What are groups? What are some of the different characteristics ...

[Pineappleeh]

What are groups? What are some of the different characteristics of groups? Explain and distinguish between primary and secondary groups.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What are statuses and roles? Discuss two difficulties people can experience with roles.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[mbcrismon]

Answer to Question 1

A group is any assortment of people who share norms, values, and expectations. They can be small or large, formal or informal. Primary groups form for expressive needs such as emotional support, companionship, love, and security, and tend to be smaller than secondary groups. Secondary groups form for instrumental needs, working together to meet a goal. They are generally larger and make less of an emotional claim on people's identity.

Answer to Question 2

Statuses are social identities recognized as meaningful, and roles are sets of behaviors that are expected of a person who occupies a certain status. Difficulties with roles include role strain, role conflict, and role exit. Role strain can occur when the same role has demands and expectations that contradict each other, so people cannot possibly meet them all. Role conflict can occur when people try to play different roles with extremely different or contradictory rules at the same time. Role exit describes the process of adjustment that takes place when people move out of a role that is central to their identity.