How important is it for you to belong to a “group”?
Many people belong to different groups in their lifetime, which can include physical groups, like the basket ball team, school, work, or “concept groups” that hold a specific belief.
Group behaviour illicits certain responses within the group to ensure cohesiveness. A good example would be your company’s product against opposition companies and the group’s behaviour in regards to this opposition. .
The Social Identify theory examines group behaviour and the effect it has on its members. Clearly in order to maintain status in a group, and to follow the general thinking of the group you would be expected to carry out certain behaviours.
Some of the behaviours of groups might lead to aggression towards for e.g. newer members of the group, or people in the group that may have appeared to have “sold out” on the group.
The rewards of adhering to group rules are “acceptance” and praise for example within the group. The reward would be something like a sense of belonging.
Do you consider yourself to be in many groups? Would you behave in ways contradictory to your nature in order to hang onto that “sense of belonging” Would you become aggressive if necessary? And why? Is it very important for you to feel like a part of a group to perhaps the detriment of your own self? If so does this signify a lack of self?
Other types of group identity would be numerous, but some to mention would be soldiers of the Vietnam War and group rapes.
Some references.
rape
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51 Answers
No thanks.I don’t care for groupthink.
I do like certain groups that interest me but as a rule I don’t like rules especially rules that curtail behavior and free thinking.
We all want to be accepted. its human nature for a person to want to be wanted, like a pack of wolves. whether its the boy scouts or a group of yuppies, the whole idea is to be liked by everyone else.
Im too much of a individual and introverted to ever really be part of any group.
When I was younger I would do almost anything to not conform, or be part of a group….. until I realised that non-conforming had been packaged by the corporations & I was just being sold another load of old crap!
Many of my identities disqualify me from many groups – so the only groups I ever belonged to were a group of people who were exluded as well. Generally speaking in a group dynamic, I take up the leader role but will not sacrifice my beliefs for the sake of the group.
I am not in many groups, no, but I do like the sense of belonging. I think everyone does to a certain extent. I think human interaction is one of the basic human needs. I have different friend groups, but they’re not very big. I have friends that I do not think like, but of course they do have an influence on me in some ways. I usually prefer to be around people who are similar to me.
When I was younger I was a “lone wolf” as my parents called me. I preferred to be alone and I was happier that way. I was shyer back then too, but I did have friends. Nowadays I enjoy having more friends and more company, especially being in a city that is completely dull and can make you go crazy. So, I have my share of solitude but I prefer to be around people nowadays. I don’t think it gives me a feeling of a “lack of self” if I am by myself, it’s more of wanting company.
The only way not to be part of a group is to live in a cave. Even if you’re anti-group, you’re in the anti-group group.
Face it people, we all have to deal with each other on this planet.
In my youth I was a member of a radical religion that intentionally seperated themselves from the rest of the world. I still had to attend school and “live” in a world that I was not truly a part of. Therefore, I learned how to live without having to belong. I believed that religion until I was old enough to actually think for myself and then I did. Since leaving that group, I had not really ever “belonged” to any other group other than my family. That was enough for me until my children grew up and out and I divorced my husband. Once I was completely alone, I formed a “bookclub” in an effort to develop new friendships. There were eight of us and after meeting every month for years, I realized I had only read 2 of the books. We dropped the name bookclub and just became friends, which is why it started in the first place. I eventually remarried and our group rarely gets together anymore. I sometimes wish I were a part of some kind of group activity for the social aspect of it. This is because I have a tendacy to stay home if I have someone there to be with and if I am a member of something that I am expected to attend, I am much more likely to make myself go.
I don’t think it is in my nature to be part of a group…when I was younger I would find myself drifting a bit from one to another which eventually told me something about myself. I think part of my problem is always managing to find a fault in a group and therefore deciding against it.
You can maybe find some answers or perhaps a wider range of answers by looking at gangs and gang members…maybe my Scottish examples are not as extreme as gangs in other countries but here we get reports where the members say they feel compelled to take part in the violence, compelled to take drugs etc due to pressure from the older ones…some admit that they do it themselves out of fear or rejection from their peers…it comes across as some of them wanting to not be in a group but their “society” demands it.
