Group of people who develop roles and interact in the same community
The concept that concerns us in this review has a recurrent use in the field of sociology to designate with it that set of individuals who display reciprocal roles within the same community.
Essential characteristics of the social group
its structured shape and its long duration over time These are the two characteristics that mainly allow us to distinguish it as such, because those who compose it, basically, act through the same norms, values and with the same purposes, which will be the ones that ultimately contribute to the common welfare of the group in question.
Meanwhile, it will be a condition without equanom to form a social group that exists common identity or sense of belongingIn this, it will have nothing to do with the members having the same sociocultural level in order to carry out their task, but rather what will make them work is that common identity, working on the same project.
We integrate groups to achieve common goals
If one carefully observes a society, one will come to the conclusion that it is made up of great heterogeneity because each person is unique and unrepeatable, we will never be able to find two equal people even if they were raised together and under the same conditions and models, we are all different ... Meanwhile, individuals as unique people make up societies and complete them with our personal traits. In this macro context, there appear the groups that are different people but who decide to join together because they have similar characteristics that bring them closer together. Social groups usually come together and develop activities and projects in the company of those peers with whom ideas are shared, among other issues.
The human being will always interact with the environment that surrounds him and relates to the rest, forming groups that will be more or less large and of course that will have different purposes. Now, in all the groups there is a common mission because if this did not happen it would not really be a group.
For example, an individual interacts socially with his co-workers, shares hobbies with other peers who like the same things, maintains friendships with whom he goes out to have fun, and also makes friends from high school or college. All of them will make up social groups.
When what prevails and tips the balance when it comes to integrating or not a social group is an economic criterion, then, we will actually be dealing with a social class and not a group.
The social group, in addition to being the main constitutive piece of the social structure, turns out to be the first space in which individuals put roles and statuses into practice. Once in the group, the norms that will regulate it will come only from the inside, that is, some will be promoted, then they will be dictated and finally they will be accepted in order to be fulfilled.
Types of groups
There are two types of groups, primary and secondary. The primary is the family and more than anything, its reason for being, will be given by the daily coexistence. The type of relationship that is established in this is personalized and its members are irreplaceable once they disappear for x reasons.
And the secondary schools, including school, work, sports teams, are characterized by being formed by affinity issues, common projects, cooperation and freedom at the time of agreement between their members.
Among the main characteristics that the group must observe to last are the following: each member will play a role, there must be fluid communication and contact between the components, existence of norms and interests.
The importance of integrating a social group
In short, we should say that all people need to relate to their peers, it is not for nothing that we are born into a family. All social groups, from family to friends in life, provide us with various benefits that directly converge in making us feel better, love, strength and motivation when we need it, they give us a sense of belonging so that we can commit ourselves even more to the group and add to our self-esteem and recognition that we all need to feel good and loved.
When this does not happen, when a person is alone and isolated, has no friends, no family, no group of belonging, among others, he will feel a tremendous emptiness and pain that will isolate him from society and of course will bring him emotional difficulties. In a group life is more bearable, loneliness disappears.
