Tanglag National High School

Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

MODULE 6
Social Groups

GROUP
- is any collection of people who interact on the basis of shared expectations regarding one another’s behavior
( Kornblum, 2003).
- is consist of two or more people who are bound together in relatively stable patterns of social interaction and
who share a feeling of unity ( Hughes and Kroeler, 2009)
- is comprised of two or more persons who are in social interaction, who are guided by similar norms, values
and expectations, and who maintain a stable pattern of relationship over a period of time.
- Is a specified number of individuals where each recognizes members from non-member;
- it is a collection of individuals characterize by:
a. Communication
b. Recognition
c. Specialized roles

 Interaction is the essence of group life.

3 REQUIREMENTS FOR A GROUP

1. There must be two or more people.
2. There must be interaction.
3. The members must be together physically.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE GROUPS

1. Motivational base shared by individuals (based on needs, interests, desires, noble activities, insecurities, or
problems)
2. Size of the group
3. Type of group goals
4. The kind of a group cohesion/unity (the capability to function and interact collectively in the direction of their
goals)

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A GROUP

Group is characterized by the following:
1. A group has identity identifiable by both its members and outsiders.
2. A group has a social structure in the sense that each part or member has a position related to other positions.
3. Each member in a group has roles to play.
4. There is mutual reciprocity among members in a group.

GROUP AS DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHER COLLECTIONS OF PEOPLE LIKE:

1. Aggregate - a simple collection of people who are in the same place at the same time without interacting
with each other
Eg. People inside the movie house, people riding in an LRT/MRT

2. Category - a simple collection of people who share distinctive characteristics (age, sex, race,
income/social class, occupation, religion, political beliefs, ethnicity
Eg. Males/females in the society; the infants; children; youth; adults/ the aged; slum dwellers; the middle class; the
millionaires

3. Collectivity - Collection of people in a given place and time

Eg. Crowds, masses, public and social movements are temporary groups

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

IMPORTANCE OF A GROUP
1. A group is a major source of solidarity and cohesion.
2. A group reinforces and strengthens our integration into society.
3. A group shares basic survival and problem-solving techniques to satisfy personal and emotional needs.
4. A group gives meaning and support to an individual.

HOW IS A GROUP FORMED?

1. The desire to achieve an objective
2. To meet the needs of the individual member
3. People are treated alike by others

CLASSIFICATION OF GROUPS

A. PRIMARY GROUPS B. SECONDARY GROUPS

- personal and intimate relationship - Large

- face to face communication - impersonal, aloof relationship
- permanence duration - indirect communication
- a strong sense of loyalty or “we” feeling - temporary duration
- small in size - weak group cohesiveness based on self-
- informal structure interest
- traditional or non-rational decision-making - rational decision-making
- formal structure
GROUP BOUNDARIES
A. IN- GROUP
- group with which the individual identifies and which gives him sense of belonging, solidarity, camaraderie,
esprit de corps, and a protective attitude toward the other members.
- The members are loyal to each other and share common norms, activities, goals and background.

B. OUT-GROUP
- viewed as outsiders by the in-group;
- Any member of the in-group has insufficient contact with the members of the out-group
- Members of the in-group have feelings of strangeness, dislikes, avoidance, antagonism, indifference and even
hatred toward the out-group

C. REFERENCE GROUP
- Group that is significant to us as models even though we ourselves may not be a part of the group.
- Is one which an individual does not only have a high regard for but one after which he or she patterns his/her
life
- Its central aspect is self-identification rather than actual membership

TYPES OF GROUP BOUNDARIES

A. FORMAL GROUP BOUNDARIES
- groups in which duties and privileges are clearly defined and expectations are
prescribed, independent of the person who happens to occupy a given position
- Individual roles are explicitly designed as president, v-president, secretary, and
treasurer

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

- With constitution or set of by-laws

B. INFORMAL GROUP BOUNDARIES

- Arises spontaneously out of the interactions of two or more people
- They are unplanned, have no explicit rules for membership, and do not have specific
objectives to be attained
- The members exchange confidences, share a feeling of intimacy and acquire a sense
of belongingness.

