YEAH WE KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT GROUPS NOW. SO WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF GROUPS?

In the article 'what groups are and what makes a group different than just a collection of strangers', we looked at some definitions offered by theorist on what a group is. having now looked at these definitions we can begin to conceptualize the concept of referring to an aggregation of individuals as a group. in this post we shall be looking at some types of groups found in society which some theorist in their group studies have identified.
   Groups come in a variety of shapes and sizes and perform functions that are vast and varied. it is noteworthy to thus acknowledge the differences among them as well as their similarities. Forsyth(2009) considered four basic types of groups identified by theorist, though he stated that these are just samples of the many types of groups proposed by theorist.

Primary Groups:  "these are relatively small personally meaningful groups that are highly unified"Forsyth, 2009. in these groups, the members feel so involved and part of the fabric that they feel like they belong to something larger than themselves. this is where groups like family, friends and tight-knit peer groups fall under. as we continue looking at the different groups try and conceptualize your membership in these groups in your life and you will spot some of these characteristics identified by theorist. Forsyth further explained that primary groups are characterized by face to face interaction, solidarity, high levels of member to group interdependence and identification.
Charles Cooley(1909) believed such groups serve as the primary source of socialization for members by shaping their attitudes, values and social orientation. these groups are the first a person joins because of the important roles they play in their members lives. Cooley explained that these groups take care of its members, protects them from harm and cares for them in illness. according to Cooley, the most important function these groups perform is creating a bridge between the individual and society at large. we sometimes join these groups involuntarily(i don't think any one chooses to be born into a family).

Social Groups: Forsyth explained that social groups are small groups of moderate duration and permeability. they are characterized by steady levels of interaction among members over an extended period of time, often in goal focused situations. examples of such groups found in society include co-workers, expeditions, fraternities, sport teams, study groups, task forces among others.

Collectives: these are groups that have been identified by theorist as aggregation of individuals that form spontaneously and last only a brief period of time. their boundaries are permeable. examples of such groups include Audiences, Crowds, Mobs, Supporters in a stadium etc.

Categories: these are aggregations of individuals who are similar to one another in some way, this could be by gender, ethnicity, religion or nationality. examples of such groups include Nigerian citizens, Newyorkers, Asian-Americans, Physicians etc.

     these are just some groups among others which have been identified by theorist doing group studies in various social science fields. so now you know some types of groups individuals belong to in society.