TYPES OF SOCIAL GROUPS

ByMd Aaquib Sahrwardi

What is a Social Group?Man is a social animal.He lives in a social group.Social group is collection of human beings who are brought into social relationship with one another with a common goal under a common set of codes.A social group may be a pair ,a number of persons, or even a collection millions of people.A social group may be a sports club,a political party,a family etc.

TypesAccording to “Charles Horton Cooley(1909)”Intimate pair groupQuasi groupPrimary groupSecondary group

Primary Group

Primary group is the nucleus of all social organisations.It’s a group of a small number of persons who come into direct contact with each other.They meet face to face with the aim of helping each other mutually and for companionship an discussion of common goals.Primary groups are also the key means of socialization in society,the main place where attitudes,values and orientations are developed and sustained.

Characteristics of Primary groupPhysical proximitySmall sizeStabilitySimilarity of backgroundLimited self interestPersonal relationshipContinuety of relationshipIntensity of shared interests

Secondary Group

The secondary group is a large group like a city,nation,political party,corporation and labour union etc.Here contacts among the members are limited in scope and established after much trial and error towards individual’s goal.

Characteristics of Secondary group

Formal and impersonal relationsLarge in sizeOption of membershipRelationsIndividual’s statusOrientations

According to “Franklin Henry Giddings”

GeneticPeople are contacted by blood relationship or birth relationship.eg:Brother-Sister.CongregateThat group in which people come late and join.eg:any class in which any students comes later and join.

According to “George Simmel”

DyadTriad According to “Miller”VerticalHorizontal

According to “Toseland” and “Rivas”

2.Formed Group

Catagorised

1.Natural Group

B.Task Gp A.Teratment Gp

1.Natural groupIs that group which is formed by nature like blood relationship and born relationship.eg:Brother-Sister.

2.Formed GroupThat group which is formed after birth and this formed group is catagorised in two.i. Treatment Groupii. Task Group

Formal GroupEstablished by organisation to perform organisational work.This formal group also devided into two groups.a. Command groupb. Task groupInformal GroupAre natural grouping of employees that form to fullfill social needs,evolving naturally.It is also devided in two groups.c. Interest groupd. Friendship group