social group

(noun)

A collection of humans or animals that share certain characteristics, interact with one another, accept expectations and obligations as members of the group, and share a common identity.

Related Terms

  • The social identity approach
  • triad
  • impersonal
  • social classes
  • The social cohesion approach
  • dyad
  • Social Interaction
  • social norms

Examples of social group in the following topics:

  • The Nature of Groups

    • A society can be viewed as a large group, though most social groups are considerably smaller.
    • Renowned social psychologist Muzafer Sherif formulated a technical definition of a social group.
    • Explicitly contrasted with a social cohesion-based definition for social groups is the social identity perspective, which draws on insights made in social identity theory.
    • A law enforcement official is a social category, not a group.
    • Contrast the social cohesion-based concept of a social group with the social identity concept
  • Primary Groups

    • A primary group is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships.
    • A primary group is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships.
    • The concept of the primary group was introduced by Charles Cooley, a sociologist from the Chicago School of sociology, in his book Social Organization: A Study of the Larger Mind (1909).
    • He, therefore, analyzed the operation of such complex social forms as formal institutions and social class systems and the subtle controls of public opinion.
    • The concept of the primary group was introduced by Charles Cooley, a sociologist from the Chicago School of sociology, in his book, "Social Organization: A Study of the Larger Mind" (1909).
  • Defining Boundaries

    • Social groups are defined by boundaries.
    • Cultural sociologists define symbolic boundaries as "conceptual distinctions made by social actors…that separate people into groups and generate feelings of similarity and group membership. " In-groups, or social groups to which an individual feels he or she belongs as a member, and out-groups, or groups with which an individual does not identify, would be impossible without symbolic boundaries.
    • Where group boundaries are considered impermeable, and where status relations are considered reasonably stable, individuals are predicted to engage in social creativity behaviors.
    • Symbolic boundaries are a "necessary but insufficient" condition for social change.
    • According to sociologists, it is "only when symbolic boundaries are widely agreed upon can they take on a constraining character… and become social boundaries. " Thus, rituals and traditions to define boundaries are extremely influential in determining how groups interact.
  • Effects of Group Size on Attitude and Behavior

    • Size (number of people involved) is an important characteristic of groups, organizations and communities in which social behavior occurs.
    • In the social sciences a social group is defined as two or more humans who interact with one another, share similar characteristics and collectively have a sense of unity.
    • Social groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties.
    • Group dynamics refers to a system of behaviors and psychological processes occurring within a social group or between social groups.
    • Dyads and triads are the smallest social groups.
  • The Role of Socialization

    • Socialization prepares people for social life by teaching them a group's shared norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors.
    • The role of socialization is to acquaint individuals with the norms of a social group or society.
    • Socialization prepares future members to participate in a group by teaching them the expectations held by other group members.
    • It is also important for adults who join new social groups.
    • Broadly defined, socialization is the process of transferring norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors to future group members.
  • Understanding Social Interaction

    • In sociology, social interaction is a dynamic, changing sequence of social actions between individuals or groups.
    • In sociology, social interaction is a dynamic sequence of social actions between individuals (or groups) who modify their actions and reactions due to actions by their interaction partner(s).
    • A social interaction is a social exchange between two or more individuals.
    • Social interaction can be studied between groups of two (dyads), three (triads) or larger social groups.
    • Social structures and cultures are founded upon social interactions.
  • Stages of Socialization Throughout the Life Span

    • Secondary socialization refers to the socialization that takes place throughout one's life, both as a child and as one encounters new groups that require additional socialization.
    • Context: In earlier periods, the socializee (the person being socialized) more clearly assumes the status of learner within the context of the initial setting (which may be a family of orientation, an orphanage, a period of homelessness, or any other initial social groups at the beginning of a child's life), the school (or other educational context), or the peer group.
    • Socialization, as noted in the distinction between primary and secondary, can take place in multiple contexts and as a result of contact with numerous groups.
    • Each of these groups include a culture that must be learned and to some degree appropriated by the socializee in order to gain admittance to the group.
    • By the time individuals are in their preteen or teenage years, peer groups play a more powerful role in socialization than family members.
  • Introduction to Social Psychology and Social Perception

    • "Social perception" refers to the first stages in which people process information in order to determine another individual's or group's mind-set and intentions.
    • Social psychology attempts to understand the complex relationship between minds, groups, and behaviors in three general ways.
    • Second, social psychology attempts to describe the influence that individual perceptions and behaviors have on the behavior of groups.
    • Third, social psychology explains the dynamics of groups as behavioral entities.
    • Research in this area investigates the relationships that one group has with another group, and/or the influence one group has on another group.
  • Child Socialization

    • Primary and secondary socialization are two forms of socialization that are particularly important for children.
    • Primary socialization for a child is very important because it sets the groundwork for all future socialization.
    • For example if a child saw his or her mother expressing a discriminatory opinion about a minority group, then that child may think this behavior is acceptable and could continue to have this opinion about minority groups.
    • Secondary socialization refers to the process of learning what is the appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller group within the larger society.
    • Justify the importance of socialization for children, in terms of both primary and secondary socialization
  • Social Movements

    • Social movements can advocate for a particular social change, but they can also organize to oppose a social change that is being advocated by another entity.
    • A social movement organization is a formally organized component of a social movement.
    • However, PETA is not the only group that advocates for vegan diets and lifestyles; there are numerous other groups actively engaged toward this end.
    • In large part, these oppositional groups formed because the women's movement advocated for reform in conservative religions.
    • Discover the difference between social movements and social movement organizations, as well as the four areas social movements operate within
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