CHAPTER 4

THE HUMAN GROUP

 “No man is an island; no man stands alone;

each man is my brother, each man is my friend.”

The desire to be with others

gives rise to the belief that sociability

is part of the human condition.


Composed of 2 or more
persons interacting with
each other, guided by a set
of norms.
SOCIAL INTERACTION
- the most important
criteria in the concept of
group
THE CONCEPT OF
GROUP
A specified number of
individuals where each
recognizes members as
distinct from non-members.
SOCIAL GROUP
- people who interact
recurrently in a patterned
way
- constitute a distinct social
unit
implied meanings (3)
1. A set of individuals w/ some
similar characteristics(age,
occupation).
- sharing of traits (social category)
1. Any number of individuals who
meet occasionally/regularly.
- common presence, minimum
awareness of others
1. A specific number of individuals
where each recognizes members
from non-members.
- common association, awareness of
others, socially shared goals
 THE CONCEPT OF GROUP

SOCIOLOGISTS SOCIAL GROUP differs from:

- What makes a group is the fact that

people interact. (1) SOCIAL AGGREGATES

- made up of people who don’t interact w/ one

another
ANTHROPOLOGISTS
- don’t consider temporary association to have
- What’s important in any social group any meaning
is the product of their association, the
culture that’s formed. - don’t share a purpose

(2) STATISTICAL GROUP / CATEGORIES

- consists of people classified together

because they share certain characteristics
 CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUPS

Joseph Fichter:
Generally,
1. A group must be identifiable, both by its
members and by outside observers.
1. Permanence beyond meetings and
members, even when members are 2. The group has a social structure. Each
dispersed member /person has a position related to
other positions.

2. Means for identifying members 3. There are individual roles in the group.

4. Reciprocal relations are essential to the

group.
3. Mechanisms for recruiting new
members 5. Every group has norms of behavior that
influence the way in w/c the roles are
enacted.
4. Goals or purposes
6. The members of the group have certain
common interests and values.
5. Social statuses and roles 7. Group activity must be directed towards
some social goal/s.

6. Means for controlling members’ 8. A group must have relative permanence, a

behavior measurable duration over a period of time.
 COMMON BASES FOR GROUPS
- the strongest tie that binds human beings in their social relations
COMMON ANCESTRY

- “blood” groups

- related by birth, marriage or adoption

TERRITORIAL
PROXIMITY
- groups are identified with the name of the place where they
are

BODILY
CHARACTERISTICS - widely used in modern societies

- racial features are still a basis of imposed social groupings

COMMON INTERESTS
- “interest” group

- the proliferation of scientific, business and professional

association Is an indication of tremendous variety of this group
 BASIC CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOCIAL
GROUPS

Charles H.
Cooley

PRIMARY GROUP SECONDARY

GROUP

- a group that is characterized by “intimate face-

to-face relationships, close association and - are groups in w/c relationships are
cooperation. impersonal and widely separate

• less intimacy among the members

3 BASIC PRIMARY GROUPS

1. Family • have specific goals

2. Children’s play groups • organized and impersonal

3. Neighborhood/community groups
 BASIC CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOCIAL GROUPS
Joseph Fichter
PRIMARY GROUP SECONDARY
GROUP

• Small Physical Conditions • Big number

number • Short duration
• Long
duration Social Characteristics

• Intrinsic valuation of the relation • Extrinsic valuation of the relation

• Intrinsic valuation of other persons • Extrinsic valuation of other persons
• Inclusive knowledge of other persons • Specialized/limited knowledge of other persons
• Feeling of freedom and spontaneity • Feeling of external constraints
• Operation of informal controls • Operation of formal controls

• friend – friend • clerk – customer

• husband – wife • announcer – listener
Sample Relationships
• parent – child • performer – spectator
• teacher - pupil • officer - subordinate

• play group • nation

• family Sample Groups • church hierarchy
• • professional association
village/neighborhood • corporation
• work-team
 BASIC CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOCIAL
GROUPS
Based on Distinction Based on the Organization of the group

- unique racial, ethnic, religious, social 1. INFORMAL GROUP

characteristics, experiences
- arises out of the interactions of 2 or more persons
- special interests, residential location
- unplanned

- have no explicit rules for members and

recruitment

- don’t have specific objectives to be attained

2. FORMAL GROUP
William Graham Sumner,
- purpose and objectives are explicitly labeled
1. IN-GROUP
- roles and statuses of individuals are specifically
- a group that members use as a point of defined
reference
- norms of behavior are formalized in the form of
2. OUT-GROUP policies and regulations

