How does belonging to a group affect how a person behaves?
Types of social group - primary and secondary, formal and informal - and how group membership and pressures such as peer pressure and conformity influence an individual.
An SQA National 5 Care answer on types of social group - primary and secondary, formal and informal - and how group membership, peer pressure and conformity influence an individual's behaviour and identity.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to know the types of social group and explain how belonging to a group influences a person. People behave differently in groups, and pressures such as peer pressure and conformity can change what they do.
Types of social group
Groups can be sorted in two useful ways.
Primary and secondary groups.
- A primary group is small, close and personal. Members know each other well and relationships are warm and long-lasting. Examples include the family and a close group of friends.
- A secondary group is larger and more impersonal, often formed for a particular purpose. Members may not know each other well. Examples include a school, a workplace or a large club.
Formal and informal groups.
- A formal group has rules, structure and often a clear purpose, such as a sports team, a club or a workplace department.
- An informal group is loose with no formal rules, such as a group of friends who simply spend time together.
A group can be described in both ways at once: a close friendship group is both primary and informal, while a workplace is both secondary and formal.
How groups influence the individual
Belonging to a group affects how a person behaves and how they see themselves.
People often conform to group norms because they want to belong and avoid being left out. This is strongest in adolescence, when the peer group is very important. Groups also shape identity: being part of a team, a faith group or a friendship group becomes part of who a person is.
The influence is not always bad. If a group's norms are positive, such as studying, exercising or volunteering, peer pressure can encourage good behaviour. If the norms are harmful, the same pressure can lead a person into risky or unhealthy behaviour.
Why groups matter in care
People in care still belong to groups: family, friends, faith groups and others. A care worker supports these connections, because belonging is good for wellbeing, and is alert to harmful group pressures, such as a young person being led into risky behaviour. Understanding group influence also helps a worker run positive group activities that encourage helpful behaviour through belonging.
Try this
Q1. Give one example of a primary group. [1 mark]
- Cue. The family or a close group of friends (small, close and personal).
Q2. State what is meant by conformity. [1 mark]
- Cue. When a person changes their behaviour to match the norms of a group, often to fit in.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain how peer pressure can influence an individual in both a positive and a negative way. Use examples.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark explain question wants both directions developed, so give a positive and a negative example.
Positive. Peer pressure can encourage helpful behaviour. For example, if a person's friends all study hard, exercise or volunteer, the individual may join in to fit in, which benefits them.
Negative. Peer pressure can also push someone towards harmful behaviour. For example, a young person might start smoking, miss school or take risks because their friends do and they do not want to be left out.
Markers reward a clear positive and a clear negative effect, each with an example, and the link to wanting to fit in. Giving only negative effects, or no examples, would not gain full marks.
SQA N5 style3 marksDescribe the difference between a primary group and a secondary group, with an example of each.Show worked answer →
This is a describe question worth 3 marks, so define both and give an example of each.
Point 1. A primary group is small, close and personal, where members know each other well and relationships are long-lasting. An example is the family or a close group of friends.
Point 2. A secondary group is larger and more impersonal, often formed for a particular purpose, where members may not know each other well. An example is a school, a workplace or a sports club.
Point 3. The key difference is closeness: primary groups involve close personal ties, while secondary groups are larger and more formal.
Markers reward correct definitions, an example of each and a clear contrast. Defining only one, or giving no examples, would limit the marks.
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Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Care Course Specification — SQA (2017)