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PrimaryGroups

PrimaryGroups
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Aprimarygroupistypicallyasmallsocialgroupwhosemembersshareclose,
personal,enduringrelationships.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVE
Listatleastthreedefiningcharacteristicsofaprimarygroup

KEYPOINTS
Primarygroupsaremarkedbyconcernforoneanother,sharedactivitiesandculture,andlongperiodsof
timespenttogether.Theyarepsychologicallycomfortingandquiteinfluentialindevelopingpersonal
identity.
Familiesandclosefriendsareexamplesofprimarygroups.
Thegoalofprimarygroupsisactuallytherelationshipsthemselvesratherthanachievingsomeother
purpose.
TheconceptoftheprimarygroupwasintroducedbyCharlesCooleyinhisbook,SocialOrganization:A
StudyoftheLargerMind.

TERMS

group
Anumberofthingsorpersonsbeinginsomerelationtooneanother.

Closefriends
Theyareexamplesofprimarygroups.

relationship
Connectionorassociationtheconditionofbeingrelated.

EXAMPLES
Aprimarygroupisagroupinwhichoneexchangesimplicititems,suchaslove,caring,concern,support,
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etc.Examplesofthesewouldbefamilygroups,loverelationships,crisissupportgroups,andchurch
groups.

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FULLTEXT

Sociologistsdistinguishbetweentwotypesofgroupsbasedupontheircharacteristics.Aprimarygroupis
typicallyasmallsocialgroupwhosemembersshareclose,personal,enduringrelationships.Thesegroups
aremarkedbyconcernforoneanother,sharedactivitiesandculture,andlongperiodsoftimespent
together.Thegoalofprimarygroupsisactuallytherelationshipsthemselvesratherthanachievingsome
otherpurpose.Familiesandclosefriendsareexamplesofprimarygroups.

CharlesCooley
TheconceptoftheprimarygroupwasintroducedbyCharlesCooley,asociologistfromtheChicago
Schoolofsociology,inhisbookSocialOrganization:AStudyoftheLargerMind(1909).Primarygroups
playanimportantroleinthedevelopmentofpersonalidentity.Cooleyarguedthattheimpactofthe
primarygroupissogreatthatindividualsclingtoprimaryidealsinmorecomplexassociationsandeven
createnewprimarygroupingswithinformalorganizations.Tothatextent,heviewedsocietyasaconstant
experimentinenlargingsocialexperienceandincoordinatingvariety.He,therefore,analyzedthe
operationofsuchcomplexsocialformsasformalinstitutionsandsocialclasssystemsandthesubtle
controlsofpublicopinion.

FunctionsofPrimaryGroups
Aprimarygroupisagroupinwhichoneexchangesimplicititems,suchaslove,caring,concern,support,
etc.Examplesofthesewouldbefamilygroups,loverelationships,crisissupportgroups,andchurch
groups.Relationshipsformedinprimarygroupsareoftenlonglastingandgoalsinthemselves.Theyalso
areoftenpsychologicallycomfortingtotheindividualsinvolvedandprovideasourceofsupportand
encouragement.

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CharlesCooley
TheconceptoftheprimarygroupwasintroducedbyCharlesCooley,asociologistfromtheChicago
Schoolofsociology,inhisbook,"SocialOrganization:AStudyoftheLargerMind"(1909).

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FamiliesasSocialGroups
Thisfamilyfromthe1970swouldbeanexampleofaprimarygroup.

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1questionforuseinquizzeshavebeenwrittenaboutthisconceptbelow

Whatisthemaingoalofaprimarygroup?
Toobtainmaterialsupportinemergencysituations,Thereisnogoal,Tosharecommon
activities,andTherelationshipsthemselves

KEYTERMREFERENCE

FormalInstitutions

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:PoliticsandSocialInstitutions

Formalorganization

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:FormalStructure,Anexample:

Knoke'sinformationexchange,andPoliticalParties

More

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:TheConflictPerspective:ClassConflictand

ScarceResources,ValueContradictions,andNormsandSanctions

association

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:Subcultures,Tonnie'sGemeinschaftand

Gessesschalf,andProtectingtheSubjects

church

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:WidespreadBelief,SocializationintoEmotions,

andTheChurch

class

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:TheUpperMiddleClass,FunctionsoftheState,

andWeber'sViewofStratification

control

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:RandomAssignmentofSubjects,Managingto

PreventFraud,andUsingaBankforControl

culture

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:NoiseasaBarriertoCommunication,

Countercultures,andContextofCultureandGender

experiment

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:ExperimentalDesign,Experiments,and

PrimaryMarketResearch

family

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:TheConflictPerspective,TheSymbolic

InteractionalistPerpsective,andPeriodicTrendsinMetallicProperties

goal

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:TheGoalsofanInformativeSpeech,Leading

Teams,andGoalSettingTheory

identity

Appearsinthisrelatedconcepts:CareerDevelopment:VocationandIdentity,

AdolescentSocialization,andThePsychologicalPerspective
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