So from that perspective I think it does show a lack of self as they are acting against their usual nature.
It sounds like you’re really pissed off at one or more of the guys you work with.
I kind of like this group. I’m generally not much of a joiner. Maybe I don’t play well with others, but I generally end up going against what a particular group wants.
That’s what is great about Fluther. I sometimes, or even often, disagree with some jellies, but I can always find common ground with most of them. I say almost, but those are pretty good results from such a random event in my life.
I don’t really associate with groups, not in a psychological sense. At times I scrape along the edge for a brief period but that’s about all. I don’t consider adapting to fit the group as acceptable, rather I believe they must adapt to me. That thinking tends to cause a great deal of friction. I prefer to deal with people on an individual basis. The only acceptance I seek is from those I care about and that is dependent on their accepting me as I am.
There are many reasons for groups to form and for people to join, probably as many as there are groups. But I think the core reason is the person joining is lacking something and believes they can find it within the group. Their willingness to sacrifice their individuality or undertake actions they wouldn’t as a separate entity may, in many instances, simply be considered an acceptable price to pay in order to attain what they were searching for in the first place. Combine that with the examples, support, and reinforcement of the behavior by the group and people start to adopt as their own, the morals/goals/qualities of the group.
By choice, I don’t belong to any social group. I was a loner as a child and adolescent because I lacked social skills and couldn’t seem to learn them. By my early teens I had made the decision to reject purely social interactions and make my way in the world based on competance rather than social connections. I belong to several organizations that support causes important to me, but avoid any meetings.
As @Simone_De_Beavoir said, my basic identity causes me to be rejected by many “mainstream” groups. I’ve been forced into leadership roles in my career, but prefer to have nothing to do with groups. At this point in my life, retired and widowed, I’d rather be a loner. I’ve always found social situations uncomfortable and I’m too emotionally burned out to associate myself actively with any “causes”. I briefly tried to continue my late wife’s work with women from abusive backgrounds, but my lack of social insights turned that into a fiasco; better to just donate money and stay out of the picture.
I’m not much of a joiner. Groups are okay if it’s about something I’m passionate about, but I don’t have any need to join. I think the biggest thing is I like knowing I have freedom with my time and don’t like having to go to meetings. I hate meetings.
It’s pretty significant to belong to a group of Jellyfish, otherwise known as a Fluther. All other groups are secondary. =)
@Just_Justine maybe in signing up I have but then I don’t feel the desire to be an integral part of a group or to act with others in a group in the sense of feeling you have to back certain people up….in other forums (which I’ve read but don’t take part in) they often talk about cliques within a group so maybe in hindsight it’s the cliques I am not part of within groups rather than the groups themselves?
@Adirondackwannabe no not touché, my question asked if one had ever been a part of a group, not “I am pissed off at work today I need assistance”? Is it clear now?
Not a group type person. However having certain friends with similar interest may lead me to be a part of a group. But being in a group never actually makes me feel special in any way.
Many times I may go against my own group simply because certain behavior or beliefs may go against what I hold myself too believe or how I expect myself to behave. Some goups I’m in I simply wish I wasn’t in. (Example the over 30 group. Wish I was still in the 30 group. LOL)
I am what I am.
The groups that I most want to stay in are the living, the married, and the healthy.
About the only group behaviors that I participate in regarding the above are, avoiding potentially deadly situations, being good to my wife, and maintaining my health.
I’m a member of several (about 5) advocacy groups, but I’m not really socially interactive within any of them.
As a member of Fluther, about the only group behavior that I participate in is that which doesn’t get me banned.
I wouldn’t and don’t have to do anything contrary to my core being to feel like I belong to any of those groups, because it’s my personal principles and essence that motivated me to join them.
Outside of that, I wouldn’t do anything for any of those groups that I wasn’t comfortable doing.
I only interact with my friends and others as individuals, and that’s the way I like it.
I enjoy solitude as well as being around people.Have no inclination whatsoever to “belong” to a group.Individuality is my cup of tea.
