E-LESSON-5 SOCIOLOGY-1

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B.A.English 2 All right are reserved with CU-IDOL INTRODUCTION TO INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY SOCIOLOGY Course Code: BAQ109 Semester: First SLM Unit : 5 E-Lesson: 5 www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109)

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION 33 After studying this unit, you will be able to: Characteristics of Social Group Every person usually begins the day as a Importance of Social Groups participating member of a social group – generally a family group. Need for Social Groups How social groups play different role in different domains of life. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQQ10190)9) INASllTIrTiUghTEt aOrFe DreISsTeArNveCdE wANithD COUN-LIIDNOELLEARNING

TOPICS TO BE COVERED 4 > Characteristics of Social Groups INTRODUCTION TO > Importance of Social Groups SOCIOLOGY > Need for Social Groups > Important Classifications www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) https://healthpayerintelligence.com /news/community-health-workers-fill- gaps-in-rural-healthcare All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL 5 GROUPS (a) Collection of individuals: Social group consists of people. Without individuals there can be no social group. Just as we cannot have a college or university without students and teachers, we cannot have a group in the absence of people. (b) Interaction among members: Social interaction is the fundamental basis of group life. Hence, mere collection of individuals does not make a group. The members must have some interaction.The limits of social groups are marked by the limits of social interaction among its members. (c) Mutual awareness: Group life involves mutual awareness. Group members are aware of one another and their individual behaviour is determined by this mutual recognition This may be due to “consciousness of kind”. (d) We-feeling: It refers to the tendency on the part of the members to identify themselves with the group It represents group unity. We-feeling creates group sympathy and fosters co-operation among members. (e) Group unity and solidarity: Group members are tied by a sense of unity.The solidarity or integration of a group largely depends upon the frequency, the variety and the emotional quality of the interactions among its members. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL 6 GROUPS (f) Common interests: The interests and ideals of each group are common.In fact, people not only join groups but also form groups for realization of their specific objectives or interests. Form of the group differs depending upon the common interests of the group. Example: There are political groups, religious groups, economic groups, etc. (g) Shared mission:Out of the common interest arise shared expectations. The group members’ work together to complete tasks and accomplish the goals set forth by the group for the benefit of members, people outside of the group or both. The collaborative efforts of a social group are at the core of its identity and existence. Teamwork has to occur to guarantee success of the shared mission. Without collaboration, the group ceases to uphold and represent its values. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL 7 GROUPS (h) Group norms: Every group has its own rules and norms which the members are supposed to follow. These norms may be in the form of customs, folkways, mores, traditions, laws, etc., there may be written or unwritten norms or standards. (i) Similar behaviour: The members of group behave in more or less similar ways for the pursuit of common interests. Social groups represent collective behaviour. (j) Size of the group: It may be small as that of two-member group of husband and wife or as big as a political party having lakh of members. Size has its own impact on the character of the group. (l) Leadership: The ability to direct members in an effective way is essential for a social group www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL 8 GROUPS (m) Sense of order: A group worthy of flourishing is a group which has concrete infrastructure. Having order within the inner workings of the group as well on the surface is essential at the core of its existence and survival. (n) Significance of identity: A social group must have a http://www.upsctoday.com/how-to -study-sociology-for-upsc/ face that exhibits its true purpose.Having a strong identity sets the group apart from other groups www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL GROUPS 9 (i) Belonging: Social groups are needed for survival of all individuals. They fulfil the basic psychological needs of survival and belonging. Feeling needed and wanted, psychologically motivates a person to stride forward and stay mentally healthy. An example of belonging is found in Maslow’s pyramid of psychological hierarchy of needs. (ii) Friendship: Friends make a social group. A social group is not always made-up of friends, however, friendships may form within a group. Spending a lot of time with people builds relationships. (iii) Communication: Communicating promotes well-being. Social groups are a form of communication amongst friends or peers. Communication plays an essential and vital role in life. Communication has many forms and is used in one form or another on a daily basis. It is not mentally healthy to be alone all the time as it often leads to inverted personality traits and depression. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL GROUPS 10 (iv) Family: Social groups do not just consist of friends. Families are also a form of social groups.Family: Social groups do not just consist of friends. Families are also a form of social groups. Families play a vital role by teaching all family members acceptable behavior and beliefs to live by (V) Support: Social groups take many forms. For all individuals they act as a great support system when needed. Groups can identify and unify to help solve every member’s problems or anguish Example: Any addiction rehabilitation programme. (vi) Society: Society has many social groups in co-existence and they exist for many reasons. Example: Protesters unite to express personal beliefs towards an opposing group or force. The purpose of the protest is to accomplish a unified goal www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

NEED FOR SOCIAL GROUPS The social groups are the basic components of society. They in their very nature represent sociality or 11 the sociability of man and therefore are the reflection of the very nature of what we understand about ‘society’ (i) Socialization of Newcomers: In a very simple sense, social groups serve as social factories where an individual or individuality is designed and manufactured according to the established cultural demands of a given society. The social process through which this objective is accomplished is known as socialization. It begins in the family group and extends to the neighbourhood, kinsman, schools, etc. (ii) Social Control through Social Groups: To a great extent, social control is exerted mainly through social groups. (a) An important aspect of social control is how individuals are socialized within a given society. The acquisition of a reasonably good personality is highly conducive to ensure social conformity which is the soul of social order and hence objective of social control. (b) Social action or interaction which constitutes the individuals' social behaviour is the practical manifestation of the true spirit of group culture which includes its patterns, norms, values, ideas, beliefs, etc. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

