In the social sciences, a social group is two or more humans who interact with one another, share similar

characteristics, and have a collective

sense of unity. This is a very broad definition, as it includes groups of all sizes, from dyads to whole societies. A society can be viewed as a large group,
though most social groups are considerably smaller. Society can also be viewed as people who interact with one another, sharing similarities pertaining to
culture and territorial boundaries.

A social group exhibits some degree of social cohesion and is more than a simple collection or aggregate of individuals, such as people waiting at
a bus stop or people waiting in a line. Characteristics shared by members of a group may include interests, values, representations, ethnic or social
background, and kinship ties. One way of determining if a collection of people can be considered a group is if individuals who belong to that collection use
the self-referent pronoun “we;” using “we” to refer to a collection of people often implies that the collection thinks of itself as a group. Examples of groups
include: families, companies, circles of friends, clubs, local chapters of fraternities and sororities, and local religious congregations.

Renowned social psychologist Muzafer Sherif formulated a technical definition of a social group. It is a social unit consisting of a number of
individuals interacting with each other with respect to:
1. common motives and goals;
2. an accepted division of labor;
3. established status relationships;
4. accepted norms and values with reference to matters relevant to the group; and
5. the development of accepted sanctions, such as raise and punishment, when norms were respected or violated.

6. Primary Groups
7. A primary group is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships.
8. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Key Points
 Primary groups are marked by concern for one another, shared activities and culture, and long periods of time spent together. They are
psychologically comforting and quite influential in developing personal identity.

 Families and close friends are examples of primary groups.

 The goal of primary groups is actually the relationships themselves rather than achieving some other purpose.
 The concept of the primary group was introduced by Charles Cooley in his book, Social Organization : A Study of the Larger Mind.

Key Terms
 Close friends: They are examples of primary groups.
 group: A number of things or persons being in some relation to one another.
 relationship: Connection or association; the condition of being related.

Secondary Groups

Secondary groups are large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal oriented; their relationships are temporary.

Key Points
 The distinction between primary and secondary groups was originally proposed by Charles Cooley. He termed them “secondary”
because they generally develop later in life and are much less likely to be influential on one’s identity than primary groups.

 Secondary relationships involve weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one another. In contrast to primary groups,
secondary groups don’t have the goal of maintaining and developing the relationships themselves.

 Secondary groups include groups in which one exchanges explicit commodities, such as labor for wages, services for payments, and
such. They also include university classes, athletic teams, and groups of co-workers.

Key Terms
 primary group: It is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships. These groups are
marked by concern for one another, shared activities and culture, and long periods of time spent together.
 group: A number of things or persons being in some relation to one another.
 Secondary groups: They are large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal-oriented.
Unlike first groups, secondary groups are large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal oriented. People in a secondary group interact
on a less personal level than in a primary group, and their relationships are generally temporary rather than long lasting. Some secondary groups
may last for many years, though most are short term. Such groups also begin and end with very little significance in the lives of the people
involved.

Secondary relationships involve weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one another. In contrast to primary groups, secondary
groups don’t have the goal of maintaining and developing the relationships themselves.

Charles Cooley

The distinction between primary and secondary groups was originally proposed by Charles Cooley. He labeled groups as “primary” because
people often experience such groups early in their life and such groups play an important role in the development of personal identity. Secondary
groups generally develop later in life and are much less likely to be influential on one’s identity.

Functions

Since secondary groups are established to perform functions, people’s roles are more interchangeable. A secondary group is one you have chosen
to be a part of. They are based on interests and activities. They are where many people can meet close friends or people they would just call
acquaintances. Secondary groups are also groups in which one exchanges explicit commodities, such as labor for wages, services for payments,
etc. Examples of these would be employment, vendor-to-client relationships, a doctor, a mechanic, an accountant, and such. A university class, an
athletic team, and workers in an office all likely form secondary groups. Primary groups can form within secondary groups as relationships
become more personal and close.

In-Groups and Out-Groups

In-groups are social groups to which an individual feels he or she belongs, while an individual doesn’t identify with the out-group.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Recall two of the key features of in-group biases toward out-groups
KEY TAKEAWAYS

Key Points
 In- group favoritism refers to a preference and affinity for one’s in-group over the out-group, or anyone viewed as outside the in-group.
 One of the key determinants of group biases is the need to improve self-esteem. That is individuals will find a reason, no matter how
insignificant, to prove to themselves why their group is superior.

