Two Types of Groups in Society - Essay Example

 Two Types of Groups in SocietyEvery human in this world depends on the other members of society to achieve a better life. There are two types of groups which a person may belong too. The two types of groups are primary and secondary groups. Primary groups are groups that are formed based on long lasting close relationship with others. Two primary groups that I belong too are a volunteering work church groups and a playing card group I participate in. I have been going to the same church for over ten years.

The church created a group of volunteer workers that go out into the community to help those in need. The people that I work with have been participating in the volunteer group since its inception. The second primary group I belong too is the card playing group. Typically such a group would be considered a secondary group, but in my case it is primary group because all the members of the group are immediate or extended family members. We meet every Saturday from 6:00 P.M to midnight to play cards while enjoying a home cook meal and a few drinks.

These two primary groups are very important to me because they help me engage in social activities that I value. The primary groups provide me with moral support. I usually discuss my problems with my church buddies and with my family member during our meetings. Both groups are important for me and I value their existence. Secondary groups also serve a social purpose in life. The main difference between primary and secondary group is that the person that compose the group are acquaintances or people we know such as co-workers.

Also these types of groups seem to be temporary. A secondary group I currently belong too is a team that formulated in school to complete a classroom project. The members of the group are fellow students who I just recently met. My behavior and the behavior of the other members of the group are impersonal. Our objective is to complete the classroom project on time and to get the best grade possible with the minimum requirement being that we obtain a passing grade. A second secondary group I belong to with a subgroup within my Facebook account.

There are many secondary groups that a person can enter when they sign up for a social network. After the Haiti earthquake I joined a secondary Facebook group called “Help for Haiti”. The group provided information about the latest efforts to help the Haitian people. The entire Facebook community could be considered a secondary group per se, but the Facebook account would constitute a primary group if the only members that are part of your network are Family members. When I started with Facebook I only had family member as my online friend, but later my account expanded to acquaintances which implies that the account was converted into a secondary group.