Sociology of small groups
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Sociology of small groups is a subfield of sociology that studies the action, interaction and the types of social groups that result from social relations.[1] In social life, society is a large social group which contains many subgroups.[2] It is a characteristic of social groups that small groups are in large groups.[2] The sociology of small groups covers the various small groups contained in societies at the microsociological level.[3]
The definition of sociology of small groups was first introduced by the French author and sociologist Gabriel Tarde.[4] Small groups are groups of a small number of members with intense interaction between them.[5] The sociology of small groups has also been defined as a field research[6] and the study of sociology of community.[7] A. Paul Hare identified recognition of similar goals, norms of behaviour, role differentiation and networks of attraction as distinguishing a group for a collection of individuals.[8] Groups have appear as an objects in sociology theory this tends to be as an atomic "black boxes" in theories.[8]
Timeline
The first studies of small group sociology were conducted in the United States after World War I and focused on the relationships between ethnic groups and their attitudes toward other groups. These studies also led to the development of the Likert scale and sociometric techniques.[9] The US has developed psychological warfare tactics based on the knowledge of sociology of small groups and social psychology against the communities belonging to different cultures that it has encountered in various countries.[10] Johan Galtung, in his paper at a conference on international relations in 1966, put forward the idea that the sociology of small groups is useful for the study of international relations.[11] Galtung pointed out, in particular, that not only "tangible" international relations, but also "abstract" international relations can be understood in terms of the sociology of small groups.[11]
Small groups
Theodore M. Mills suggested that a person belongs to an average of five or six groups at a time, and that there are about four or five billion small groups that have settled.[12] According to Mills, a person spends most of their waking hours interacting with one group or anothers.[12] Mills defined these groups as family groups, friend groups, business partners, club groups, associations, girls club, and committees.[13] According to Mills, it's not the first time he's been some of these groups/families are relatively separate compared to boards of directors that are part of larger units.[12] Mills defines those groups as; construction gangs, hunting parties, municipal councils, ceremonial dance teams, bomber teams, and athletics teams.[12]
Observing
Mills defined the reason for studying small groups as social psychology.[12] Mills explained as "Since social pressures and pressures from the individual come together in a small group, it is a convenient context to observe and experiment with the interaction between these pressures. Scientific research can lead to general laws about how individuals deal with social realities".[12][14]
