Group Dynamics and Social Classification

Essential Skills for Group Leadership

• Capacity of expression: Both oral and body language.
• Positivism and constructivism.
• Interpersonal relationships: The ability to develop personal relationships with members of the group.
• Conflict management: The ability to ensure interpersonal conflicts do not interfere with the group.
• Resilience: The ability to deal with criticism.
• Motivation: The ability to motivate and encourage others.
• Methodology: Development of techniques and games for use at appropriate times.
• Improvisation: The ability to improvise.
• Others.

Classifying Social Groups and Collectives

The crowd, also called a mass, is characterized by a group of more than 50 individuals with little connection between them and whose purposes are not always clear. Feelings and beliefs are dormant, and emotions are transmitted quickly. An example can be a big camp.

The band: Formed by a few individuals searching for similarities between them. This similarity is the basis of the relationship, and the individual's actions are justified by the fact of belonging and being like the others in the band. An example is a group of friends.

Clustering: Several tens or hundreds of people get together on a frequent basis with a shared vision of which they are aware, although the relationship between them may be superficial or nonexistent. An example is fans of a sports team.

Primary and Secondary Social Systems

Primary: These are small groups in which relationships among members are very intense, with a high degree of cohesion and a high degree of privacy. These groups profoundly influence the behavior of people. Examples include family, friends, a specific group, or a class.

Secondary: Complementary to the above, these are medium or large groups that correspond to the social system governed by institutions. Examples include schools, businesses, associations, and communities.

Membership and Reference Groups

Group Membership: These are groups to which people belong without choosing; they are not voluntary. Examples include the family or a school class.

Reference Group: A group the person belongs to or aspires to belong to on a voluntary basis, adopting its values, norms, and beliefs. Examples include a gang or a club.

Specific Group Categories

Natural: These groups all have one thing in common, such as a family.

Cultural-Sports: Similar to the above, but the common characteristic refers to culture or athletics. Examples include literary or artistic circles and non-professional sports teams.

Social: A group with common goals and social purposes, usually including political parties, associations, and NGOs.

Labor-Education: These are groups formed either by force or voluntarily for the execution of various works or studies. These are groups where people belong not by choice, but are involuntary, similar to family or school classes.