 Intergroup aggression is any behavior intended to harm another person, because he or she is a member of an out-group, the behavior
being viewed by its targets as undesirable.

 The out-group homogeneity effect is one’s perception of out-group members as more similar to one another than are in-group members
(e.g., “they are alike; we are diverse”).

 Prejudice is a hostile or negative attitude toward people in a distinct group, based solely on their membership within that group.

 A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people in which identical characteristics are assigned to virtually all members of the
group, regardless of actual variation among the members.

Key Terms
 in-group bias: It refers to a preference and affinity for one’s in-group over the out-group, or anyone viewed as outside the in-group.
 Intergroup aggression: It is any behavior intended to harm another person because he or she is a member of an out-group, the behavior
being viewed by its targets as undesirable.
 In-group favoritism: It refers to a preference and affinity for one’s in-group over the out-group, or anyone viewed as outside the in-
group. This can be expressed in evaluation of others, linking, allocation of resources and many other ways.

In sociology and social psychology, in-groups and out-groups are social groups to which an individual feels as though he or she belongs as a
member, or towards which they feel contempt, opposition, or a desire to compete, respectively. People tend to hold positive attitudes towards
members of their own groups, a phenomenon known as in-group bias. The term originates from social identity theory which grew out of the work
of social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner.

In-group favoritism refers to a preference and affinity for one’s in-group over the out-group or anyone viewed as outside the in-group. This can
be expressed in evaluation of others, linking, allocation of resources, and many other ways. A key notion in understanding in-group/out-group
biases is determining the psychological mechanism that drives the bias. One of the key determinants of group biases is the need to improve self-
esteem. That is individuals will find a reason, no matter how insignificant, to prove to themselves why their group is superior.

Intergroup aggression is any behavior intended to harm another person because he or she is a member of an out group. Intergroup aggression is a
by product of in-group bias, in that if the beliefs of the in-group are challenged or if the in-group feels threatened, then they will express
aggression toward the out-group. The major motive for intergroup aggression is the perception of a conflict of interest between in-group and out-
group. The way the aggression is justified is through dehumanizing the out-group, because the more the out-group is dehumanized the “less they
deserve the humane treatment enjoined by universal norms. ”

Occupational guilds, social clubs, secret or initiatory societies, and religious units, commonly known
as Ẹgbẹ in Yoruba, included the Parakoyi (or league of traders) and Ẹgbẹ Ọdẹ (hunter's guild), and
maintained an important role in commerce, social control, and vocational education in Yoruba
polities. There are also examples of other peer organizations in the region.[55][56][57][58] When the Ẹgba
resisted the imperial domination of the Ọyọ Empire, a figure named Lisabi is credited with either
creating or reviving a covert traditional organization named Ẹgbẹ Aro. This group, originally a
farmers' union, was converted to a network of secret militias throughout the Ẹgba forests, and each
lodge plotted and successfully managed to overthrow Ọyọ's Ajeles (appointed administrators) in the
late 18th century.
Similarly, covert military resistance leagues like the Ekiti Parapọ and the Ogidi alliance were
organized during the 19th century wars by often-decentralized communities of the Ekiti,
Ijẹsa, Ìgbómìnà and Okun Yoruba in order to resist various imperial expansionist plans
of Ibadan, Nupe, and the Sokoto Caliphate.
Social Organization.Social status was and still is determined according to sex, age, descent
group, and wealth. These features determine seniority in social relationships and govern each
actor's rights, obligations, and comportment vis-à-vis others. In the past, elder males ideally held
most positions of civic authority, although senior women were known to do so. Emerging class
distinctions are calculated according to wealth, education, and occupation. High prestige also
goes to people who are generous, hospitable, and helpful to others.

Read more: https://www.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Yoruba-Sociopolitical-

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Bibliography

Bascom, William (1969). The Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Eades, J. S. (1980). The Yoruba Today. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Fadipe, N. A. (1970). The Sociology of the Yoruba. Ibadan: University of Ibadan Press.

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Membership: Perceived Social Interdependence as the Outcome of Self-Categorization". Social Psychological and
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3. ^ Reicher, S.D. (1982). The determination of collective behaviour (pp. 41–83). In H. Tajfel (ed.), Social identity and
intergroup relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
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Canada Inc.
5. ^ Hare, A.P. (1962). Handbook of small group research. New York: Macmillan Publishers.