I am a part of many groups.
I only belong as much as I want to. I do not follow any pack mentality nor do I necessarily lead.
I do what is right for me and the way I think and believe. If it fits with them, that’s good. If it doesn’t, I don’t really care, they can take me or leave me.
It isn’t important for me to be part of a group. I enjoy being around my family of course, but equally I enjoy solitude.
Groups? Hmmm. Human race group… female group… mothers group… divorced persons group… tech group… readers group.. I could go on obviously. None of us are without them.
But I get that you’re talking about more formal groups or clubs. Most of mine are pretty benign. I’m a rape crisis counselor on a voluntary & pd basis. I’m a board member for the PFLAG chapter here, which is a support group more than an activist group.
I have some rather loosely defined groups – really more social circles – based on
different mutual interests.
I’ve seen the mindset I think you’re referring to – where someone suggests something questionable and others follow along.
Anyone who’s seen a group of teens in trouble after doing something stupid has seen it. “There are 6 of you here – didn’t anyone think to themselves ‘this probably isn’t a good idea??’” LOL
It doesn’t really matter to me. I don’t wish to be limited by other people’s expectations.
In terms of consciously being a part of groups (e.g ingroups, not identities or roles), it’s not important for me. I am one of those people who prefers to things on my own. But for more difficult things it’s nice to dispurse some of the responsibility (the more members in group, the more diffused the responsibility; get more than five people and the responsibility is diffused to too much for anyone to have any real commitment). Although some people like me like doing things alone or in smaller groups, humans are naturally social animals, and socialization is an essential part of life has a human.
I’m pretty solitary and independent, however there are probably groups for people like me, as ironic as that is. I don’t really notice it and that’s fine, we all gotta belong somewhere anyway.
I won’t go outta my way to belong to any specific place though, especially if it’s demanded of me, or if the requisitess are too uppity, unless, of course, I fit there naturally.
Personally, fairly important. Although I can be a solitary creature sometimes, I like to know I have my ‘group’ of friends to fall back on. I don’t think I could go on much longer without them. I don’t think it makes me a sheep, but just reminds me that I am capable of loving and getting people to love me back. It’s really a wonderful achievement.
I like to be part of a group but only if it’s related to shared interests. Otherwise there doesn’t seem to be enough to keep me connected to them.
I’m not much of a joiner when it comes to clubs or societies. The organizations to which I belong generally have a purpose. You will never find me in a garden club or country club.
I never belonged to a group. I was pretty much a loner all my life. Never being excepted by any of my peers as a comrade. I liked doing things along. No pressre to vindicate my self to be considered as one of them.
I think these groups only make it easier to judge a person. It’s not so important to me to belong to the group, as much as it is that I have people I can have an intelligent conversation with.
i must surrender to a group some day ..im definatly interested ..but no one likes me
I realize that we are all members of some groups, the important thing is to do your own thinking. Group-think is a major problem in the U.S. and U.K. today. Politicians have been very skillful in manipulating groups mostly, I think, because the majority seems too lazy to think for themselves. They also pass along certain memes like “there is no use for me to vote because the whole system is corrupt anyway” That and many other attitudes of that type are self-fulfilling. The only reason to think that way is to increase someone else’s power base.
I’ll keep trying to do the right thing regardless of what my “group” says.
I’ve always been interested in being part of a group, but I had a hard time finding the groups that had a mutual attraction. I am comfortable now with the ones I have found.
It is important to me, but that is because I picked them. Thankfully, I have stopped waiting for groups to pick me.
I think it’s better to stand out on your own then be in a group.
please join my new group its called ” shit on groups.” we dont meet up we dont accept dues, we just individually express our distaste and dissent towards groups of any kind.
@Exhausted Hey…. your still part of a social group, right here with the rest of us :)
@Symbeline Well…. you’re gonna be solitary if you keep runnin around waving chainsaws left, right’n’centre!
@JeffVader Thanks for pointing that out to me! This is a group I actually ENJOY being a part of, thanks to members like you!
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