What Is a Social Group?

When two or more people get together to share ideas, spend time in activity, share personal experiences and or stories in the hopes of influencing others, this is a social group. Social groups work toward the same common goal, which can be anything at all. There are rules and definitions within the idea of social groupings, but in the end, social groups are made up because of common interests, beliefs or identity.

Primary Social Groups

• A primary social group is a group of people who share an intimate emotional bond and spend time together frequently. Examples of primary social groups are family and close friends.

Secondary Social Groups

• A secondary social group is a group of people who share a formal association, such as work, school or support groups. Secondary social groups can last for years or end after a short time. However, many of the intimate bonds of the primary social group are founded within the secondary social group.

Categorical Group

• A categorical group is a group of people who share a similar identities and have specific similarities in goals. This group of people can fall into either the primary or secondary social group. Examples of a categorical group can be religious groups, political groups or an addiction-support group. The people within the group share the same values but do not necessarily have an intimate bond.

Aggregate Group

• The aggregate group is a group of individuals who are always in the same place but not always together. These relationships are almost always in the secondary social group. Examples of the aggregate group are places of institutional organizations like employment and education. Once any relationship becomes bonded within the aggregate group, it moves into the primary social group.

Collective Groups

• Collective groups are groups of people who come together for a short time to accomplish a certian task based on a strong belief. An example of a collective group would be volunteers for the American Red Cross during a catostrophe, such as Hurricane Katrina. These relationships start out in the secondary group but can evlove into primary relationships.

Association Group

• Association groups are a groups of people who come together on a regulare or set basis and work toward a common goal. Examples of association groups are support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Over Eaters Annonymous or cancer groups. These relationships usually begin and stay within the secondary group because of their sensitive nature, though at times they move into the primary group.