A social institution, by definition, consists of interconnected social units. The smallest indivisible unit is the individual. One way or another, it affects the overall social life of the state.
Social units of society
By both his activity and inactivity, a person largely determines the difficult social situation of the state, adding to other individuals. Thus, together they statistically and in aggregate constitute a general scheme. There is also a social association consisting of more than one person. Regardless of what the main characteristics of a social group and community are, it can consist of any number of members, starting from two or more.
Why it is important to study social communities and groups
Social units independently participate in the public life of the state, largely determining the structure and orientation of the state institution. Therefore, it is extremely important to study them. Sociology analyzes the main signs of social groups and communities, the trends in their behavior, the patterns of education and subsequent activity, as well as the characteristics of the interaction of members of associations within the structure and the ability of such a union to influence its environment.
Arbitrary Communities
Any association of people having something in common can be called a community. They have common interests or similar outlooks on life. However, not all such associations can be called social. These associations can be demarcated geographically or separated in time. People with similar interests may not even know about each other and may not strive for any particular structure or joint activity. They may not express their life position and have no clear motives. If the orientation of the association is not framed, and it does not have a specific goal, then it cannot be called social. It does not conduct social activities as a separate, independent participant in the social life of the state. Then what are the main features of a social group and community?
When Communities Become Social
Members of a social association have similar social aspects of life. This may be a similar social position, status or the need for joint social activity, as well as the cultivation of the same values. Such an association necessarily has a common goal, which all members strive for, and also, as a rule, it has a common charter. Although the concept of a charter here takes a very vague framework, because not all social associations exist formally. In an informal environment, rules and norms also exist, but for the most part they are established behind the scenes and do not have hard parameters.
Social communities
Social community is an association in the broader sense of this concept, including partly also groups in its definition. What are the main features of a social group, as opposed to community? This is determined not quantitatively, but according to some signs characterizing a social unit. A social community may be an association, which represents an integral system and which can act as a mature unit. The main features of a social group are, as for community, unity, membership and fullness. Unity within the framework of a social community also has rather blurred boundaries, because such a formation can form for different periods of time - from an hour to demonstrate to many centuries of belonging to a particular nation or religion.
Membership of a social community may not be status, but at the same time each member of the association is aware of his involvement and has the same motives and goals. By fullness here is meant the self-sufficiency of community in relation to energy and ideological resources for continued existence and self-development.
Social groups
What are the main features of a social group? An association of people aimed at the same goal, guided by the same motives, having a single ideology, is called a social community - what then is a social group? To understand what are the main features of a social group, you can consider it against the background of community. A social group is a more specific entity that has all the features of a social community, but has a more clear structure.
Typically, such a group has an established leader, a specific set of rules with which all members of the association are familiar with and which they adhere to, and, most importantly, members of the group interact directly with each other. That is, they take an active part in the activities of the entire social unit. Participation, in addition, is often regulated. They are in contact with each other and are on the same territory. In modern
society, the concept of territory in this case must be considered not only as physical, but also as an interactive space, provided that the main features of the social group are preserved. Social communities and groups are real units that exist in a particular time and space, which can be described using empirical measurements.
Small social groups
A small social group is a society of people united by one activity, common interests, motives and goals. Here, as in a simple social group, members interact with each other to achieve a result, but the peculiarity of a small social group is that all members are personally acquainted with each other. On the quantitative composition of the small group there is no unequivocal opinion. Some sociologists are inclined to believe that the number of participants can be from 2 to 15, others claim that this figure cannot exceed 10, and someone believes that even a group of 20 people is capable of sustainable existence with all the specific properties of such a union.
Nevertheless, the main features of a small social group can be distinguished: the number of members, ranging from 7-9 people; direct contact between participants; common goals and ways to achieve them; cooperative activity; localization in a certain territory and at a certain time. Also, the main and no less important signs of a small social group are the recognition by outsiders of the group member as a component of this group, the hierarchical system, logistics and the distribution of tasks between the members of the association.