Primary social groups include the family. Other types of primary social groups: general characteristics and characteristics

A social group is an association of individuals who share common characteristics: age, gender, interests, position in society, profession, religion and so on. Such a set of people can be of two types: primary and secondary. If in the first group of communications between members personal, in the second they are more formal, business or remote.

What is the primary group?

In a word, we can conclude that this is a meeting of relatives, even relatives. The primary social groups include individuals, between whom relations are established, which are based on the individual characteristics of all members of the association. In addition, people who are members of such a community are highly interested in the affairs of the group, they are equally involved in the process of their decision and discussion. Such fraternities are small: otherwise it would be too difficult to establish close relations between its members.

People have always been interested in the question: do they include the family as the primary social group? The answer back in 1909 was given by the American psychologist Charles Horton Cooley: he was the first to introduce the concept of "social group" and applied it to relatives. According to the findings of the scientist, the family is a classical representative of such a community, as it plays a dominant and decisive role in shaping the character, habits and behavior of children. Later, other close associations of citizens began to be called primary groups.

Who are the primary groups?

First of all, the community, in which there are emotional ties, closeness and solidarity. The latter, by the way, can have not only a group limited level, but also a public scope. The primary group is easily identified among other citizens' associations. It is inherent in:

1. Voluntary character.
2. Relative duration, sustainability of existence.
3. A small number of people.
4. Their spatial affinity.
5. General forms of behavior, values and moral standards.
6. The same informal and moral ways of establishing discipline.

In addition to the family, the primary social groups include a school class, a course at the institute, a meeting of friends, members of one sports team or an applied circle. It is in this close circle that a person receives his initial socialization, conscious of the connection with society and its members. In the primary social group, the personal mentality of the individual is formed, its ideology and model of behavior that will be inherent to it in adulthood.

Characteristic

Primary social groups include individuals that are related to direct and personal relationships, rather than general rules or specialized regulations, such as in the collective of any labor organization. Therefore, we can identify the main features inherent in such a brotherhood:

• At this level, people perceive each other not as bearers of social statuses and positions, but as personalities.
• Between the individuals, friendly relations are established: trusting, emotionally colored.
• Evaluating each other, they pay attention to the character and inner world of a comrade, and not to the productivity of his work. For example, if there is a dvoechnik in the class, but he is a sensitive, kind and sympathetic boy, he will be loved and respected on a par with others. At the same time, an honors pupil can be hated if he is a liar, a coward and a slobber.

In a word, the primary social groups include people who easily find mutual understanding. There is no emotional neutrality inherent in the standard rules and staffing schedules.

A family

The brightest representative of the primary social group. Each of its members has its own roles, established historically: the man is the getter, the woman is the keeper of the hearth, the children are worthy heirs of the common family business. Although, as already mentioned, people in this structure are very close, so they easily agree on changing their activities. There is an exchange of roles or their complementation. In addition, the scope of household functions varies depending on social status, education, spiritual development. The higher these characteristics, the richer the life of the family, higher its cultural level, more interesting life.

The primary social groups include the family, class and course, because it is in them the most clearly expressed structural characteristics. Despite this, the friendly team is also enlisted here: there is no hierarchy in it, but there is a close connection between the members of the collective. These structures unite the community of interests of individuals, warm feelings between them, the ability to forgive and understand. People who are members of the primary social group, what is most important, love each other. And even if the relationship between them deteriorates over time, they can easily restore them and again become close and dear.