sociology

1. UNIT -4

2. Social groups and Processes:
 The meaning and classification of groups
 Primary & Secondary Group
 In-groupV/s. Out-group,
 Class,Tribe, caste
 Economic, Political, Religious groups
 Mob, Crowd, Public and Audience
 Interaction & social processes
 Co - operation, competition, conflict
 Accommodation
 Assimilation & Isolation

3.  Man is social animal.
 His daily life is made up largely of participating
in groups.
 According to Merton, three elements are must
for a group:
Two or more individuals,
Social relationship which is the result of interaction among
individuals and
For individual, it must be that he/she should feel
himself/herself the member of group and should have ‘we’
feeling for that group.

4.  Social groups consists of a number of
people who have a common identity,
some feeling of unity, and a certain
common goals and shared norms.
 “Social interaction takes place in the
context of social groups”.

5.  “Whenever two or more individuals come
together and influence one another; they
may be said to constitute a social group”.
- Ogburn and Nimkoof
 By group we mean any collection of human
beings who are brought into social
relationship with one another”.
-Mac lver and Page

6.  A social group may be defined “as two or more
persons who are in communication over an
appreciable period of time and who act in
accordance with a common function or purpose”.
-Eldredge and Merrit
 A social group may be as number of persons two or
more, who have some common objects of attention
who are stimulating to each other, who have
common loyalty and participate in similar
activities”.
- Bogardus

7.  Collection of individuals
 Interaction among members
 Sense of ‘we feeling’ & ‘unity’
 Common ideas , values & interest
 Group rules or norms
 Stability
 Similarity of behaviour among the
group member.

8. NUMBERS
PERMANENCY /
STABILITY
WE FEELING FUNCTIONS
SOCIAL
RELATIONS
Stable Quasi Un-
stable Voluntary Involuntary
Large
Group
Small
Group
In group Out group Primary Secondary

9.  George simmel ,Johnson, and Homans told
about the small groups and large groups.
 They considered that small groups are
important basis of society.They include
family, kinship. locality etc. in small groups.
 They considered nation, state, etc.as a large
group.

10.  There are two groups, stable and unstable.
 The groups which are made forever like
family,kinship and educational institution are
stable groups.
 The other groups like crowd, passangers,
audience, etc. who are for short time are unstable
groups.
 Group which is in the middle of stable and
unstable is Quasi group. It has the lack of
structure and organization. E.g.Social class,status
group,age and sex groups.

11.  This classification is given by summer in his book
‘Folkways’.
 In- group:
 In –group is also known as ‘We’ group.
 The individual belongs to number of groups which are in this
group.
 The members of such group identify themselves with one
another and with the group as whole.
 Out-group:
 It is as “They’ group.
 The out-group consists of those persons, whether formally
organising or not, toward whom we feel a sense of
indifference, avoidance,competition or conflict etc.

12.  On these basis, Giddins told for 2 groups are:
1.Voluntary group:
 In these group,We can change our group
depends on our wish.
 E.g.Teachers group, professional group etc.
2. Involuntary group:
 Membership is fix
 We cannot change our group.
 E.g. Family, caste etc.

13.  A reference group is a group to which we compare
ourselves.
 Sociologists call any group that individuals use as a
standard for evaluating themselves and their own
behavior a reference group.
 There are some particular individuals in society
whose standards or values become the ideals for
other people and imitated by them.
 Thus, in reference group, a person considers to
another person or group as an ideal.
 That group is reference for him because he wants
to be like them or him.

14. 1. Primary Group:
 “Primary group means two or more persons
behaving in relation to each other in a way that
is intimate, cohesive and personal.”
 E.g. Family, play group, Neighbourhood etc.
2. Secondary Group:
 “Secondary Groups are those which do not have
face to face relationships and they have
competitive relationships rater than mutual.”

15.  Social class
 Business organization
 Political parties
 Labor union Etc.

16. PRIMARYGROUP SECONDARYGROUP
Small size Large size
Limited no. of members Unlimited no. of members
Physical proximity is must Physical proximity is not must
Stable relationship Unstable relationship
Informal and personal relationship Formal and impersonal relationship
We feeling is found Lack of We feeling
Mutual cooperation Competition
Direct face to face relationship Indirect face to face relationship
Involuntary membership Voluntary membership

17. Primary group Secondary group
1.
Meaning
Groups which characterized
by face to face relationships,
mutual aid and
companionships.
E.g. Family, neighbourhood,
community, play group etc.
Groups which provide
experience, but lacking
in intimacy.
E.g. Political parties,
trade union, factory,
religious association,
SNA,TNAI etc.
2. Nature
of social
relation
Social relation are face to
face, direct, intimate,
personal, non-specialised,
non-economic character.
Social relation are not
face to face, indirect,
impersonal,
specialised, more
economic character.

18. Primary group Secondary group
3. Size Small size Large size
4. Social
proximity
Physical proximity is
must
Physical proximity is
not must
5.Communication Direct face to face
relationship
Indirect face to face
relationship
6. Group interest Interest of members
are not specific but
general.
Interest of members
are specific.

19. Primary group Secondary group
7. Nature of
cooperation
Mutual cooperation Competition
8. Group
structure
Very informal group
structure
Formal group structure
9. Durability: The groups are relatively
durable.
Groups are temporary
or permanent.

20. Primary group Secondary group
10. Effect on
personality
The group has a long
lasting influence on the
personality development
of members.
The impact of the
group on the
personality of the
members is limited.
11. Nature
of group
control:
Informal and primary
social control
Formal and secondary
social control
12. We
feeling
Each person in a primary
group has “we feeling” of
belonging to one unit.
No strong “we feeling”.