SOC 1100 Chapter 7: Chapter 7.docx
Document Summary
A group is made up of people with shared experiences, loyalties, and interests. Such a loosely formed collection of people in one place is a crow rather than a group- the right circumstances can change this into a group. Social groups fall into one of two types, depending on their members" degree of personal concern for one another. People joined in primary relationships spend a great deal of time together, and show real concern for one another. In every society, the family is the most important primary group. Primary groups are the first groups we experience in life. Secondary groups have characteristics opposite to those of primary groups, involving weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one another. Most secondary groups are short term, and include many more people than in primary groups. People in primary groups display a personal orientation whereas in secondary groups they display a goal orientation.
