Social Groups- role, status and impact on personality

Man is a social animal and he cannot live in isolation. We always need to communicate or share our feelings with someone. According to Maslow’s theory of Need Hierarchy, these needs fall under the category of social needs where one needs affection and belongingness from society.

Everywhere we go we tend to form groups with like-minded people. As an individual, we may be a part of various groups like a religious group, school group, college group, workplace colleagues, similar hobby group, etc. These groups are called social groups wherein we have similar thinking and liking.

There are many types of social groups which affect our behavior patterns, attitude, perception, and personality. At the beginning of our life i.e., in childhood, we are mainly affected by primary groups. In Hindu society, we are born in a family consisting of many members who can influence us. I am the youngest in my family which consists of my grandparents, my parents, and my elder sister. The role of being the youngest in the family demands from me the following-

• Having to take care of the grandparents
• Arranging the dishes for dinner
• Making my bed
• Running around for my elder sister’s work
• Helping mom in cleaning
• Being submissive during most of the arguments

This impacts my personality. My family members have shaped my values and beliefs. They have taught me the qualities of honesty, loyalty, punctuality, hard work, adjustability, kindness, and patience.

My family is a part of my primary group and genetic group.

As we grow old and start going to school and then college, we tend to form secondary groups. In school, I used to love playing volleyball which resulted in the formation of a volleyball group. Playing the role of the captain of the school team, I had to ensure the following-

• Maintenance of discipline
• Following rules and regulations of the game
• Keeping the morale of the team-high
• Placement of players according to their strengths
• Training of the team

Taking charge as a leader in this group impacted my personality by making me more outspoken. It also made me a team player and developed a trait of keeping the needs of others over mine in tense situations.

The volleyball group is not only a secondary group but also a statistical aggregate as we share common interests.

There are certain groups you identify with and certain groups where you feel unattached. I don’t like cricket, thus hanging out with a bunch of cricket fans during the IPL finals doesn’t seem like the most appropriate Sunday plan. This is an example of an out-group, a group I don’t identify myself with.

On the other hand, I am fond of dogs. Spending time with a group of dog owners would make me happy. In other words, I would identify myself as a member of the group who likes dogs. This is an in-group.

The role of being a member of an in-group requires similar interests. Thus, we tend to give preferential treatment to the members of the in-group as compared to the out-group.

In college, while doing group assignments with the same bunch of people, a group of 5 was formed humorously called the ‘Sangeet Ceremony’ group. It is a small group. The roles I play in this group include that of a friend supporting them whenever in need, a teacher constantly reminding them of assignment deadlines, and a chauffeur driving them around as I am the only member who knows how to drive. As they belong from different cities, I got to learn a lot about different cultures and practices.

Being a Swaminarayan, I am used to going to the temple and serving lunch on Sundays with my mother. This is a religious group, an example of an involuntary group, and a horizontal group. The role of being a member of the Swaminarayan community demands one to be kind, honest, and devoted to God. Serving Sunday lunch to the poor, participating in religious ceremonies, and going to the talks of our Guru defines my role in the group.

In college, being a member of the Abhivyakti committee is an example of a voluntary association. To be a member of the same, I had to undergo a tough selection process that demanded patience, skills, hard work, and most importantly a strong desire to be a member of the committee. After being selected and organizing several events, I have learned new skills like how to use canva and how to communicate via emails. The committee and its members have taught me to be creative, hardworking, and patient when things don’t go as planned.

These are just a few examples of social groups. If we take a minute to think, we would realize we belong to various groups. For example, we are someone’s child, we are a student, we belong to a particular caste, we have various hobbies, we have various likings, and at last we are humans. Thus, it is our inherent nature to form groups where we belong and feel welcome. Groups fulfill our personal needs, we feel supported and respected, and thus we feel emotionally attached to these groups.

The groups become a significant part of our lives and thus have a major impact on our personality. We behave as we do because we observe others in our group doing the same. It is in our human nature to seek conformity and groups provide us with the same. Thus, groups shape our behavior, value systems, attitude, and most importantly us.