Influence of Social Groups

1252 Words6 Pages
A social group refers to a scenario where more than one person interact with each other. Some groups come together on the basis of ethnic background such as kinship relations. Other groups come into being through social background. A group must exhibit a level of cohesiveness. Groups are, therefore, more than just a collection of persons. The people in a group must share similar characteristics including values and interests. Members of a group must engage in regular interaction. Groups have evolved so much from the past to the modern societies. Today, people do not have to engage in physical interaction with each other. With the advancement in technology, groups can interact electronically through such media as teleconferencing and other social media. In the first world, ethnic groups are not popular. This is because of the breakdown of kinship ties where the nuclear family reigns supreme over other kinship ties. A key feature of groups is the conformity of members to a clear code of conduct. Should a member breach this code of conduct, other members may discipline him or even throw him out of the group altogether. Social groups, therefore, have a strong influence on the individual’s cognitive development. They play a substantial part in the mental growth of their members. First, being in a social group makes an individual lose his personality and unites him to the group he associates with mentally and physically. I belong to a church group going by name “the Dove Congregation.” The purpose of the group is to carry out community work. The group organizes charity work for the elderly, the handicapped, orphans and drug addicts undergoing rehabilitation. The objective of the group is to offer moral support to these people. Some time, though, the group may raise funds to meet the material needs of these people. In terms of moral support, the group offers to counsel,
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