Social Groups

Introduction:
Social groups are everywhere and are a basic part of human life; everywhere you
look there seems to be groups of people! A main focus of sociology is the study of
these social groups.
Definition:
“A social group consists of two or more people who regularly interact and share a
sense of unity and common identity. In other words, it's a group of people who see
each other frequently and consider themselves a part of the group”.
State social interaction refers to reciprocal influence indivisual exerts on one
another through inter stimulation and response .this state of social interaction or
inter influence is a compulsory characteristics of a social group.
A group of boys discussing the last vast movie is a social group because through
their verbal interaction they influencing on there are influencing one another.
Example
A family living in a home group of employees working in a same organization
,group class mates ,a group of members of a meeting and so on.

Primary Groups:
No two groups are created equal. Each typically has its own purpose, culture,
norms, etc. Sociologists differentiate between several different types of social
groups. In this lesson, we'll discuss primary groups, secondary groups, and
reference groups. Primary groups are those that are close-knit. They are typically
small scale, include intimate relationships, and are usually long lasting. The
members of primary groups feel a strong personal identity with the group. The
nuclear family, which consists of a pair of adults and their children, is a good
example. Members of a nuclear family typically interact on a daily basis. For them,
the family is an important source of identity and purpose. Love and affection bind
the family members together, and their relationships are enduring. Even when
members move away from each other, they are still a part of the family. Although
the nuclear family is considered the ideal primary group by some sociologists, it is
not the only example. Many people are also a member of a group of close friends.
This group is usually small, and the relationships are still close-knit and enduring,
so it is also a primary group. The term 'primary' is used with these groups because
they are the primary source of relationships and socialization. The relationships in
our primary groups give us love, security, and companionship. We also learn
values and norms from our family and friends that stay with us for most, if not all,
of our lives.

The concept of Primary Group is given by C.H Cooley. Primary groups have
following characteristics:

1. There is face-to-face interaction among its members.

2. There are frequent interactions among its members.
3. The relations among the members are too personal, intimate and intense.
4. There is a sense of ‘we-feeling’ in the members.
5. The members possess similar background attributes such as language,
interests, culture, religion etc.
6. There is physical proximity among the members.
7. These groups are smaller in size.

Examples: Family, Neighborhood, Local brotherhood, Close friends and peers.

1. Primary groups have a great importance. For instance, the family

provides food, shelter and care to a kid. An individual learns his culture
and develops a healthy personality within his primary groups to become
a productive citizen of the society.
2. “The nuclear family is an example of a primary social group”

Secondary groups
Are another type of social group. They have the opposite characteristics of primary
groups. They can be small or large and are mostly impersonal and usually short
term. These groups are typically found at work and school. An example of a
secondary group is a committee organized to plan a holiday party at work.
Members of the committee meet infrequently and for only a short period of time.
Although group members may have some similar interests, the purpose of the
group is about the task instead of the relationships. Sometimes, secondary groups
become pretty informal, and the members get to know each other fairly well. Even
so, their friendships exist in a limited context; they won't necessarily remain close
beyond the holiday party. Other common examples of secondary groups are class
project groups, college classes, sports teams, work teams, and neighborhoods. All
of these groups are only temporary - even if they last for a year - and the
relationships within the group are fairly shallow and typically touch-and-go. Of
course, there are times when we do meet people in secondary groups that become a
part of one of our primary groups. This demonstrates that the distinction between
primary and secondary groups isn't always absolute or concrete. You may meet
your best friend at work or school in a secondary group, and he or she then
obecomes a member of your primary group.

Example: A classroom project group is an example of a secondary social group

The concept of Secondary Group is given by Maciver. Secondary groups have

following characteristics:

1. The group is formed by relations secondary to the primary group.

2. There is comparatively less face-to-face interaction.
3. There is comparatively less frequent interaction.
4.  The relations among the members are impersonal and secondary. These
relations are relatively less personal, less intimate and less intense.
5. The members have specific aims or interest to achieve.
6. There is less physical proximity among the members.
7. These groups are larger in size.

Examples: A shopkeeper-customer relation, A doctor-patient relation, An

advocate-client relation, A teacher-student relation, A candidate-voter relation
Reference Groups
Reference groups are groups that we look to for guidance in order to evaluate our
behaviors and attitudes. They are basically generalized versions of role models.
You may or may not belong to the group, but you use its standards of measurement
as a frame of reference. For example, if a teenager wants to know if she is slim
enough, she may use supermodels as a reference. Or, if a recent college graduate is
unsure if an offered salary is fair, he may use the average starting salary of
graduates from his school as a reference.
Frequently, people hope to be identified with their reference groups (especially if
they aren't members of them), so they try to act like those they think typify these
groups. If your reference group is a particular athletic team, you will dress, speak,
and act quite differently than if your reference group is a local wine club. So, a
reference group helps to shape not only a person's expectations and outlook but
also appearance and style

   ON THE BASIS OF IDENTIFICATION

W.G Sumner has divided social groups into two types: In-group and Out-group.

