List of Social Groups- Types & Examples of Social groups PDF

List of Social Groups- Types of Social Groups PDF. Examples of Social groups. Also, Types of Social Groups in Sociology

Social Groups

Social groups refer to many groups in a society formed by more than two people who communicate regularly to achieve individual and their respective group goals. The people in the same group share similar characteristics, mutual expectations, and shared identity. Many groups have been prevalent in society for thousands of years, such as learning groups, work-group, self-help groups, etc. The social group is divided into many small groups. However, a social group is also known as a small group when a small number of people create the group. Small group communication is significant to achieving the group goal.

Group communication has many stages, tensions, and conflicts, so members need to maintain all the challenges to achieve the final goal. According to Tuckman’s Theory, the five stages of group discussion are Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Members must need to overcome all these stages to achieve the independent and interdependent goal. Additionally, the four types of barriers in group communication are Ethnocentrism, Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination.

List of Social Groups or Types of Social Groups

The 10 Types of Social Groups are:
  1. Primary Group
  2. Social Group
  3. Self-help Group
  4. Educational or learning Group
  5. Service Group
  6. Civic Group
  7. Work-Group
  8. Public Group
  9. Virtual Group
  10. Also, Political Group

Based on the research, the author has revealed a list of the top 10 types of social groups—the list of the top 10 types of social groups with the overall purpose and example given below.

Examples of Social Groups
1. Primary Group

Firstly, Satisfy primary needs (needs for inclusion [affiliation, belonging] also affection [love, esteem]. Interpersonal communicative behaviors are self-disclosure, empathy, trust, and perceived understanding. Some textbooks also use “long-standing group” because of long-term relationships.

For example, the Nuclear family, Roommates, Several friends who meet daily around a table (best friends), and co-workers who regularly share Coffee breaks are under the primary group.

2. Social Group

Some textbooks also use “secondary group,” usually formed to do work. Completing a project, solving a problem, and also making a decision. Although an intimate relationship can develop, the social group shares a common interest or engages in a shared activity.

For example, Athletic Teams and Peer Groups are social groups.

3. Self-help Group

To offer support and encouragement to members who want or need help. A self-help group refers to individuals who share a common problem or life situation. Anonymous and support groups are available on the Internet, providing health, personal, or relationship issues.

For example, Doctor Budak and MyEndosis is a self-help group.

4. Educational or Learning Group

Usually, the Educational or Learning Group primarily discovers and develops new ideas and ways of thinking.
This group is intended to enhance members’ skills, abilities, also cognitive processes.  Members hope to gain additional knowledge or improve behavior.

For example, professional workshops and health and fitness classes (Yoga) are educational and learning groups.

5. Service Group

The service group comprises volunteers who donate their time, energy, and effort to help others in need of a particular service or who lack something to help them lead a functional life. The task of this group is to help someone less fortunate. To support worthy causes that help people outside the group.

For example, PT Foundation and Kiwanis is a service groups.

6. Civic Group

A civic group is formed to support worthy causes that help people within the group.

For example, Fire and Police Auxiliary Groups are civic groups.

7. Work-group

Work-group is, also known as decision-making and problem-solving groups (solving and dealing with specific issues)-Occur within an organizational context. Members complete particular tasks and routine duties on behalf of an organization whose members take collective responsibility for the job.

For example, Standing committees, Taskforces, and Management Teams are workgroups.

8. Public group

A public group is focused on discussing important issues in front of or for the benefit of the public. However, the members of this group are key decision-makers.

For example, Symposiums, Panel discussions, and Forums are public groups.

9. Virtual Group

The task-oriented group can collaborate across time, space, and organizational boundaries. Virtual group members work interdependently on a task but from different physical locations via communication technology. This group evolves into a virtual community or a group that meets regularly in cyberspace for members to share their experiences, opinions, and knowledge on a particular topic or interest. Virtual groups communicate via virtual meeting platforms, such as Google Meet, Zoom meetings, Microsoft Teams, etc. 

For example, a CEO from another country is a virtual group.

10. Political Group

A political group discusses crucial political party issues and contributes to countries’ well-being.

For example, the Democratic Party and Liberal Party is a political group.

