Types of Groups by Cooley: Primary and Secondary Groups.

(caps)Humans are social beings. They live together and form a society. Although they make society, neither they can see it nor can they touch it. But what all they can do is that they can perceive the society, they can feel the presence of society all around them. When a human being takes birth, he or she has certain needs to fulfill for which he/she depends on other individuals. In this process, he/she interacts with other individuals of society and establishes social relationships. These social interactions take place between two or more individuals. The whole collection of individuals in which social interaction takes place is called as ‘Social Group’. It is the group in a form or the other which fulfills various needs of an individual. It provides a medium for social interaction.

(toc) #title=(Table of content)

Anderson and Parker (1966) give a comprehensive definition of group, “Groups are units of two or more people meeting in the same environment, or overcoming distance by some means of communication, who are influencing each other psychologically. The distinctive bond of the group is reciprocal interaction. Friends in conversation, a committee in action and children playing together are examples.”

In social work, understanding the classification of groups is crucial for effective intervention and support. Groups can be broadly categorized into primary and secondary groups, with each serving different functions and roles in social interactions.

Types/Classification of Groups

A very important classification of groups was made by C.H. Cooley (1909). On the basis of his works two types of groups were identified i.e. PRIMARY and SECONDARY groups. Although, Cooley has never mentioned the term ‘secondary group’ in his writings but other scholars have popularized the term secondary group to those groups which do not fall in the category of primary groups.

(getButton) #text=(Social Work Material) #icon=(demo)(getButton) #text=(Social Casework) #icon=(demo)(getButton) #text=(Social Group Work) #icon=(demo)(getButton) #text=(Teaching Job) #icon=(demo)(getButton) #text=(Assistant Professor Jobs) #icon=(demo)(getButton) #text=(Govt. University Jobs) #icon=(demo)(getButton) #text=(Private University Jobs) #icon=(demo)

Primary Groups 

These are small, intimate groups where individuals engage in long-term, emotionally significant ways. They serve expressive functions, focusing on emotional needs rather than pragmatic ones. The family is a classic example of a primary group, consisting of individuals who have the most impact on our socialization.

In short, these group are those groups in which a small number of persons come into direct contact with one another. There is sense of mutual co-operation, companionship and sharing of personal feelings. They are small groups and every person necessarily belongs to any of the primary groups. Due to their important nature, they form the nucleus of the social organization. Importantly the primary group formation includes 

1.) Close face-to-face proximity 

2.) Smallness of the group 

3.) Durability of the bond  (alert-success)

Characteristics of Primary Group

1. Small size of the group
2. Stability and durability
3. Continuity in the relations
4. Common objectives of the group
5. The relations are ends in themselves
6. Relationships are spontaneous
7. Personal relationships
8. Inclusive relations among members
9. Control over the members

Importance of a Primary Group

1. It helps in development of personality
2. It increases the efficiency of an individual
3. It fulfills the psychological needs.
4. It helps to transfers the culture from one generation to another
5. It carries cultural norms of the society within the society
6. It provides means of social control and helps maintaining the social order
7. It ensures the performance of social roles in accordance with society norms

Examples of primary group

The Army Group: Soldiers form primary groups with their commandants and form informal relationships within formal settings in order to defend its members against the arbitrary authority of officers. 

The Peer Group: Boys and girls of the same age group and approximately same social background, as in a class, form a primary group and have personal social interaction which also helps in their personality development. 

The Clique: It is a form of friendship developed between two or more persons which bring them into joint activity. It satisfies the emotional needs of a person to be loved and respected by his peers. example, clique of Indian students in Australian universities.  (alert-success)

Secondary Groups:

Primary groups play a vital role in a person’s life; however, there are secondary groups which fulfill their maximum needs in life. In secondary groups, the relations are formal, impersonal, segmental and utilitarian. These groups are less intimate as the level of interaction is restricted at a formal level. They do not give close identity to its members as primary groups do. In secondary group, we very often interact with people of diverse background because we need their services and we have certain obligations to fulfill. In short, these are larger, impersonal groups that are often task-focused and time-limited. They serve instrumental functions, meaning their role is more goal- or task-oriented than emotional. Examples include classrooms or offices.

Characteristics of Secondary Group

Dominance of secondary relations: Secondary group relations can be seen in reference to primary relations. Secondary group relations are impersonal, indirect, non-inclusive and utilitarian. Members are connected to each other through contractual obligations or interests. Due to self-interest, individuality develops among the members.

Voluntary membership: Individuals are free to join or leave the group at any point of time i.e. membership of these groups are predominantly voluntary. But in case of secondary groups like ‘state’, membership becomes compulsory. 

Large in Size: Unlike a primary group, physical proximity is not the condition for secondary group and so size of secondary group becomes large. They might spread all over the world. 

Goal Oriented: Secondary groups are formed in order to fulfill the needs of the individuals. They serve the special functions in the society. Every secondary group emerges in response to specific purpose and joins the people having same type of need. 

Indirect communication: Mode of communication among the members of secondary group is indirect. In many of the cases, group members seldom or rarely or never come into direct contact to each other. They rely on different forms of mass media communication which include radio, telephone, television, newspaper, movies, magazines, post and telegraph etc. 

Role decides a person’s position: In secondary groups, position of a person depends upon his role. Socially achieved status and its corresponding role remains the key factor behind the position of a person in the secondary group. His position is not being decided by his ascribed status neither he is treated on the basis of his birth.

Examples of secondary group

A group of co-workers: A group of people working together in the same organisation form a secondary group as they have impersonal relations but spends most of the time together in the organisation.

Clubs: Clubs are formed in order to fulfill some of the requirements of social life as fun clubs or sport clubs for entertainment, charity clubs for contributions or donations, hobby clubs for leisure pursuits and many more. These clubs are utilitarian in nature and form a secondary group as members of the group are less intimate.  

University or college: University or a college also form secondary group as they are segmental in nature. People are dependent on colleges for educational requirements but it reflects just a part of their personality and people form formal contacts. (alert-success)

Other Groups

Reference Groups: 

These are groups to which individuals compare themselves, providing a standard of measurement. Reference groups can include peer groups, cultural centers, workplaces, family gatherings, and even parents. They play a significant role in guiding behavior and establishing social norms.

In-Groups and Out-Groups: 

These are subtypes of primary and secondary groups. In-groups are groups to which individuals feel a sense of belonging, while out-groups are those from which individuals feel excluded. The distinction between in-groups and out-groups can influence group dynamics and behavior.

At last, the concept of groups is central to understanding society and human interaction. Groups can be formed based on various criteria, including exclusionary criteria, and can transform into in-groups with clearly defined out-groups. Technology has also changed primary and secondary groups, with online connectivity potentially creating more and separate primary groups. Understanding these classifications helps social workers identify the types of groups individuals are part of, which in turn influences their approach to providing support and intervention.