Groups
In sociological terms, a group is any number of people with similar norms, values, and expectations who interact with one another. The members of a women's college basketball team, of a hospital's business office, or of a symphony orchestra constitute a group. However, the entire staff of a large hospital would not be considered a group, since the staff members rarely interact with one another at one time. Perhaps the only point at which they all come together is an annual party.
Every society is composed of many groups in which daily social interaction takes place. We seek out groups to establish friendships, to accomplish certain goals, and t fulfill social roles that we have acquired. We'll explore the various types of groups in which people interact in detail in Chapter 6, where sociological investigations of group behavior will also be examined.
Groups play a vital part in a society's social structure. Much of our social interaction takes place within groups and is influenced by their norms and sanctions. Being a teenager or a retired person takes on special meanings when you interact within groups designed for people with that particular status. The expectations associated with