They always arise spontaneously, are unstable, uniform and exist for a very short period of time. It could be a characteristic of a butterfly, but it’s just a quasigroup — a temporary transitional formation from a social community to a social group. And now let us consider in detail what a quasigroup is in sociology.
About quasigroups
A quasigroup is a social entity that exists for a short period of time, pursuing a common goal. After the goal is achieved, the quasigroup finally disintegrates or turns into a stable social group.
At that time, while the quasigroup is formed, it has some features of social groups, but in addition it is distinguished by some characteristics:
- It forms spontaneously (for example, a fan group).
- Relations between members are unstable.
- The interactions of participants are not as diverse as in social groups.
- Group members act together for a very short time.
A quasigroup is a social phenomenon that appears unintentionally and is random in nature. Simply put, this is a temporary phenomenon. In sociology, three types of quasigroups are distinguished.
Lecture hall
The most unstable quasigroup is the audience, the social community of people who are united by a communicator, which owns some information and informs its listeners. Between members of this community stands out a very peculiar way of interaction. After the speaker has finished his speech, the audience breaks up. Although, if the speaker lacks the ability to captivate the audience and explain the information to them, so that everyone understands it, the audience can dissolve even before the speaker finishes his speech.
By the number of participants, the audience is different - from a group of students to the audience of a TV channel. The quantitative composition of this quasigroup is sometimes very difficult to determine, but it is possible to be guided by criteria such as increase or decrease. It is also worth noting that in some cases, the information provided allows you to manage your audience.
Crowd
The most active type of quasigroup is the crowd. By this term is meant a certain set of individuals who are in a closed physical space and have common interests. The participants in the crowd feel themselves as one and interact on a subconscious level. Depending on the situation, crowd behavior may vary. For example, people in a crowd can simply watch what is happening or take active steps (active political rallies or coups). Thus, the crowds are divided into several varieties:
- A random crowd is a gathering of people on the street around an incident.
- A conditioned crowd is a relatively structured group whose meeting was planned in advance, for example a fan group was about to watch a football match.
- An expressive crowd is a group that organizes so that each of its members enjoys as participants in a rock festival.
- The active crowd is a bunch that is prone to violent acts of a short-term nature.
- Risen mob - its members use asocial behaviors to achieve a common goal.
The structure of the crowd is very simple, it consists of a leader and other participants. A person in the crowd does not act in the same way as if he was alone. Becoming a member of this quasigroup, the individual emotionally connects to it and acts in accordance with the collective subconscious.
Social circles
The last type of quasigroup is social circles. These are peculiar communities that are created specifically for the exchange of information. In social circles, interactions are repeated. Sociologists are actively studying these communities, since it is in them that public opinion is formed.
Social circles are free alliances that are based on exchange contacts, the main focus is on the transfer of information. They are the most stable quasigroups. These communities are characterized by entry criteria, among which they highlight an interest in information. The most common circles are professional and status ones. Subcultures that have similar properties can also be considered social circles.
Quasigroups, although they have the ability to quickly disintegrate, but thanks to them, sociology can determine the mood that prevail in society and predict its further development.