Psychology · Ch 7 — Social Influence and Group Processes
What is a Group?
What is a Group?
What Makes a Collection a Group?
Not every gathering of people is a group. Think of a crowd watching a cricket match or an audience at a school function. These people are in the same place at the same time, but they are not connected in any meaningful way. They do not depend on one another, they have no defined roles, no status differences, and no expectations from each other. A group is fundamentally different.
Your family, your class, and the group you play with are genuine groups. In each, members are mutually interdependent — what one person does affects others. Each member has a role, there are status differences, and everyone holds expectations about how others will behave. This interdependence and structure is what separates a group from a mere collection of individuals.
A group is an organised system of two or more individuals who are interacting and interdependent, share common motives, have a set of role relationships, and are regulated by norms.
Salient Characteristics of Groups
Groups have six key features that define them:
- Two or more individuals who perceive themselves as belonging. This sense of belonging gives the group its unique identity and distinguishes it from other groups.
- Common motives and goals. Groups function either to achieve a shared goal or to move away from a shared threat.
- Interdependence. What one member does has consequences for others. For example, if a fielder in a cricket team drops an important catch, it affects the entire team.
- Mutual influence. Members influence each other as they try to satisfy their needs through joint association.
- Interaction. Members interact with one another, either directly or indirectly.
- Structured by roles and norms. Members perform the same functions each time the group meets, and they adhere to group norms — rules that tell members how they ought to behave and what behaviours are expected.
How Groups Differ from Other Collections
A crowd is a collection of people who happen to be at the same place by chance. For instance, if an accident occurs on the road, a large number of people gather. A crowd has no structure, no feeling of belongingness, and no interdependence. Behaviour in crowds is often irrational.
An audience is a collection of people who have assembled for a specific purpose, such as watching a cricket match or a movie. Audiences are generally passive, but they can sometimes become frenzied and turn into mobs. A mob has a definite sense of purpose, with polarised attention and actions moving in a common direction. Mob behaviour is characterised by homogeneity of thought and behaviour, as well as impulsivity.