Psychology Assignment
1st Year, Semester 2
Name- Disha Dixit
B.A. Programme (Philosophy + Psychology)
Roll No.- 210218
Ms. Soni Jaiswal
Gargi College, Delhi University
Question- Define groups. Discuss different types of groups with
relevant characteristics and examples.
The interaction of multiple minds, thoughts and behaviors in a social environment is
important to social psychologists and how humans behave. The state of social interaction
refers to the reciprocal influence individuals exert on one another through inter-stimulation
and response.
Groups are everywhere. We have group of friends in college, group of our religious
community, group of officials in a company. We all are members of many different groups.
Some of those groups are formally organized such as your citizenship in a nation while other
groups are more informal such as a group of friends.
Many authors and psychologists have put forward the definition of the term groups.
Some suggest that common face is critical, some have stated a form of social structure or
face-to-face interaction necessary to form groups. According to American Psychology
Association (2022), in social psychology, the term ‘groups’ refers to two or more
interdependent individuals who influence one another through social interactions that
commonly includes structures involving roles and norms, a degree of cohesiveness, and
shared goals. Some examples of groups could be a family living together, a group of
employees working in an organization, a group of classmates etc.
Indian culture has its own various types of groups and its meaning. “A group is a
collection of people who are perceived to be bonded together in a coherent unit to some
degree” (Brown, Dasgupta, Banaji & Abelson, 1999). A group of individuals are mostly
interdependent on each other, have common goals and motives. A group is also often
structured by a set of roles and norms and group members satisfy each other’s needs though
joint association and influence.
Groups are central to most people’s lives, and group life certainly cannot be
eliminated. There is a need to communicate effectively and in a coordinated manner to
produce some desired outcomes in groups. Groups differ in many respects. Some have large
members (e.g., country), some have small members (e.g., family). Some groups are short-
lived (e.g.,) function organizing committee at school) while some remain together for years
(e.g., religious groups). There are many types of groups based on a variety of different
criteria to differentiate them.
1. Common-bond Groups- it involves face-to-face interaction among group members.
The individuals in the group are bonded together.
These groups are characterized by the personal attraction of the individuals to one another.
An example of this type of group is a group of family or friends.
2. Common-identity Groups- the members of this group are linked via the category as
a whole rather than to each other with face-to-face interaction often being absent.
The attachment to the group is more or less independent of the attractiveness towards the
individual members of the group.
An example of this type of group is a gender group or a religious group bonded together
through a common religion (identity).
Another division of people into groups was done by Lickel et al. after his experimental
research in 2000 concluding which he divided groups into four categories- intimacy groups,
task groups, social categories and loose association groups. Some group characteristics based
on which they were divided included interaction, entitativity (the degree to which a collection
of persons is perceived as being bonded together in a coherent unit (Campbell, 1958)),
common goals, similarity, duration, size etc. Characteristics of these types of groups in detail
are-
1. Intimacy groups- they were considered important to their members and provide
closeness and attachment to others proving they are high on interaction and
entitativity.
Members intrinsically value each other for who they are, not merely for what they get
out of the relationship.
Equality of membership is important in intimacy groups, so a concern about balance
in outcomes among group members is seen in them (common goals and outcomes).
The group has a high degree of similarity, are fairly small, of long duration and low
permeability.
Some examples are family members, group of friends or romantic partners.
2. Task groups- these groups basically exist because of a common goal and when there
is a job to be done.
They often have a hierarchical structure, with a clear leader and differentiation of
roles among members.
In addition, members are willing to invest effort in a task to the extent that they get
something in return, and to the extent that the group functions in an equitable manner.
Common goals can make them have high interaction, moderate amount of entitativity,
similarity and duration until a particular task for which the group was formed comes
to an end.
Example of this type of group are jury members, cast of a play or a sports team.
3. Social Category Group- these groups are very large and sometimes too large and
disconnected to work together as an organized unit.
Therefore, need of a strong leadership or authority is of high importance in these
groups.
They are rated low on importance of members to each other, with low levels of
interaction, common goals and outcomes, and member similarity and are of long
duration and low in permeability.
Examples of this type of group could be women, blacks or Americans which is a very
large groups with a common goal pertaining to their own respective community.
4. Loose Associations- are restricted in focus and only temporarily important (e.g.,
concern over some new development in a neighbourhood; a need to exit a theatre
because of fire)
Therefore, interactions in such groups are mainly driven by self- interest.
They are low on entitativity, do not have any common goals or motives, exist for a
very short duration of time and are not similar at all.
Some examples of this group could be people at a bus stop or in a cinema hall living
in the same area.
There are many other ways in which a group could be divided. For example, primary groups
and secondary groups is the division of groups based on the amount of contact, in-group and
out-group differentiated on the basis of identification, formal and informal groups divided on
the basis of rules and regulations set for a group. There is a group in almost every social
setting.
Evolutionary psychologists suggest that groups are necessary for our survival. Brewer and
Carpel (2006) argue that interdependence among group members is the primary strategy for
survival among humas and central to the species survival. They satisfy one’s social and
psychological needs such as sense of belongingness, attention etc. and are important part of
our lives.
References
Lickel, B., Rutchick, A., Hamilton, D., Sherman, S., (2004). Intuitive theories of group types
and relational principles. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 42 (2006) 28–
39. https://thehumanrelationslab.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/lickel-et-al-2006b.pdf
Nijstad, B., Knippenberg, D., (2007). The Psychology of Groups: Basic Principles. Black
Well Publishing.
https://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/hewstonesocialpsychology/chapters/
cpt12.pdf
Baron, R., Branscombe, N., Byrne, D., (2017). Social Psychology. 14th Edition. Pearson.
