Social Groups

Meaning of Social Groups:
A social group consists in an interaction with two or more people. As a result of this interaction, the members of a group feel a common sense of belonging (belonging groups). They are bound by a sense of unity. Their interest is common and their behavior is similar. They are bound by the common consciousness of interaction. Viewed in this way, a family, a village, a nation, a political party or a trade union is a social group.

The essence of the social group is not physical closeness or contact between the individuals but a consciousness of joint interaction. This consciousness of interaction may be present even there is no personal contact between individuals. For example, we are members of a national group and think ourselves as nationals even though we are acquainted with only few people.

Characteristics of Social Groups:
  - Mutual Awareness: a more aggregate of individuals cannot constitute a social group unless reciprocal awareness among them.
  - One or more Common Interests: groups are mostly formed for the fulfillment of certain interests.
  - Similarity of Behaviour: for the fulfillment of common interest, the members of a group behave in a similar way.
  - Group Norms: every group has its own ideals and norms and the members are supposed to follow these.
  - We-feeling: tendency on the part of the members to identify themselves with the group.

Classification of Groups:
There are several examples of different classifications of social groups:
  - Dwight Sanderson has classified groups into three types on the bases of structure such as involuntary, voluntary and delegate groups. An involuntary group is that to which man has no choice, which is based on kinship such as the family, tribe or clan. A voluntary group is one which a man joins of his volition or wishes. A delegate group is one to which a man joins as a representative of a number of people either elected or nominated by them. Parliament or Assembly is a delegate group;
  - Sorokin, an American sociologist, has divided groups into two major types – the vertical and the horizontal. The vertical group includes persons of different strata or statuses. But the horizontal group includes persons of the same status. A nation, for instance, is a vertical group, while a class represents horizontal grouping.