SOC 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Ingroups And Outgroups, Formal Language, Georg Simmel
Document Summary
A social group is a set of people who believe that what they have in common is significant: this provides the people with a sense of belonging and intimate relationships. There are many different types of groups: primary groups. These groups include family and friends, those who have given you a sense of identity. Includes the people that interact with you in intimate face-to-face associations. Primary groups can make people feel loved, but when these groups fail to meet basic needs they can produce dysfunctional people. The values and attitudes of the primary group will be fused into who you are. The primary group becomes the mirror within: secondary groups. These groups are larger, more anonymous, more formal, and more impersonal. They are based on shared interests or activities. Often break down into primary groups, as secondary groups do not meet people"s needs for intimate association.
