Overview
This lecture discusses the concepts of groups and social groups, their characteristics, and the factors that lead to the formation of social groups, with examples and expert perspectives.
Definitions: Groups vs. Social Groups
- A group is a collection of people in the same place without necessarily interacting.
- A social group is a collection of people who are aware of their membership and interact with each other.
Characteristics & Requirements of Social Groups
- Social groups require members to recognize themselves and be recognized by others as part of the group.
- Social groups involve patterned interaction and reciprocal relationships between members.
- There should be a binding factor, such as shared goals or interests.
- Social groups have structure or rules and agreed behavioral patterns.
- A process or system for joining the group must exist.
Expert Perspectives
- According to Robert K. Merton, a social group must have interaction patterns, member awareness, and mutual recognition.
- Suryono Soekanto adds five requirements: member awareness, reciprocal interaction, shared binding factors, structure/rules, and entry processes.
Examples & Clarifications
- People waiting at a bus stop are a group, not a social group, due to lack of interaction.
- BTS, Qosidah, WhatsApp groups, and football clubs like Arsenal are social groups because of structured interaction and shared recognition.
- Buying discounted shoes together forms a group, but if relationships and community develop, it can become a social group.
Types of Social Groups
- A dyad is a social group with two members and intense, focused interaction.
- A triad is a group with three members, less intense than a dyad, but more stable if one member leaves.
- Larger groups (more than three) are usually more formal and may include hierarchies, like political parties.
Factors Leading to Social Group Formation
- Common interests or goals.
- Blood ties or shared descent.
- Shared regional or environmental backgrounds.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Group — a collection of people in the same place without structured interaction.
- Social Group — a collection of people who interact and are aware of shared membership.
- Dyad — a two-person social group with intense interaction.
- Triad — a three-person social group, less intense but more stable than a dyad.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the characteristics and factors of social group formation.
- Identify examples of social groups in your own environment.