groups more than we do others.

Aggregate: a collection of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time but have little in common.

( Those who go to a movie or to a sports event)

Category: a number of people who may never have met one another but share a similar characteristic (men and women, athletes, those of the same social class)

Primary and Secondary Groups Primary Group:

SmallLess specializedMembers engage in face-to-

face, emotion based interaction over time

Provide one of the most basic of human needs: BELONGING

Secondary Group:LargerMore specializedEngage in more

impersonal, goal-oriented relationships for a limited period of time

Ingroups and Outgroups All groups set boundaries by distinguishing

between insiders who are members and outsiders who are not.

Ingroup: is a group to which a person belongs and with which the person feels a sense of identity.

Outgroup: is a group to which a person does not belong and toward which the person may feel a sense of competitiveness or hostility.

The group boundaries may be formal or informal.

Formal boundaries can be seen in such things as applications and memberships.

There may be boundary distinctions. These may be reflected in such things as symbols, emblems, or clothing…aka status symbols.

Negative aspects of Ingroup and Outgroup distinctions:

Classism Racism Sexism Ageism Ingroup members see themselves

positively and outgroup members negatively.

Reference Groups Reference group: is a group that strongly

influences a person’s behaviour and social attitudes, regardless of whether that individual is an actual member.

When we evaluate our appearance, ideas or goals we automatically refer to the standards of some group.

Sometimes we refer to groups in which we belong, sometimes to groups that we want to join in the future (social clubs, professions)- anticipatory socialization

Positive vs. Negative Reference groups

Networks A network is a web of social

relationships that links one person with other people and, thorugh them, additional people.

Frequently networks connect people who share common interests but who otherwise might not identify and interact with one another.

Think of…The spread of HIV/Aids (Patient X)Computer Networks (Facebook)“Six Degrees of Separation”Chain Letters“Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”

VIDEO: SOCIAL GROUPS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What defines a group?

How/why are groups important?

What is the “bystander effect”?

Describe the three types of leadership styles:○ Authoritarian○ Democratic○ Laissez-Faire

Reading: “You Can’t Be a Sweet Cucumber in a Vinegar Barrel”- Philip Zimbardo 1. What were the findings of

Zimbardo’s studies? How can we apply

Zimbardo’s findings to current events?

Why do good kids do terrible things?

Have you ever been tempted to do something out of character for you? What were the circumstances?

Group Dynamics

Conformity

Research by:Asch (Group Conformity)

Milgram (Conformity to Authority)Pryor (Conformity and Harassment)

Group Dynamics

Groups exert a powerful influence over our lives.

Conformity:The process of maintaining or changing

behaviour to comply with the norms established by a society, subculture, or other group.

Solomon Asch’s Research 50 subjects participated in the

study. 33 percent routinely chose to

conform to the group by giving the same (incorrect) responses.

40 percent gave incorrect responses in about half the trials.

25 percent always gave the correct responses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRh5qy09nNw

This research shows the power that groups have to produce conformity among members.

Showed that pressure to conform is especially strong in small groups in which the members want to fit in with the group.

Stanley Milgram’s Research Milgram wanted to understand how

atrocities such as the Holocaust, where ordinary citizens behave brutally when ordered to do so.

He conducted a series of controversial experiments to find the answers to these questions about peoples obedience to authority.

None of the “teachers’ challenged the process before they had applied 300 volts.

Almost 2/3 went all the way to what could have been a deadly jolt of electricity if the shock generator had been real.

The study provides evidence that obedience to authority may be more common than most of us would like to believe.

John Pryor

Conducted research to examine group conformity and sexual harassment.

Pryor found that when the trainers were led to believe that sexual harassment was condoned and then were left alone with the women, they took full advantage of the situation 90 percent of the time.

This research suggests a relationship between group conformity and harassment.

Behaviour such as harassment and racism is more likely to occur when it is encouraged.

VIDEO: CONFORMITY1. Why is conformity important?

2. What is “Group Think”?

3. What is “blind obedience”?

4. Describe Stanley Milgram’s research.

What did he find?

5. How does military discipline relate to conformity?