Types of Social Groups PDF
List of Social Groups- Types of Social Groups & Examples of social group. Social groups Definition & Examples. 10 Types of Social Groups are Primary group, Social Group, Self-help Group, Educational or Learning Group, Service Group, Service group, Work-group, Public group, Virtual Group, Political Group.
Types & Examples of Social groups pdf

Advantages and Disadvantages of Small Group Communication PDF

Small-Group Communication Advantages and Disadvantages. Six Benefits or Advantages of Small Group Communication. Also, Disadvantages of Small Group Communication.

Small-Group Communication

Small group communication refers to the intercommunication among a small number of people who communicate regularly to achieve a shared goal. It is also known as a small group discussion or team interaction. Small group communication is essential for group learning. The vital features of group communication are Goals, Members, Interaction, Interdependence, and Working. These elements are inevitable to conduct small group communication. The members are the primary elements of the group communication who form the small group to achieve a common goal. For example, a small group of students communicates regularly to complete group assignments.

Definition of Small Group Communication 

The definitions of small group communication by different scholars are as follows:

A small group is an interaction between two or more individuals who interact over time to achieve common group goals or achieve individual goals valued by each member who believes that this group can help them achieve them (Bormann and Bormann, 1980).

A limited number of people who communicate face-to-face share a common understanding of an interdependent goal, influence one another, and express a sense of belongings to the group (Schultz, 1996).

Two or more persons interact with one another so that each person influences another person (Jones, George, and Hill, 2000).

According to David and Chris (2009), a small group as a few people engaged in communication interaction over time, in a face-to-face or computer-mediated environment with common goals and norms and has developed a communication pattern for meeting their goals in an Interdependent manner.

Small group members encounter a few stages and barriers to achieving the individual and group goals. According to Tuckman’s theory of group discussion, the five steps of small group communication are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Additionally, the four barriers in group communication are ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination.

Examples of Small Group Communication

The ten examples of small group communication are nuclear family group communication, assignment small group communication,  co-worker group communication, self-help group communication, educational group communication, learning group communication, service group communication, work group communication, virtual group communication, sports team Communication, and political group communication. These groups are also known as the example of Social Groups.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual communication has become very prevalent in our society. Politicians, students, employees, and businessmen create a virtual group to communicate via virtual meeting platforms. The employees create meeting minutes to keep a record of the meeting discussion. People also build small groups to achieve personal, educational, and professional goals. Students conduct a virtual meeting for group study.

Characteristics of Small Group Communication

The five characteristics of small group communication are members, goals, interactions, working, and interdependence.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Small Group Communication

Every group communication is intended to achieve a common goal. Thus, group members communicate to achieve their individual and shared goals. However, every group discussion or communication has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, the benefits of Small Group communication are superior performance, Greater member satisfaction, Greater civic engagement, More learning, More creativity, Enhanced cultural understanding, and so on. In contrast, the disadvantages of small group communication are more time, energy, and resources, conflict, social loafing, blaming for shared errors, sleeping members, and scheduling problem.

Based on the study, the author has outlined a list of the advantages and disadvantages of Small Group Communication.

Firstly, the author will discuss six advantages of a small group or team communication or discussion. After that, discuss six disadvantages of a small group or team communication or discussion.

Small Group Communication Advantages and Disadvantages
Small-Group Communication Advantages and Disadvantages

Six Advantages of Small Group Communication

  1. Superior performance
  2. Greater member satisfaction
  3. Greater civic engagement
  4. More learning
  5. More creativity
  6. Enhanced cultural understanding
1. Superior Performance

According to MIT Management Professor Peter Senge: “If you want something really creative done, you ask a team to do it, instead of sending one person off to do it on his her own.” Groups make better decisions also solve problems incredibly complex and unclear problems. Finally, groups share the workload among group members.

2. Greater Member Satisfaction

Social benefits – the opportunity to make friends, socialize, receive peer support, and feel part of a unified and successful team or group. The more opportunities group members have to communicate with one another, the more satisfied they are with the group experience.

3. Greater Civic Engagement

You can apply theories, methods, and tools to better engage in service to the community you learn in a group communication course. 