CONSEQUENCES OF GROUP BOUNDARIES

a. people gain a clearer sense of their diversity
b. ethnocentrism may grow
c. serious personal and social problems may arise

GROUP INTERACTIONS

PROCESS OF GROUP INTERACTION

 Group Interaction refers to the dynamics of the team and the way individuals in the
group interact with one another.

 Social interaction is an exchange between two or more individuals and is a building

block of society.

The three important processes of group interaction are:

1. Cooperation - a form social interaction in which two or more people work together
toward a common end; it implies an active concern for the needs of the group.

2. Competition – struggle between two or more people to attain an objective or goal.

3. Conflict – a process of interaction in which two or more people struggle with one
another for some commonly prized object or value.

Factors Affecting Small Group Interaction:

1. Size
- The smaller the size of a group, the higher interaction.
- The bigger the size of a group, the lesser the interaction.
2. Proximity
- The closer the distance of people, the more the interaction.
- The farther the distance, the lesser the interaction
3. Communication patterns
a. All-channel network
b. Circle pattern
c. Wheel pattern
4. Cohesion
- refers to the degree of attraction members feel for the group.
5. Social Control
- a small group rarely has access to legal or formal sanctions.
6. Decision-making
- a group strives to arrive at a consensus.

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Importance of Group Size in Social Relationship:

 Dyad, a social group with two members, is typically less stable than a group with many
members.
 Social interaction in a dyad is typically more intense than in other groups.
 Triad, a social group with three members, gives stability not found in a dyad.
 A large group with more than three members tends to be more stable than a smaller
one.
 A larger social group usually develops a more formal social structure, a variety of
statuses and roles, and certain rules and regulations that stabilize its operations.

Forms of Social Group

Groups are formed as an assemblage of people who often interact with each other on
the basis of a common outlook concerning behavior and a sense of common identity. A social
group may consist of two or more individuals who do things together with a common goal and
interest.

Examples:

family
relatives
couples
friends
church mate
schoolmate
co-workers
business
neighborhood
organization
team mate
clubs

Group
- is any collection of people who interact on the basis of shared expectations
regarding one another’s behavior ( Kornblum, 2003).
- is consist of two or more people who are bound together in relatively stable
patterns of social interaction and who share a feeling of unity ( Hughes and
Kroeler, 2009)
- is comprised of two or more persons who are in social interaction, who are
guided by similar norms, values and expectations, and who maintain a stable
pattern of relationship over a period of time.
- Is a specified number of individuals where each recognizes members from
non-member.
- it is a collection of individuals characterize by:
a) Communication
b) Recognition
c) Specialized roles

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Three Requirements for a group

1. There must be two or more people.

2. There must be interaction.
3. The members must be together physically.

Factors that influence Groups

1. Motivational base shared by individuals (based on needs, interests, desires,

2. noble activities, insecurities, or problems)
3. Size of the group
4. Type of group goals
5. The kind of a group cohesion/unity (the capability to function and interact
6. collectively in the direction of their goals

General Characteristics of a Group

Group is characterized by the following:
1. A group has identity identifiable by both its members and outsiders.
2. A group has a social structure in the sense that each part or
member has a position related to other positions.
3. Each member in a group has roles to play.
4. There is mutual reciprocity among members in a group.

Group as distinguished from other Collection of People like:

1. Aggregate - a simple collection of people who are in the same place
at the same time without interacting with each other
Eg. People inside the movie house, people riding in an
LRT/MRT

2. Category - a simple collection of people who share distinctive

characteristics (age, sex, race, income/social class, occupation,
religion, political beliefs, ethnicity)
Eg. Males/females in the society; the infants; children; youth;
adults/ the aged; slum dwellers; the middle class; the
millionaires

3. Collectivity - Collection of people in a given place and time

Eg. Crowds, masses, public and social movements are
temporary
groups

IMPORTANCE OF A GROUP
1. A group is a major source of solidarity and cohesion.
2. A group reinforces and strengthens our integration into society.
3. A group shares basic survival and problem-solving techniques to
satisfy personal and emotional needs.
4. A group gives meaning and support to an individual.

HOW IS A GROUP FORMED?

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

1. The desire to achieve an objective

2. To meet the needs of the individual member
3. People are treated alike by others

CLASSIFICATION OF GROUPS

GROUP BOUNDARIES

A. IN- GROUP
- group with which the individual identifies and which gives him sense of belonging, solidarity, camaraderie,
esprit de corps, and a protective attitude toward the other members.
- The members are loyal to each other and share common norms, activities, goals and background.

