Social Groups

Estimated time: 9 minutes

CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12

Definition: Group

A group may be defined as an organised system of two or more individuals who are interacting and interdependent, who have common motives, have a set of role relationships among its members, and have norms that regulate the behaviour of its members.
In social psychology, a group is defined as ‘two or more interacting persons who share common goals, have a stable set of role relationships, are somehow interdependent, follow a set of norms that regulate their behaviours, and perceive that they are in fact a part of the group.

CISCE: Class 12

“A small group is usually of 2 to 10 persons who have common objects of attention, jointly attempt at problem solving and decision making, who are strongly stimulating each other, who have common loyalty, and participate in similar activities.” - Kuppuswamy
“A small group is a small number of persons with intimate relationships with each other, who collectively and vigorously work for the group's goal.” - Borgardus

CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12

A group is an organised system of two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who share common goals, roles, and norms.
Groups create a sense of belongingness (“we-feeling”) and influence the socialisation, personality, and behaviour of individuals.
A group is different from a crowd, audience, or category because it has structure, interdependence, stable relationships, and shared goals.
Primary groups (e.g., family) have close relationships and strong influence, while secondary groups (e.g., school, clubs) are less intimate.
Small groups (2–10 members) provide better interaction and understanding of behaviour compared to large groups.
Teams are special types of groups where members have complementary skills, shared responsibility, and coordinated efforts.
Social influence changes attitudes through three processes: compliance (conformity), identification (influence of groups), and internalisation (influence of persuasive sources).