In-group:
A group, to which we directly belong, is called our in-group. It can be our own
family, tribe, sex, occupation, games or interest group. For example, if I am player
of a cricket team, my cricket-team is in-group for me. A religious group is in-group
for its followers. A geographical community is in-group for its residents. The term
‘in-group’ is used when an individual wants to identify himself with a group or
show an association with his group, such as by saying: We are Americans. We are
English. We are Christians. We are Muslims. We are students. We are doctors. We
are musicians.

The members of in-group have a sense of ‘we-feelings’ and belongingness towards

their in-group.

 Out-group:
A group, to which we do not belong, is called an out-group. It can be any group of
others (not ours) including a family, tribe, ethnicity, sex, occupations or interest
groups. For example, If I am a student of Psychology, the students of psychology
are in-group for me, but the students of any other discipline (other than
psychology) are an out-group for me. The term ‘out-group’ is used to distinguish
one’s identity from that of others or to compare one’s identity to that of other, such
as by saying: We are Americans (in-group) and they are Indians (out-group). We
are Muslims (in-group) and they are Christians (out-group). We are doctors (in-
group) and they are engineers (out-group).

There is a sense of ‘they-feeling’ while referring to an out-group.

   ON THE BASIS OF RULES AND REGULATIONS

There are two types of social groups on the basis of rules and regulations: Formal
and Informal Group.

  Formal Group
It is a group that has well-defined rules and regulation for joining the group,
staying in the group and leaving the group. Those, who fulfill these rules and
regulations, can join and engage in the activities of the group. The membership can
be canceled if the member violates the rules. The examples include organizations,
banks, hospitals, educational institutions, official associations and firms and so on.

   Informal Group
It is a group which has prescribed rules and regulation for joining the group,
staying in the group and leaving the group. Any person can join the group,
participate in it and leave it whenever he wants. For example, a group of students
sitting in playground and gossiping with one another. Any other classmate can
come and join it. Other examples include: People gathered to see a Joker in a
public place, informal clubs and associations.

   ON THE BASIS OF STRUCTURE

Sanderson has divided social groups on the basis of structure into three types:
Voluntary, involuntary

   Involuntary Group
It is a group that an individual cannot join or leave by his or her own choice. For
example, a family is an involuntary group because an individual has no control
over his birth - to be born or not born in a specific family. Similarly, the sex-group
is an involuntary group to which we are born without our choice and we have no
control on changing our sex-group (e.g. from male to female or vice versa). Age-
group is also an involuntary group. We belong to our age group which changes
with growth but we have no control on changing our age group.

