Social Groups

As each of us moves through life, we take part in various social groups. For these purposes, a social group is any group of interacting people.

Consider the following framework in relation to the various examples of social groups I note below:

Overview
1. Brief description - characterization of the group, in a few lines.
2. Purpose
3. Lifespan - how long groups last, also in relation to their members. For example, is the lifespan of the group dependent on the continued membership of a specific participant?
Inter-group - interactions of the group, as a whole, with other groups
1. Supergroups - groups that (do/could) wholly contain this group
2. Subgroups - groups that (do/could) be wholly contained by this group
3. 'Peer'-groups - groups that could be considered as peers of this group: groups that this group interacts with on a peer-basis, rather than in a controlling type relationship.
Intra-group - the internal workings of the group
1. Types of member
  1. Membership requirements
  2. Circumstances of entry
  3. Modes of participation
  4. Circumstances of exit

Family groups

see also: Peergroup