B. OUT-GROUP
- viewed as outsiders by the in-group;
- Any member of the in-group has insufficient contact with the members of the out-group
- Members of the in-group have feelings of strangeness, dislikes, avoidance, antagonism, indifference and even
hatred toward the out-group

C. REFERENCE GROUP
- Group that is significant to us as models even though we ourselves may not be a part of the group.
- Is one which an individual does not only have a high regard for but one after which he or she patterns his/her
life
- Its central aspect is self-identification rather than actual membership

TYPES OF GROUP BOUNDARIES

1. FORMAL GROUP BOUNDARIES

- groups in which duties and privileges are clearly defined and expectations are prescribed, independent of the
person who happens to occupy a given position
- Individual roles are explicitly designed as president, v-president, secretary, and treasurer
- With constitution or set of by-laws

2. INFORMAL GROUP BOUNDARIES

- Arises spontaneously out of the interactions of two or more people
- They are unplanned, have no explicit rules for membership, and do not have specific objectives to be attained
- The members exchange confidences, share a feeling of intimacy and acquire a sense of belongingness.

CONSEQUENCES OF GROUP BOUNDARIES

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

a. people gain a clearer sense of their diversity

b. ethnocentrism may grow
c. serious personal and social problems may arise

Functions of Social Groups

We typically belong to a certain type of social group, with each group having its own functions.

1. The primary group plays a vital part in the socialization process. It forms the social nature and ideals
of individuals especially in shaping the culture and personality where a person learns social norms,
beliefs, morals, and values.

2. On the other hand, secondary group members tend to relate to others only in specific roles and for
practical reasons. This group helps in fulfilling various types of human needs and brings about social
awareness and social change. Also, this group helps fulfill various special interests in such fields as
sports, dance, music, and others.

3. An in-group may form within our secondary group such as our workmates, group mates, or assembly
which functions as a group of people who can connect with each other because of their sense of
identity and belongingness while out group functions as a competitor or rival group that an
individual is opposed to.

4. Reference group provides a standard of measurement. This group has a strong impact on how a
person thinks and acts as it may serve as guide to a member’s behavior and social norms. Thus,
networks function as a social media influencer.

5. Social networks are influential in a wide range of online platforms used for building social
relationships with other people including sharing of political opinions, likes and dislikes, and can
even show trending societal issues or personalities.

FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS and BUREAUCRACY

A. Organization
1. John Gaus (in Allen, 1958) - Organization as the arrangement of personnel for facilitating the
accomplishment of some agreed purposes through the allocation of functions and responsibilities.
2. White (1953) - Organization is the relating of efforts and capacities of individuals and groups engaged in a
common task.
3. Talcott Parsons, (1960) - An organization is a human grouping or social unit deliberately constructed and
reconstructed to meet specific goals.

Classification of Organization
1. Formal Organization
- a system of well-defined jobs each bearing a definite measure of authority, responsibility, and
accountability.
2. Informal Organization
- refers to the relationship of individuals due to similarity of likes, dislikes, emotions, needs, or
attitudes.

B. Bureaucracy
1. Shepard (1981) - Bureaucracy is characterized by a division of labor based on specialization, a hierarchy
of authority, a system of rules and procedures, written records of activities, full-time jobs, and impersonal
relationship.
2. Kornblum(2003) - A bureaucracy is a specific structure of statuses and roles in which the power to
influence the actions of others increases as one nears the top of the organization.

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

3. Brinkerhoff & White (1988) - Bureaucracy is a special type of complex organization characterized by
explicit rules and hierarchical authority structure, all designed to maximize efficiency.

