Depending on the category of the field of knowledge, it is customary to call a group a certain number of objects, plants, animals or people that are close to each other; a collection or association of persons on the basis of common interests or common occupations; combining several objects, phenomena or substances on a common basis.
Instructions
Step 1
In social psychology, the category "group" implies a community of people of limited size, separated from the social whole according to the following principles:
- social involvement of the group;
- the unifying reason for the selection of the group;
- a common history and a possible future for all members of the group.
The determining factor for the concept of a social group can be recognized as the presence of a common idea that provides the possibility of joint action.
Step 2
The signs of a social group are:
- unifying psychological characteristics, ranging from public opinion to subculture, formed in the process of group development;
- the presence of group parameters - composition (combining characteristics of members), structure (roles of individual members of the group) and group processes, including changes in other parameters, emerging norms and sanctions;
- the consistency of actions of individuals in the group;
- a pronounced impact of group values on a group member (conformity).
Step 3
Basic research in the field of "group dynamics" is associated with the name of K. Levy, who created the field theory, which determines the relationship between the personality and the environment, forms the structure of the manifestation of behavioral norms, and valence, which determines the positive or negative aspirations of the individual. For all the ambiguity of the scientist's theoretical studies, the practical methods created by him have received universal recognition.