- exists in the perceptions of the in-group - groups have names

members and uses them as a negative point
of reference - often governed by constitution and laws
 BASIC CLASSIFICATIONS OF SOCIAL GROUPS
TYPES OF SOCIETY
Ferdinand Toennis,

1. GEMEINSCHAFT SOCIETY 2. GESELLSCHAFT SOCIETY

- of pre-industrial societies

- relationships are close, durable and highly valued by

the members - of industrial societies

- members live together and develop common - social relationships tend to be impersonal
experiences, interests, memories and histories and segmented

- a high degree of conformity w/ the customs, - work environment is governed by contract

folkways and values of the community and highly specialized roles

- “mechanical solidarity” (Durkheim), unity is based - a mix of social networks and organization
on similarity of objectives, traits and experiences
 THE GROUP’S INFLUENCE ON THE INDIVIDUAL
SOCIAL FACILITATION SOME PEOPLE CONFORM, REASONS FOR NOT
VIOLATING THE NORMS
- a situation in w/c an individual is stimulated by
the presence of others
1. Norms develop and conformity occurs because
individuals seek other with similar
SOCIAL INHIBITION characteristics.

- a situation in w/c the presence of others blocks

or retards one’s performance 2. Based on Aristotle’s notion of distributive
justice, rewards in society are passed out
according to what one does.
GROUP PRESSURE

- exerts a powerful influence on the member’s 3. Conformity – seen as rewarding because it

opinions confers social acceptance

- people may modify privately held opinions to Deviancy – viewed as costly because it brings
conform to those of others social discomfort, may result in various forms
of punishments

GROUP DISCUSSION

- pays an important role in shaping one’s

attitude and behavior

- attitudinal change is easily accomplished in a

group context
 DIMENSIONS OF GROUPS

1. SIZE 5. COHESIVENESS

- social relationships range in numbers from 2 persons
up to the entire population
- used by sociologists to distinguish types of groups
2. STRUCTURE
- refers to the patterning of actual behavior
3. NATURE OF GOALS
- social relationships are geared toward the achievement
of specific goals or ends
- the degree to w/c members of a
group cooperate
Usually measured through the ff.
(Researchers ask individuals to,)
a. list a specified number of friends
b. rate their feelings toward the group as
an entity
c. to evaluate their sense of belonging to
the group

4. IDENTIFIABILITY OF MEMBERS d. The individuals rank whether they

want to remain in the group.
- used by sociologists to catalogue social relationships
using the yardsticks of whether or not a person
recognizes other individuals
 FORMAL STRUCTURE: BUREAUCRACY

- a formal, rationally organized and highly

organized social structure w/ clearly defined
patterns of activity

- a good way to get things done and to limit

corruptions

Features include:

1. Specialization

2. Merit Appointment

3. Impersonality

4. Chain of command to see that orders are

faithfully followed
 WEBER’S MODEL OF BUREAUCRACY

MAX WEBER

- a German sociologist

- provided the first detailed study of the nature and origins of bureaucracy

- Bureaucracy
~ “the most efficient and desirable form of social organization for the administration of
work”

- a model of bureaucracy w/c he developed

- useful to accentuate/exaggerate reality in certain situation in order to understand an

idea better
 SIX CHARACTERISTICS OF BUREAUCRACY
1. A clear-cut division of labor

- each member of the department/unit has a defined status and duty as well as specialized skills
appropriate to his or her position

2. Hierarchical delegation of power and responsibility

- each position is given sufficient power

- one who occupies it can do assigned work that’s acceptable
- oblige subordinates to follow instruction

3. Rules and regulations

- the rights and duties attached to various positions are clearly stated in writing and govern the behavior
of all individuals who occupy the positions

4. Impartiality

- the organization’s written rules and regulations apply equally to all its members

5. Employment based on technical qualifications

- promotions and job security go to those who are most competent

6. Distinction between public and private spheres

- the employer’s personal life is distinguished from his or her working life
 BUREAUCRACY TODAY – THE REALITY
Less than ideal bureaucracy may result in the ff:

1. ALIENATION

- term used by Karl Marx

- the sense of loss and disconnectedness that is supposed to be present among workers in capitalistic
societies

2. RITUALISM

- over conformity (accordance) to rules

- when failure to follow rules is seen as lack of loyalty to the organization, rules may become absolute and
following them may become a required ritual

3. INCOMPETENCE

- (theory) all positions in a bureaucracy will eventually be filled by individuals who are incompetent to
perform what is required for them

PETER PRINCIPLE

- popularized by Laurence J. Peter & Raymond Hull

- employees are promoted until they rise to their “level of incompetence”