Aspects of Bureaucracy /Organization

1. Position with clearly defined responsibilities
2. Positions ordered in hierarchy
3. Rules and precedents
4. Impersonality and impartiality
5. The norm of efficiency
6. A career ladder

Limitations of Bureaucracy
1. Alienation and favoritism
2. Ritualism
3. Incompetence
4. Inequality

Problems of Bureaucracy in the Philippines

1. Nepotism and favoritism
2. Perpetuation of the spoils or patronage system
3. Rampant graft and corruption
4. Too much red tape
5. Nepotism and favoritism
6. Nepotism and favoritism
7. Inefficiency of some government officials and employees
8. Official misconduct

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

Name: _______________________________________________________ Date:_________________________

Section:__________________________Score: ___________ Parent’s Signature: ________________
MODULE 6 ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY1: Post Test Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. The Philippines national dragon-boat team represented our country during the SEA Games in the traditional boat
race. They competed against other teams in Southeast Asia. The team considered the opponents of the Philippine
team as their __________.
A. In-group
B. Network
C. Out-group
D. Reference Group
2. Mary is a millennial. This generation is described as socially conscious, ethnically diverse, and optimistic. This
generation is an example of __________.
A. In-group
B. Network
C. Out-group
D. Reference Group
3. Many Pacquaio is one of the world’s greatest professional boxer and a senator of the Philippines. Many boxers
want to follow his footsteps. For them, many Pacquiao is part of their __________.
A. In-group
B. Network
C. Out-group
D. Reference Group
4. Angeline and Pauline joined the HUMSS Core Quiz Bee competition. They placed third among all the
contestants. Their competitors belong to __________.
A. In-group
B. Network
C. Out-group
D. Reference Group
5. Ivanna Alawi is well-known vlogger in the Philippines. She has many subscribers and followers in many social
media platforms. This is called __________.
A. In-group
B. Network
C. Out-group
D. Reference Group
6. Carlo is very close to his parents and siblings. Every summer vacation, the family visits their grandparents in
Samar. In what social group does his family belong?
A. Network
B. Primary Group
C. Reference Group
D. Secondary Group
7. Shirley loves reading novels. She is a member of the Book Lovers Club in her school. In what social group do her
friends in the Book Lovers Club belong?
A. In-group
B. Out-group

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

C. Primary Group
D. Secondary Group

8. Alex is promoted to grade 12 this school year. On his first day of class, he meets Carlo, his seatmate who
becomes his friend. In what social group does his friend Carlo belong?
A. Network
B. Primary Group
C. Reference Group
D. Secondary Group
9. Patty is a nurse in a public hospital. During her vacant time, she joins her colleagues in the hospital canteen to
eat dinner with them. In what social group do her colleague belong?
A. Network
B. Primary Group
C. Reference Group
D. Secondary Group
10. Anne Shirley misses her cousin Diana. She cannot wait to see her cousin to spend her summer vacation with
her. Diana is part of Anne Shirley’s __________.
A. In-group
B. Out-group
C. Primary Group
D. Secondary Group

RESEARCH ACTIVITY: List down three (3) names of your classmates, schoolmates and
neighbors whom you prefer to work with. Give your reasons for preference.

NAMES REASONS FOR PREFERENCE

A. CLASSMATES

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

B. SCHOOLMATES

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

6. __________________________

C. NEIGHBORS

7. __________________________

8. __________________________

9. __________________________

INSTRUCTION: SUPPLY APPROPRIATE ANSWERS FOR THE FOLLOWING:

A. IN YOUR OWN, DIFFERENTIATE A PRIMARY GROUP FROM A SECONDARY

GROUP.

PRIMARY GROUP SECONDARY GROUP

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

B. WHAT CHARACTERIZED AN IN-GROUP VERSUS AN OUT-GROUP?

IN-GROUP OUT-GROUP

C. GIVE EXAMPLES OF A PRIMARY GROUP VERSUS SECONDARY GROUP.

PRIMARY GROUP SECONDARY GROUP

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

D. GIVE EXAMPLES OF YOUR IN-GROUP VERSUS YOUR OUT-GROUP.

IN-GROUP OUT-GROUP

COMPLETE THE TABLE BELOW:

GROUP ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES EXAMPLES/

PROCESSES SITUATIONS

COOPERATION

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

COMPETITION

CONFLICT

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

INSTRUCTION: DEFINE THE FOLLOWING TERMS.

1. SOCIAL GROUP –

2. PRIMARY GROUP –

3. IN-GROUP –

4. SECCONDARY GROUP –

5. REFERENCE GROUP –

MARYBETH N. GARCIA
Tanglag National High School
Tanglag, Rosario, La Union Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

MARYBETH N. GARCIA