10. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GROUPS, THEIR ROLE IN SOCIETY'S LIFE

Variety of small social groups are primary groups . The term “primary groups” was introduced into the sociology of C. Cooley. Here is what he wrote about the meaning of such groups: “By primary groups I understand the characteristics of associations and cooperations that have intimate, face-to-face, relationships between people. They are primary in several senses, but main in the sense that they play a fundamental role in shaping the nature and ideals of the individual. The result of intimate relationships, intimate psychology is a certain fusion of individualities into a common whole, so that the true being of each person is inseparable from the common life and goals of the group’s activities. ”

In addition to intimacy, trusting, direct, face-to-face contacts, C. Cooley considered an important characteristic of the primary group to form the feeling “we are the group”, by which he understood the psychological integrity of the group and the desire of its members to identify themselves with the group’s consciousness and psychology, fully sharing the inherent her views, values, ideals. These groups are “primary” in the sense that it is through them that individuals receive the first experience of social unity. Examples of primary social groups are family, school class, student group, group of friends, sports team, etc.

According to the views of C. Kuli, the opposite of the primary group are secondary groups formed of people between whom only minor emotional relationships have developed. Their interaction is subject only to the achievement of certain goals. In these groups, individually unique personality traits do not matter, but the ability to perform certain functions is more valued. The main type of secondary social group is a large social group formed to achieve certain goals - an organization (political, productive, religious, etc.), in which formal role-playing, official relations prevail. C. Cooley believed that it was the primary groups that played the most important role in human life, and the role of the secondary groups was less significant.

The growth of influence in the life of society of secondary groups is a factor in modern history, due to the development of industrial production, urbanization, the emergence of mass society, continuing differentiation and specialization of various spheres of public life. Therefore, modern man spends much of his life in various secondary groups. Communication outside the house, superficial contacts on the street, in transport, in the store, and various cultural institutions are one of the common areas of secondary group contacts. But their main volume falls on the labor activity of a person - in industrial organizations, educational, scientific, managerial and other official organizations.