Module 7-Week 8

Understanding Culture, Society and

Politics

7 SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
Name:___________________________________________________________________Strand and
Section:___________________________

Objectives

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. Describe the organized nature of social life and rules governing behavior;
2. Compare different social forms of social organization, according to their manifest and latent
functions; and
3. Analyze social and political structures.

Warm-up Activity

Directions: Think of a word or phrase that can be associated with the word BARKADA. Write inside the boxes
your answers. After, answer the question below.

BARKADA

Based on your personal experience, do you think having many friends is an advantage for you as a person? Why
or why not?

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Introduction

Barkada is a term that most Filipinos I their youths use to refer to a group who share the same inclinations. The
fondest memories of one’s youth would often be of the experiences they shared with their barkada. Every age
group in every society creates and subscribes to a social group.

A social group consists of individuals who are united by their similar characteristics, and these characteristics
serve as the bases of their constant interaction. However, not all individuals who share similar characteristics
interact with one another. This phenomenon is observed in social categories. For example, your barkada may be
classified as a social group; students attending your high school are within the context of a social category, as
you do not normally interact with them. Your relationship with your fellow high school students will turn to a
social group once you recognize your ties with one another as belonging to one group and you interact with one
another. Social activities organized by your school can promote the transformation of your relations from being
distant members of a social category to interactive members of a social group.

Another classification of human grouping is that of social aggregate. In this, individuals gather in the same place
but are neither interacting nor sharing similar characteristics. People gathered in a shopping mall may be
categorized in this.

Social Networks

Social network consists of individuals who have dyadic relationships that are interacting with other
relationships within a structure. Simply stated, a social network is a social structure consisting of people who
have varying degrees of relations and interrelationships. A sociogram is a visual representation of the social
networks present in one group or more. This was developed by Jacob Moreno, a psychotherapist, in 1951 to
understand the dynamics of the intersections of social groups (e.g., individuals, peers) within the structure (e.g., a
school, a church, a village).

Compiled by: Mr. Jerold A. Amacio

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 Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics

The figure on the right side is a sample of a

sociogram. It shows the interrelationship, or the
lack thereof, among the members of this social
structure. You can notice multiple arrangements
existing here such as
 clique – It is an exclusive group that is
separate from the entire unit.
 one-way choice – It is an individual who
relates to another individual who does not
reciprocate the affiliation.
 isolate – It is an individual who has chosen
no one and is not chosen by anyone in the
structure.

How many cliques are there in the sociogram?

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SOCIAL GROUPS: In-groups, Out-groups, Reference groups

A. IN-GROUP
An in-group is the social group in which an individual directly affiliates and expresses loyalty to. It is a
group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. The primary characteristics of an in-group
are:
1. Members use titles, external symbols, and dress to distinguish themselves from the out-group. For
example, the jejemons who became popular years ago and known for their distinguishable dress code
and language. Moreover, military groups too can be seen with strong in-group culture. From their
prescribed haircut that everyone shares, to the symbols that everyone upholds, this group is able to
detach themselves from the greater majority who are not part of their group.
2. Members apply positively stereotypes to their in-group and negative stereotypes to the out-group.
Generally, the in-group consists of the majority who defines what is normal and acceptable while
these who do not conform to them become part of the out-group and receive ostracism and
discrimination.
3. Members tend to clash or compete with members of the out-group . This competition with the other
group can also strengthen the unity within each group. Rivalries among schools, which are
highlighted during competition in sports, quiz bees, and ranking are a prime example of how
members from an in-group tend to compete with the out-groups.

B. OUT-GROUP
On the other hand, out-group is where an individual is not part of. Negative attributes are usually
associated with individuals who are part of this group. For example, an individual who is part of an in-group of
heterosexuals would consider those with different genders as part of the out-group without distinguishing what
types of gender they have. In cases of war, opposing groups tend to dehumanize each other, often leading to
countless deaths.

C. REFERENCE GROUP
A reference group is a group to which we compare ourselves. We use reference groups in order to guide
behaviors and attitudes and help us identify social norms. When a person receives a positive self-evaluation, he or
she experiences the normative effect. On the contrary, a negative self-evaluation often results from the
comparison effect that a reference group has on individuals who try to appraise their behavior based on its
prescribed norms.
A group that have been a part of in the past or that we will be a part in the future can serve as reference
group. A married man may still look to his single friends as a reference group, even though this is a group that he
no longer belongs to.

