Chapter 6: Groups and Organizations

Think about the number of social groups, two or more individuals connected by common bonds and shared social relations, of which you have been a member. German sociologist Georg Simmel (1858–1918) studied groups extensively (Simmel and Wolff 1950). The smallest group is a dyad, a group of two people. At the other end of the spectrum, a large group could encompass all 300+ million Americans. Group dynamics are significantly different for small groups compared to large groups. The growth of a group from a dyad to a triad, a group of three members, can change how the group functions. When a third member is added to a conversation, the dynamics can change from intense and meaningful conversation to casual, surface-level interaction. Simmel noted that there might be strategies that lead to competition, alliances, or mediation in a triad. As groups’ size increases, even from a dyad to a triad, the group dynamics become more formal. 

 Once you join social groups, many variables impact how the group will form and function, although there are predictable stages of group development, as depicted in Table 6.1.1.

Table 6.1.1: Group Stages 

Primary groups are small-scale, intimate, face-to-face long-lasting associations (HP), and secondary groups are large-scale, impersonal, task-focused, and time-limited associations. The primary group is small and shares personal and lasting relationships, such as family and childhood friends. Members of primary groups characteristically have the following:

• many shared interests and activities
• emotionally close bonds
• members who spend a lot of time together
• concern for other members’ welfare
• a shared sense of “we”