   Voluntary Group
It is a group that an individual can join or leave by his or her own choice. For
example, you can join people watching a game in the playground, you can become
a student in a college, and you can join an organization and so on. Sometimes, you
are required to fulfill criteria to join a voluntary group but still, it is in your control
to fulfill the criteria and join it.
Social groups in Pakistan:
Punjabi
are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group and they are the largest ethnic group in
Pakistan by population, numbering approximately 91 million people and thus
consisting of 44.7% of Pakistan's total population of 200 million. The Punjabis
found in Pakistan belong to groups known as biradaris (literally 'brotherhood'),
with further divisions between the zamindar or qoums, traditionally associated with
agriculture, and moeens, traditionally associated with artisanry.
Some zamindars are further divided into castes such
as Jat, Shaikh, Khatri, Khandowa, Gujjar, Awan, Arain and Syed. Ethnicities from
neighbouring regions such as Kashmiris, Pashtuns and Baluchis also form a
sizeable portion of the population of Punjab, especially in metropolises such
as Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Faisalabad. A large number of Punjabis
descend from groups historically associated with skilled professions and crafts,
such as the Sunar, Lohar, Kumhar, Tarkhan, Julaha, Mochi, Hajjam, Chhimba
Darzi, Teli, Lalari, Qassab, Mallaah, Dhobi, Mirasi, etc.The Pakistani Punjab is
relatively religiously homogenous, with 97% of the population adhering to Islam
(with small Hindu, Sikh and Christian minorities). Notable Punjabi-Pakistanis
include Nobel laureate Abdus Salam, cricketer Wasim Akram and
economist Mahbub al Haq.
Pashtuns
 (also referred to as 'Pukhtuns' or 'Pathans'), an Indo-Iranian ethno-linguistic group, are
Pakistan's second largest ethnicity (consisting 15% of the population). They are native to
the region known as Pashtunistan, an area west of the Indus River including the provinces
of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan, constitute a significant diaspora
community in the cities of Lahore, Punjab and Karachi, Sindh and are also a major ethnic
group among the 1.7 million Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers in Pakistan. They
speak Pashto, an Iranian language, and are divided into tribes such
as Afridi and Yousafzai. They make up an estimated 35 million of Pakistan's total
population and are adherent to Sunni Islam. Notable Pakistani-Pashtuns include former
president Ayub Khan, incumbent prime minister Imran Khan, cricketers Shahid
Afridi and Shaheen Afridi, actor Fawad Khan and Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai.
Sindhis
The Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who speak the Sindhi
language and are native to the Sindh province of Pakistan and they are Pakistan's
third largest ethnicity (consisting 14% of the country). Sindhis are
predominantly Muslim. Sindhi Muslim culture is highly influenced
by Sufi doctrines and principles and some of the popular cultural icons of Sindh
are Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Jhulelal and Sachal Sarmast.[8]
Saraikis
The Saraikis also known as Multanis, are an ethnolinguistic group in central and
southeastern Pakistan, primarily southern Punjab. Their language is Saraiki, which
has similarities to Punjabi and Sindhi.
Muhajirs
Muhajirs (meaning "refugees") are also called "Urdu Speaking people." Muhajirs
are a collective multiethnic group who emerged through the migration of Indian
Muslims from various parts of India to Pakistan starting in 1947, as a result of the
world's largest mass migration. The majority of Muhajirs are settled in Sindh
mainly in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpur Khas. Sizable communities of
Muhajirs are also present in cities including Lahore, Multan, Islamabad,
and Peshawar. Muhajirs held a dominating position during the early nation
building years of Pakistan. Most Muslim politicians of the pre-independence era
who supported the Pakistan movement were Urdu speakers. The term Muhajir is
also used for descendants of Muslims who migrated to Pakistan after the 1947
partition of India.
Baloch
The Baloch as an Iranic ethnic group are principally found in the east of
Balochistan province of Pakistan. Despite living south towards the Gulf of
Oman and the Arabian sea for centuries, they are classified as a northwestern
Iranic people in accordance to their language which belongs to the northwestern
subgroup of Iranic languages.
According to Dr. Akhtar Baloch, Professor at University of Karachi, the Balochis
migrated from Balochistan during the Little Ice Age and settled
in Sindh and Punjab. The Little Ice Age is conventionally defined as a period
extending from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, or alternatively, from
about 1300 to about 1850. Although climatologists and historians working with
local records no longer expect to agree on either the start or end dates of this
period, which varied according to local conditions. According to Professor Baloch,
the climate of Balochistan was very cold and the region was inhabitable during the
winter so the Baloch people migrated in waves and settled in Sindh and Punjab.
Kashmiris
Kashmiri are a Dardic (subgrouping of Indo-Aryan) ethnic group native to
the Kashmir Valley and Azad Kashmir. The majority of Kashmiri Muslims are
Sunni. They refer to themselves as "Kashur" in their mother language. Kashmiri
Muslims are descended from Kashmiri Hindus and are also known as
'Sheikhs'. Presently, the Kashmiri Muslim population is predominantly found
in Kashmir Valley. Smaller Kashmiri communities also live in other regions of
the Jammu and Kashmir state. One significant population of Kashmiris is in
the Chenab valley region, which comprises
the Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts of Jammu. There are also ethnic
Kashmiri populations inhabiting Neelam Valley and Leepa Valley of Azad
Kashmir. Since 1947, many ethnic Kashmiri Muslims also live in Pakistan. Many
ethnic Kashmiri Muslims from the Kashmir Valley also migrated to
the Punjab region during Dogra and Sikh rule and adopted the Punjabi language.
Surnames used by Kashmiris living in Punjab include Dar (Dhar), Butt (Bhat),
lone, Mir, Khuwaja (a term used by converts just like sheikh), Wain (Wani),
Sheikh (Saprus), etc. Kashmiri language, or Kashur, belongs to the Dardic group
and is the most widely spoken Dardic language

3-Conclusion
a social group's size has a significant impact on its members' interactions and
relationships. A dyad is a social group that consists of two people and is considered
the most basic and fundamental social group. A triad consists of three people and is
considered more stable than a dyad because the third group member can act as
mediator during conflict. As a group's size continues to grow, stability increases,
but one-on-one relationships deteriorate, and loyalty and individual contributions
decrease.
Regardless of a group's size, all of us have ways of differentiating members of the
group from nonmembers. Any group that you belong to or identify with is your in-
group. Anyone outside of your in-group is considered to be part of the out-group.
In-group favoritism is the tendency of people to favor their in-group and think that
it is special and unique. Likewise, out-group derogation is the tendency of people
to feel threatened by the out-group and think of it as less worthy or commonplace.