SOCIAL GROUPS: Primary Groups and Secondary Groups, Small Groups and Large Groups

Primary groups are the direct sources of an individual’s social skills and knowledge. An individual’s
primary groups usually consist of family, friends, peers, classmates and church. As familiarity is present in these
relations, forms of interaction and communication are often informal and holistic. This means that your
relationship with your parents is not rigid and cuts across all areas of your life. Hence a breakfast conversation
about your grades in school may turn to a discussion of your expected roles in your home.
Secondary groups are more formal in context as the relationships and interactions in them are limited to
a particular role that an individual plays within the group. This may consist of relationships that are temporary and
practical such as that of a client and an agent, a researcher and an informant, a tenant and a landlord, to name a
few. In these types of relationships, face-to-face interaction is limited and communication is often formal.
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Small groups usually show exclusive interaction, as experiences and ideas are strictly shared. Primary
relationships are created in small groups. Family is an example of this. The most cohesive and directly interacting
small group is called dyad, which consists of two individuals. A small group of three individuals is called a triad.
Larger groups tend to promote detachment through indirect interaction. Isolated members often cope by
creating small groups that foster direct intercation among its members. A village or barangay is an example of a
large group. Social loafing, a phenomenon of free riding, can be experienced in large groups, as some individuals
tend to depend on other’s initiative to perform tasks that are originally expected of them.

LEADERSHIP AND CONFORMITY

Do you follow the behavior of your group, or do you opt to go against it? How do you respond to the
demand for conformity from members of your group?

Individuals in groups are affected by the prescribed norms of the group that they subscribe to.
Conformity is the behavior of an individual that relates to following the prescribed norms of his or her group due
to pressure or influence that members of the group have on him or her. Stricter compliance to norms can be
observed in smaller groups due to the stronger pressure to conform, which is felt by the individual. Due to the
general secondary relationships that are formed within them, larger groups are prone to have less strict
compliance to social norms, resulting in a variance of behavioral sets practiced by its members. This
nonconformity in larger groups is further enhanced by the anonymity of the members, which allows them to view
one another as strangers who are easy to disregard.

Smaller groups tend to practice group-think, which is a united acceptance and practice of idea that is
believed as a form of group loyalty. This form of mentality is sometimes based on the majority's perspective and
decision that may not always be logical and correct. Individuals who do not subscribe to group-think are
considered deviant and are pressured to conform, lest they be punished or ostracized. As such, when group-think
is strictly observed, the voice of the minority is silenced. Sometimes, this form of solidarity becomes dangerous
due to the lack of perspective that it promotes.

Every group tends to have leaders who exercise authority over its members. There are two types of
leaders in a small group: expressive and instrumental. The difference between the two lies in the motivation for
leadership. An expressive leader is motivated by the relationships that he or she has with the members of the
group. This leader employs a cooperative style of management, wherein the opinions of the members are
accounted for as the main goal of group is to maintain its cohesion. Instrumental leaders implement a directive
style of management, wherein members of the group are directed to perform tasks that lead to the achievement of
the group goal. This type of leader is achievement motivated, which makes the purpose of the group and the
individuals defined by the goals they have set.

A Stop, Ponder and Answer

Which one do you think is more effective between the two: an expressive leader or an instrumental leader? Why?
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B. IDENTIFICATION: Identify whether the relationship belongs to primary or secondary group. Write P if it is
primary and S if it is secondary.
________1. mother and daughter ________2. researcher and informant
________3. buyer and seller ________4. friends
________5. you and your brother ________6. tenant and landlord
________7. you and our teacher ________8. employee and employer
________9. sister to her brother ________10. costumer and waiter

C. PHOTO PRESENTATION: Print a photo or picture of you together with any social group you belong to.
Paste the picture at the back part of this module. In 100 words, explain the things and lessons you have learned
being a member of that social group. It can be your family picture, photo with friends, classmates, school
organization, church organization, clans, or any social group that you want to “flex” the most.
Content 5 _________
Creativity 3 _________
Followed the Mechanics 2 _________

Compiled by: Mr. Jerold A. Amacio

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