Social Groups

Groups form a diverse tapestry of interactions and social relationships that the developing child, adolescent, and adult need to engage with [Page 2053]and understand to become a mature and effective social actor. Every individual is a part of at least one social group, and membership in these groups gives an individual an identity and a sense of social place within a larger set of groups, a society, or a culture. Exploring how children learn about and identify with social groups is therefore a fundamental question in developmental and social psychology. From a psychological perspective, groups are a source of identity and profoundly influence self-understanding and behavior. Throughout the course of human development, groups are a socializing force that have both positive and negative dimensions and ...