NEED FOR SOCIAL GROUPS 12 (iii) Preservation and Transmission of Culture through Social Groups: Social groups are the source of preservation and transmission of the culture of a particular society. They inherit it from their forefathers and internalize it. The groups then transmit it with love and affection, in an accumulated form to the succeeding generations through the process of socialization (iv) Social Groups are the Sources of Psychological Security: With all his qualities of being a social and biological being, the individual is a ‘psychological entity’. He is an abode of the feelings of sorrow and happiness. In both the psychological cases, he needs to be either enclosed or appreciated by his nearest and dearest ones. In case of his failure to receive these responses, he may become prone to psychological disorders which in every probability bring the individual closer to deviant and abnormal behaviour. Thus, it is in their respective group, that each individual feels emotionally secure and psychologically satisfied. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

IMPORTANT CLASSIFICATIONS 13 Primary Group: He defined primary groups as “…those characterized by intimate face-to-face association and cooperation”. The essential attributes of the primary group are “intimate face-to-face association”, the “we- feeling or sense of belonging together”. Cooley called it the nursery of human nature. Familiar primary groups include families and children’s play groups. Close friendship groups are also primary. Generally, primary relationships arouse strong emotional responses in people. The members of a primary group provide each other with love and affection, however at the same time are also capable of deeply hurting one another Secondary Group A secondary group tends to be large, formal and impersonal. The interaction between the members is indirect, official and contractual, at times even with a degree of indifference and lack of involvement. Secondary groups have become predominant in our own modern society, as we need to be trained and qualified for various specialized tasks or occupations to earn a good living. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

Other Classifications 14 (i) Ferdinand Tonnies divides groups into ‘Gemeinschaft’ and ‘Gesellschaft’: Gemeinschaft societies have the following characteristics: (a) They are usually small in size. (b) They tend to have simple division of labour and role specialization. (c) Family is the basic unit in such societies and the societies and the social organization revolve around the kinship groups – clans and tribes. (d) Social relationship is of primary nature – durable, personal and emotional. (e) Individual and group behaviour are more influenced by customs and traditions. (f) These societies lack social differentiation and are more homogeneous. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

(ii) Sumner has Classified groups into: 15 In-group and Out-group: In-groups are those to which we belong, we identify with and refer to the members as ‘we’. There are other groups to which we do not belong. Other families, cliques, occupations, races, nationalities, religions are ‘out- groups’ for those who are outside them. (iii) Reference Groups There are groups, which are important to us as models even though we ourselves may not be a part of the group. Reference groups serve as the sources of self-evaluation. Individuals identify with them psychologically. (iv) Community and Association: Community: The term ‘community’ means sharing the basic conditions of a common life. Association: on, the other hand, is a group organized expressly for the purpose of pursuing certain interests. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

KEY WORDS/ABBREVIATIONS 16  Social Group- two or more persons who interact in patterned ways, share beliefs, values and goals, and have a sense of membership  Primary group- intimate face-to-face association  Secondary group- tends to be large, formal and impersonal  Gemeinschaft- homogeneous , small in size and tend to have simple division of labour and role specialization  Gesellschaft- heterogeneous, large in size , complex division of labour and extensive specialization of functions www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

Learning Activity 17 1. Make a note of the different social groups that you are a part of in society. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Identify and explain their characteristics. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 18 1. Society is characterized by both likeness and __________. (a) Goal (b) Group (c) Difference (d) Theory 2. Emotional warmth and spontaneity exist in___ group. (a) Social (b) Primary (c) Secondary (d) Special 3. Groups that serve as sources of self-evaluation. (a) Social (b) Reference (c) In-groups (d) None of the above Answers:1.(c) 2.(b) 3.(b) www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

SUMMARY Social groups serve as social factories where an individual or individuality is designed and manufactured 19 according to the established cultural demands of a given society. To a great extent, social control is exerted mainly through social groups. Social groups are the source of preservation and transmission of the culture of a particular society. Social Groups are the Sources of Psychological Security. According to social scientists, two or more people make up a group when five things are true: (i) First, individuals in a group interact. (ii) The members of a group depend on each other for the fulfilment of their primary and secondary needs. . (iii) Members of a group share common goals or interests. (iv) They share meanings. (v) The members of a group develop a strong sense of ‘we feeling’ and ‘consciousness of kind’. Groups may be formal. Such groups are organized and follow customary patterns of procedure. They possess distinctive culture patterns and established usages or rules that must not be broken. They have stability, length of life and definite structure. However, they impinge upon some of the desires of the members and inhibit personalities in some particulars while giving them freedom in other directions. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION 20 1. Write the need for social groups (For more information see SLM) Ans: Social groups serve as social factories where an individual or individuality is designed and manufactured according to the established cultural demands of a given society. 2. How does a Social group act in society? (For more information see SLM) Ans: Social groups are the source of preservation and transmission of the culture of a particular society. Social Groups are the Sources of Psychological Security. www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

REFERENCES 21 1. Giddens Anthony: Sociology, Polity Press, Ed.2, London 1999. 2. Schaefer Richard: Sociology, McGraw-Hill, 2005. 3. Horton and Hunt: Sociology, McGraw-Hill, Kogakusha Ltd. 4. Leslie, Larson, Gorman: Sociology, Oxford University Press, 1998. 5. Bogardus E.S.: Sociology, The Macmillan Company, 1950. 6. www.allaboutreligion.org/cultural-pluralism-faq.htm 7. www.definitions.net/definition/cultural+pluralism 8. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede%27s_cultural_dimensions_theory 9. www.notredameonline.com/resources/intercultural-management/exploring-the-fivedimensions- of-culture 10. https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Thai_Civilization/Culture_%26_Civilization www.cuidol.in Unit-5(BAQ109) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

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