4. More Learning
  • A group provides many resources to work on a problem
  • “Synergistic” effect (Buckminster Fuller, the architect of the geodesic)
  • Synergy = the sum is more significant than its parts
  • Members can also learn from other members
  • New members learn from veterans; similar amateurs learn from experts.
  • They also learn more about how to work as a group in contrast to just merely topics they discuss.
  • It also helps in the decision-making process.
  • It is the product of interacting individuals stimulating one another so that what emerges is a product that no one member could accomplish working alone.
  • Additionally, it allows group members to share collective information, stimulate critical thinking, challenge assumptions, and raise achievement standards.
  • In the academic context, collaborative learning promotes higher individual achievement in knowledge acquisition, retention, accuracy, creativity in problem-solving, and higher-level reasoning.
5. More Creativity

The key to creativity is the mental flexibility required to mix thoughts from our many experiences. Groups provide a creative multiplier effect by tapping more information, brainpower, and insights.

6. Enhanced Cultural Understanding

Members differ in characteristics, life experiences, cultures, interests, and attitudes. Therefore, group members get a chance to enhance their cultural understanding of others. Working effectively = understanding, respecting, and adapting to differences in members’ skills, experiences, opinions, behavior, and differences in gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, race, status, and worldviews.

Six Disadvantages of Small Group Communication
  1. More time, energy, and resources
  2. Conflict
  3. Social Loafing
  4. Blaming for shared errors
  5. Sleeping Member
  6. Scheduling
1. More Time, Energy, and Resources
  • A group needs more time, energy, and resources to discuss issues and analyze and resolve problems. In contrast, less time, energy, and resources are required when an individual works alone.
  •  A group does not have a long attention span; instead, it has a short attention span (David Berg, 1967). However, a long attention span is inevitable to complete a task within the period.
  • In group communication, there tend to get side-tracked.
  • Similarly, topics that do not pertain to the discussion at hand may be brought up.
2. Conflict
  • Disagreement = aggressive also disruptive
  • Group members are often confronted with an individual who wants to take over; therefore, conflict exists in group communication.
3. Social Loafing

Social loafing refers to the idle activity of a person or group member who pays less effort than other members to achieve a goal. They work very well alone to complete their tasks but spend less effort working in a group. Therefore, sometimes, social loafing stimulates to makes a group less productive.

4. Blaming for shared errors

A proverb says that to err is human. Errors come from personal and group activities; therefore, it is essential to identify the root cause of errors and the person who creates them. Sometimes, group members do not acknowledge shared mistakes; instead, they blame each other. Therefore, blaming for shared mistakes might increase conflict among group members which reduce productivity.

5. Sleeping Member

Sleeping members are always barriers to reducing production in Small groups because they do not achieve the goal.

6. Scheduling Problem

Scheduling a group or team meeting is a great challenge that the group faces regularly. Usually, all group members are not available to join the meeting simultaneously for their busyness. Hence, it reduces group productivity not for scheduling regular meetings among members. Therefore, scheduling group meetings is essential in increasing group members’ commitment.

Conclusion

The advantages and disadvantages of small group communication have been discussed elaborately in this article so that readers get an idea about small group or team communication. Of course, the group or team must take the necessary steps to communicate effectively among group members. However, reducing the disadvantages of small-group communication will surely increase productivity.

The Rationale for Studying Small Group Communication

Firstly, we live among many small groups; for example, your family group and groups of close friends. Additionally, colleagues at work, social and recreational clubs, athletic teams, and many more. In addition, The world of work—government, politics, health, a business group. The work reliance on small groups of experts to gather, interpret and present data to the decision-makers in their organizations. Similarly, Learning how to act and react in a group can help you overcome anxiety and uncertainty. Finally, Help you diagnose and improve your performance.

Citation for this Article (APA 7th Edition)
Kobiruzzaman, M. M. (2023). Small-Group Communication Advantages and Disadvantages. Best Online Learning Platform. https://newsmoor.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-small-group-communication-pros-cons/
References

Berg, D. M. (1967). A thematic approach to the analysis of the task‐oriented, small group. Communication Studies18(4), 285-291.