Why individuals belong to a group

The word 'group' turns out to be a term with a long history in the social sciences. Various authors, especially those adressing the sociology of work, have contributed to the subject. Why do individuals want to become member of a group? Meijer [1994] states that groups particularly meet a number of human necessities:

• A group enables people to survive. The tendency for people to work together is mainly based on instinct; without collaboration there is no survival.
• A group meets certain psychological needs of individuals. Some seek affinity whereas others may hope to find a way to gain control.
• A group may fulfil a person's need for information. Individuals tend to look for sources of information which confirm their way of thinking. Festinger, cited by Meijer, refers to this behaviour as 'social comparison'.
• A group meets interpersonal necessities of individuals. Group members, for example friends and family members, are supportive. In contrast to the before mentioned psychological needs, in this case the relationships are applied in a more positive manner.
• A group strives for a goal which the individual pursues. People might join a group in order to reach a goal more easily.

This approach toward groups shows the advantages for an individual of a membership of any group. It emphasises the characteristics that all groups have in common.

Why individuals want to belong to a certain group

However, an individual will not become member of just any group. In order to understand why individuals prefer one group over an other, a different point of view is necessary. Whereas the first approach focused on common characteristics, this approach examines the distinguishing features of groups. Meijer [1994] identifies five factors by which an individual is able to distinguish attractive groups from unattractive groups. Apparently, interaction is a key ingredient.

• Nearness. Nearness can quickly lead to uniformity. Even though people do not share a feeling of unity, they may be perceived as a group by their environment. As an example, think of the people that live in the same neighbourhood. Being close to each other will inevitably encourage them to interact.
• Resemblance. Recall the 'social comparison' theory mentioned before. We tend to like people who are like us. Interacting with humans who confirm our opinions is generally perceived as rewarding. Besides, arguments with people who share the same line of thought are less likely to appear.
• Complementary needs. It may be interesting for an individual to interact with others who have different needs. Especially if those demands can help to satisfy their own needs.
• Reciprocity. Relationships on a non-reciprocal basis are not likely to last. Because sympathy is mostly answered with sympathy and antipathy is generally responded to with antipathy, affection and dislike are usually mutual feelings.
• Character traits. Group members may posess character traits with which an individual particularly likes to identify. His self-esteem is likely to grow if he feels part of a select group.
• Appearance. Attraction toward a certain group is determined considerably by the looks of the group members. For instance, the commercials for cosmetics rely heavily on this well-known fact.

Does everyone belong to a certain group?

Although we would like to think otherwise, not anyone can be seen as a member of some group. We seem to suffer from parochialism. We try to structure the world around us by classifying people into groups. This way we are able to make general remarks regarding our environment. It allows us to live in a world that we would otherwise perceive as chaotic. The neighbourhood, which was mentioned when the factor nearness was discussed before, is a good example.