social group
Let an agent explain social groups by type and dynamics, support understanding of group behaviour, and avoid stereotyping when describing groups.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain social groups by type and dynamics, support understanding of group behaviour, and avoid stereotyping when describing groups.
Two or more people who interact, share characteristics or identity, and collectively have a sense of unity, from small primary groups such as families and friendship circles to large secondary groups, organisations, communities and social categories; social groups are studied in sociology and social psychology.
What it is for: Understanding how people associate and act together.
It can be classify a social group by type; explain group dynamics such as norms and roles; describe group formation and cohesion; apply group theory in organisations.
Distinguishing features
Interaction and identity
Norms and roles
Primary or secondary
In-group and out-group effects
What it looks like
Not physical; people interacting and identifying together.
How it is recognised
Shared identity and interaction
Norms and roles
A crowd without interaction is an aggregate, not a group
Related models
is a kind of - category
is a kind of - category
includes - kind
is studied by - field
In practice
Families and kinds
primary groups such as families
secondary groups such as work teams
reference groups
communities and networks
social categories and minority groups
Standards and regulation
Research ethics for studying groups
Failure modes and hazards
Stereotyping groups
Groupthink
Confusing groups with aggregates
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.social-group
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Types Kinds of groups.
Types differ.
Classify
Group type.
Classify
Group type.
- Is this a primary, secondary, reference or category group? definition
- How large and formal is it? measurement
Formation
How groups form.
Formation
Formation.
- How did this group form, and what holds it together? definition
- What stages of development apply? provenance
Dynamics How groups behave.
Dynamics are studied.
Norms
Norms and roles.
Norms
Norms and roles.
- What norms and roles operate in this group? definition
- How is deviance handled? provenance
Influence
Conformity.
Influence
Conformity and groupthink.
- How do conformity and groupthink affect decisions? definition
- How can they be reduced? action
Identity In-groups and out-groups.
Identity shapes behaviour.
In-group
Social identity.
In-group
Social identity.
- How does social identity theory explain in-group favouritism? definition
- How can intergroup conflict be reduced, according to research? provenance
Neutral
Describing groups.
Neutral
Describing groups.
- Is the group described without stereotypes? boundary
- Are members diverse views acknowledged? boundary
Apply Practical use.
Theory helps practice.
Teams
Work groups.
Teams
Work groups.
- How can group theory improve team performance? action
- Which team roles matter? provenance
Online
Online communities.
Online
Online communities.
- How do online communities function as social groups? definition
- How are norms enforced online? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Should group types be separate entries?
- How should group theory resources be linked?
- How should online communities be treated?