Differentiate primary group and secondary group in relation to communication

A primary group is small in size as well as area. The membership is limited to a small number and usually confined to defined area.

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It is not spread over the whole world, i.e., in family, play-group, study-group. Membership is confined within small limits. At the other end, in a secondary group the membership is widespread. It may contain thousands of members scattered in different parts of the world as is the case with a corporation.

(ii) Kind of Co-operation:

In a secondary group the co­operation with the fellow-members is indirect. It is formed more or less deliberately and in terms of common interests in the achievement of some recognized goal. The members cooperate only to achieve the group’s objective. It is not the process that binds them together but the object to whose attainment they unite.

They do not work together but one works for the other; they do assigned tasks toward a common object. Individuals are selected to act on behalf of the whole, a hierarchy of officials arises and the executive becomes distinct from the members. In a primary group, on the other hand, the members directly co-operate with each other participating in the same process. They sit together, discuss together, play together, decide together.

(iii) Types of Structure:

Every secondary group is regulated by a set of formal rules. A formal authority is set up with designated powers and a clear cut division of labour in which the function of each is specified in relation to the function of all, the rest follows. In a word, the organization of a secondary group is carefully worked out.

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The primary group is based on an informal structure. The members, as told above, participate in the same process. There is spontaneous adjustment in the working of the group. No formal and detailed rules are drafted. The structure is simple.

(iv) Relationship:

The relationship of members with each other in a primary group is direct, intimate and personal. There is congeniality among the members. They meet face to face and develop direct contacts. The primary group is concerned with the total personality of a person. The relations are inclusive.

A secondary group is regulated by formal rules which mean a substitution of impersonal for personal relationships. The relations now become secondary and formal. It does not exercise a primary influence over its members because they do not live in the presence and thought of one another.

They need not meet face to face and may communicate with each other by indirect means. They perform their jobs, carry out the orders, pay their dues and contribute to the group interest, still may never see each other. The members of national political party pay their annual subscriptions, carry out the orders of the High Command, work for the party interest, but hardly establish personal and direct relationships with each other.

The average member plays a passive role and often comes to feel that the party lies beyond the area of his control. Paul Landis called secondary groups the representative of the “cold world”. Primary groups are relationship-directed whereas secondary groups are goal-oriented. In fact, the warmth of the relations in primary groups cannot be found in the secondary groups. The relations in the secondary group are of ‘touch and go’ type.

Some thinkers are of the opinion that classification of groups into primary and secondary is not very satisfactory. No group can be classified as wholly primary or wholly secondary. Even a large scale group cannot work without a certain identification of its members with the organisation as a whole. Instead of classifying the groups into primary and secondary it is easier to classify contacts.

The main difference between primary and secondary groups is not one of size or structure but of relationship. If a nation is called a secondary group, it is so called because its members do not have close, personal and warm relations. It is devoid of personal inter-action; its members express the body of oneness through impersonal and indirect methods. Even if the members of a secondary group meet face-to-face it is of the touch and go variety.

primary group: It is typically a small social group whose members share close, personal, enduring relationships. ... Secondary groups: They are large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal-oriented.

Primary group is the nucleus of all social organizations. It is characterized by intimate face-to-face association and co-operation.

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They are primary in several senses but they are fundamental in forming the social nature and ideals of individuals. Family, playgroup and neighborhood are the example of primary group. But secondary groups are large scale groups in which the relationships are relatively casual, impersonal and competitive. They are consciously formed to fulfill some common goals or objectives. Ex-City, Political Party.

(2) Difference in Size :

A primary group is very small in size and is confined to a small area. Because it consists of very small number of individuals. But the size of a secondary group is very large and it is spread all over the world. Because it consists of thousands of members who is widespread and scattered all over the world.

(3) Difference in Stability :

Primary groups are relatively stable or durable. For example family is a stable organization. But a secondary group may be temporary or permanent. These are temporary groups like flood relief association. As secondary groups are special interest groups after the fulfillment of the interest it automatically vanishes.

(4) Difference in Co-operation :

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The nature of co-operation in a primary and secondary group also differs from each other. The members of a primary group directly co-operate with each other. They play, sit and discuss together. Because of face to face contact and personal relationships direct co-operation among members is possible. But the members of a secondary group indirectly co­operate with each other. Because there exists indirect relations among the members.

(5) Difference in Structure :

According to the type of structure both primary and secondary group can be distinguished from each other. Primary group is based on an informal structure and is very simple. All the members participate in the same process and it is regulated by informal rules and regulations. On the other hand secondary group is based on formal structure and is regulated by a set of formal rules and regulations.

(6) Difference in Relationships :

A great deal of differences is found in the relationships among the members of a primary and secondary group. There exist direct, intimate and personal relationships among the members of a primary group. The relations are all inclusive because primary group is relationship directed. But there exists indirect and impersonal relations among the members of a secondary group. Here relations are secondary and formal.

(7) Difference in the method of social control:

Both primary and secondary group can be distinguished from each other on the basis of the means by which they exercises control over their members. Primary group exercises controls over its members through informal means such as customs, folkways, mores etc. Secondary group have limited control over its members. But secondary group control the behavior of its members through formal means such as police, jail, court, law etc.

(8) Difference in Goal:

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Members of a primary group have similar or common aims and objectives. Goal of a particular member is considered as the goal of all other members. But in a secondary group member have different goals. Each individual has his own goals or aims for the fulfillment of which he joins in the group.

(9) Difference in effect on Personality:

Both primary and secondary group can be distinguished from each other on the degree by which they affect or determine the personality of an individual. Primary group has a greater influence on the development of personality. It influences the total personality of an individual. But secondary group has a little influence on the development of personality of an individual. It is mainly concerned with a particular aspect of the personality of an individual.

(10) Differences in Physical Closeness:

Both primary and secondary group may be distinguished from each other on the grounds of physical nearness. Members of a primary group live in physical proximity to each other. There exits face –to face relations among the member. But members of a secondary group the member of secondary group.

(11) The relationship among the members of a primary group is spontaneous in nature whereas the relationship among the members of a secondary group is governed by external forces.

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(12) Primary relationship is all inclusive. Here each member know each other personally and they are concerned with the total aspect of human being. But secondary relationship is not all inclusive. Here members do not know each other personally and they are not concerned with the total aspect of life of members.

What are the main differences between primary and secondary groups?

What is the communication of primary group?

What is a secondary group in communication?

What is secondary group?