membership group
Quick Summary
In sociology, a social group refers to any set of people who are, have been, or anticipate being in some kind of interrelation. This can range from a pair of individuals to an entire nation.1
Sociologists classify groups in various ways. A key distinction is between primary groups, characterized by intimate, face-to-face relationships like families and close friends, and secondary groups, which involve more formal, often contractual ties, such as work associations.1
A membership group is one an individual currently belongs to, like a family or a specific class. In contrast, a reference group is a group whose values and attitudes an individual uses as a benchmark, or a group they aspire to join. Social movements also involve a sense of membership, where individuals share dissatisfaction and a vision for a better order, often adhering to specific norms and values. Conformity is the process of aligning one's beliefs and actions with those of a group.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
collective behavior…by which to distinguish between members and outsiders, to identify leaders, to establish the aims of the collectivity, to set acceptable limits of behavior for members, and to specify how collective decisions are to be made accounts for the volatility of collective behavior. The leader of a mob can become…
Read More…by which to distinguish between members and outsiders, to identify leaders, to establish the aims of the collectivity, to set acceptable limits of behavior for members, and to specify how collective decisions are to be made accounts for the volatility of collective behavior. The leader of a mob can become…
Read More
social movementCharacteristics of social movements…motivational mechanisms capable of sustaining membership through periods of inaction and waiting. Furthermore, crowd mechanisms cannot be used to achieve communication and coordination of activity over a wide area, such as a nation or continent. A movement is a mixture of organization and spontaneity. There is usually one or more…
Read More…motivational mechanisms capable of sustaining membership through periods of inaction and waiting. Furthermore, crowd mechanisms cannot be used to achieve communication and coordination of activity over a wide area, such as a nation or continent. A movement is a mixture of organization and spontaneity. There is usually one or more…
Read More