Types of Social Group

An individual belongs to many groups — family, club, cricket team, etc.​ Some memberships are permanent (family); others are temporary (relief camp).​ Some are by birth (family, caste, religion); others are by choice (football club).​ Groups subdivide - family members form sub-groups (husband-wife, son's cricket team).​ All groups are different, so they must be classified.

• Size — from a two-member dyad to millions (a country).​
• Permanence — from a 5-day relief camp to lifelong family membership.​
• Geography — tribe, coastal, hills, plains, eastern, western communities.​
• Determinants — blood relationship (family) vs. shared interest (book club).

Primary Groups:

• Small, intimate groups with close personal relationships.
• Membership is usually given by birth, not chosen.​
• Face-to-face interaction with warm emotional bonds.​
• Less permeable — members cannot simply leave (e.g., you can't quit your family).​
• Central to shaping values, personality, and social identity.​
• Examples: Family, close friends, playmates, neighbours, caste, religion.

Secondary Groups

• Larger, impersonal, goal-oriented groups voluntarily joined.
• Interaction is indirect and infrequent.​
• Relationships are formal and role-based, not emotional.​
• More permeable — easy to join and leave.​
• Members work together toward a common goal using agreed-upon rules.​
• Examples: Political party, hobby group, office colleagues, club membership.

Formal Groups

• Roles, functions, and rules are explicitly and officially stated.
• Has a chain of command — decisions flow top-down.​
• Formed on the basis of specific rules or laws.​
• The behaviour and conduct of members are rigidly coded.​
• Examples: Army, university, office, school.

Informal Groups

• Behaviour is not rigidly coded — no official written rules.
• Decisions are made mutually in informal settings.​
• Held together by close personal relationships.​
• More flexible and homogeneous in structure.​
• Examples: Family, neighbours, close friends.

In-Groups

• The group a person belongs to — referred to as "we/us."
• Members are perceived positively with desirable and admirable traits.
• Generates feelings of loyalty, solidarity, and commitment.​
• Boosts the self-esteem and identity of the person.​
• Based on factors like race, religion, age, sex, and occupation.

Out-Groups

• Any group a person does not belong to — referred to as "they/them."
• Members are often perceived negatively with undesirable traits.
• Can lead to prejudice, bias, and discrimination.​
• Modern society promotes cultural diversity, reducing harmful out-group thinking.​
• India's composite culture in art, architecture, and music celebrates plurality.​

• Conducted by Henri Tajfel to find the minimum condition for in-group favouritism.
• British schoolboys grouped by painting preference (Kandinsky vs. Klee).​​
• Group members' identities hidden — only code numbers used.​
• Children distributed money between in-group and out-group recipients.​
• Result: Children favoured their own group despite a trivial grouping criterion.
• Proved that arbitrary group membership alone triggers in-group favouritism.​
• Laid the foundation for Social Identity Theory (SIT).​​

• Primary groups – Close, face-to-face, emotional relations (e.g., family).
• Secondary groups – Impersonal and goal-oriented (e.g., political party).
• Formal groups – Have clear rules, structure, and defined roles (e.g., office).
• Informal groups – No fixed rules, based on personal relations (e.g., friends).
• In-group – “We” group; viewed positively.
• Out-group – “They” group; often viewed negatively.
• Tajfel’s finding – People favour their own group even when groups are formed on small differences.