Everywhere you go there are people in groups. You might belong to a few different types of groups: ethnic, religious, graduating class, workplace colleagues, etc. These groups can be called social groups. You have something in common with other members of the same group. You identify with the group, and the group gives you a sense of belonging. A social group is different than people simply being in the same place at the same time, this is called an aggregate. Even when people are doing similar things, such as grocery shopping in a crowded store, this is not a social group because you do not identify yourself as belonging to the other people. Categories are also different from social groups. You share similar characteristics with many people, like age and height, but you do not regularly interact or have a sense of belonging.

There are many different types of social groups, and these groups influence you and your behavior.

• Primary groups- This includes your family and friends, and you are likely fundamentally influenced by these groups. Your family instilled your fundamental values in life. Similarly, as you age some friends expand this feeling of belonging. Primary groups help you develop a strong sense of self and give you an identity. They are called primary because they are essential in shaping you as an individual.
  
• Secondary groups- Compared to primary groups, these groups are bigger and less personal. Secondary groups are based on shared interests, activities, or hobbies. Often, secondary groups follow social status. For example, you may belong to a union or a professional association. Meeting people in these secondary groups can lead to developing a primary group of stronger friendships.

A major determining factor in defining social groups is a similarity. A similarity is essential because a group cannot exist if its members don’t have anything in common. If a group of people has the same interests, beliefs or opinions, or are working together on the same tasks, then they are often seen as a group. However, if there are many differences among the members, they are likely not to be seen as a group. For this reason, it makes sense that groups are likely to fall apart if the group members lose interest in what was holding them together. When members become dissimilar, they no longer have enough in common to remain a group.

Perceptions Of Entitativity

It can still be a little confusing determining what makes a group, but the term entitativity has been used to characterize the determining factor. Entitativity means the perceptions of individuals of the group or by others that the people are indeed together as a “group.”

Entitativity is an essential concept in how we view the groups we belong to and our perception of people not in the group. For example, a good perception of belonging to the group can raise your self-esteem and help you deal with stressful situations. Viewing groups we are a part of as more entitative also helps to meet our psychological needs. With people outside of our groups, the way we perceive their entitativity influences how social or antisocial we are towards them.

Members of various social groups feel more entitativity when they have frequent interaction and communication with each other. Communication is best when it is done in a single place, but it can occur with individuals who are nowhere near each other, such as through social media and Skype. You can still feel entitativity as being part of a group even if you have never met in person.

In simple terms, entitativity stands for how “groupy” a social group feels.

What Groups Do You Identify With?

Think about what you like, do you enjoy sports, animals, arts, or crafts? There are groups for nearly every activity or hobby. If you don’t have any hobbies or maybe you just moved to the area and are unfamiliar with the city, it can be challenging to find a social group you belong to. This is where Meet Me There Events comes in. We are an organization that provides social events for our members. We organize events for nearly every day of the week. Our events are extremely varied, from restaurant dining to horseback riding. We offer an easy way to find fun things to do in South Florida while meeting new people. The members of our group are often adventurous and looking to have fun while being social and finding new friends. Our social group is a great way to build the foundation for a new primary social group.

Visit our website to learn more about our social group and how it could improve your life.