Secondary Group: Meaning, Definition, and Characteristics in Sociology

 ü What Secondary Group means 

No matter what kind of link exists, the people who are in their second line of contact from the primary group form the secondary group. They occasionally also belong to particular interest groups. Comparatively less intimacy exists within the group than in the primary. Relations between a teacher and a student, a consumer and a merchant, or a voter and a candidate are not as important. Interaction may occur with some frequency, duration, intensity, and emphasis, although to a lesser extent than in the primary group. To the participants, the group comes in second place to their own lives. The primary members have an immediate impact on him, followed by the secondary members.

 secondary group examples

Ø Definition

"Groups that provide experience lacking in intimacy can be considered secondary groups," state Ogburn and Nimkoff.

According to Frank D. Watson, "the secondary group is larger and more formal, is specialized and direct in its communication, and depends more on the stability of its social organization than the primary group does for unity and continuation."

 

Ø Traits of the Secondary Group

1. Large in size: Compared to the main one, its members are bigger overall. They may have tens of thousands or even millions of members.

2. Less physical proximity: Their physical proximity is uncommon, and the majority of the members live far apart.

3. Secondary or impersonal relation: Its fundamental components are non-exclusive, impersonal, and indirect contractual relationships. They frequently interact closely in order to advance their shared objectives.

4. Membership: In this instance, membership is primarily optional. People are free to participate or not. The members are not emotionally bound together.

5. Particular goals or interests: People in the secondary groupings are interested simply because they have particular goals in mind. Because of this, it is sometimes known as a special interest group.

6. Indirect communication: In the case of the secondary group, connections and communication are primarily indirect. The primary sources of it are the phone, internet, mail, and telegraph.

7. Social control: Formal social control methods are typically used here. The authorities impose laws and other regulations on the participants. Members of this group do not have very strong relationships with one another. The importance of this group is second.

  secondary group examples

Ø A sociological example of secondary groups

Secondary group members include those in the same profession, on the same street, in the same village, in the same class, as playmates, in the same family, in the same political party, and while praying in the mosque together.

 

Ø The significance of secondary groups

The idea that groups affect people significantly, whether they are in elementary or secondary education, is crucial. Secondary organizations have more influence over their members because they are better organized and more likely to achieve the goals and objectives of their members. Due to a tiny and agriculturally centered civilization in the early times, main groupings were quite significant. However, people in the modern era of industry and information technology favor secondary groups. The individual man in society is unable to escape its dominance and is forced to rely on it in order to meet his daily requirements.

 

1. They are effective in achieving the aims and objectives of both themselves and their members.

2. They offer better chances to advance in areas such as communication, business, and education.

3. A wider outlook denotes a broad size and dispersed membership because it may accept a diversity of people.

4. The team members are practical participants in achieving a particular objective and possess a functioning personality.

 

secondary group in sociology