Groups and Their Types

Writen by Mary Anne Winslow

Group is a collection of persons who gather with the common aim. There are different types of groups. The most known are educational groups, psychotherapy ones, self help groups, etc. Groups can be blocking with the aim to lead members to change their attitude with the help of other group members.

Some groups are formal and some informal. For example, you would
usually find that a social group is informal because they have no
leader, and no obvious timescale/aim. Different groups have different
kinds of memberships. Some groups may be for young people, some are
for adults and some are suitable for all ages. For example, a
“reminiscence” group would be more suitable for older people, as they
have had more life experience and they can enjoy talking to other
members of the group about memorable events, i.e. the war.

Some groups are optional or compulsory about whether the members
attend. For example, those who take part in a social group attend
entirely out of their own choice, just for their own interest and
enjoyment. On the other hand, offenders may be expected to attend a
treatment group that deals with their behaviour. It may be part of
their court sentence, the same as community service.

The membership of the group is very important in terms of the progress
and success. Group members who share a common aim about why they are
attending are more likely to succeed. Some members of a self-help
group may be dominant, which could make the more submissive members
withdrawn or unconfident. If members are of a similar age, background
and have similar life experience there could be more opportunities for
each member to “bond” with one another and make the group experience a
more rewarding one. However, some arguments could be made that groups
who have members too similar are not being challenged and encouraged
to bond with people completely different to themselves. They could
also say that putting opposite types of people into a group provides a
more interesting experience.

As mentioned earlier about dominant and submissive members, this
relates to power issues. If one or two members in the group have
control and power over decisions, such as what is discussed, who is
doing what, etc, then some of the quieter members could become
resentful of the power that these members possess. They could feel
envious that they have the power to take on the leadership, whereas
they do not. It may also mean that some group members feel like “the
black sheep” because they feel unable to express their views. The
group may fall apart as a result.

The size of the group can also be another important factor in relation
to the nature of groups. For example, a new member of a group may feel
slightly intimidated by joining a group with a small number of members
in fear of not blending with their “clique”. They may prefer joining a
larger group, where there would be more variety of people for them to
mix with. However, some members may feel more comfortable in joining a
small group because they think it has a friendlier feel as compared to
a larger and wider group. Some arguments put forward in favour of
larger groups are that members of the group are more likely to gain
better progress because more people are contributing to its input. An
argument against it could be that people in larger groups can become
“invisible” because less time is given to each individual.
The membership of a group has to have some common aims and
ideas otherwise it is possible that the group will fail at the first
hurdle. Groups usually work best when people attend voluntarily,
either to socialise or to deal with their problems. There are other
groups where members are expected t attend because they have no choice
in the matter, e.g. an offenders group.

Types of groups

Social groups are defined by their content, for example the social or
recreational activities. There is no concrete purpose for this type of
group, they are usually provided just for enjoyment and for members to
socialise with each other. They may provide a positive experience for
some members, by helping them to overcome isolation. There is usually
no leader of the group because of the informal setting. Generally all
members are encouraged to participate and give their suggestions. Each
member can be given a role of responsibility that can help the group
develop when working together. An example of a social group could be a
youth club, because young people can mix and socialise with other
people of the same age and interests.

Psychotherapy groups aim to provide relief from emotional problems and
basic personality change. This type of group is quite formal, mainly
because members are not attending just to socialise and meet people,
but to discuss and analyse their problems. The emphasis is on helping
members achieve their personal therapeutic goals, such as overcoming
low self esteem, lack of purpose or direction, and lack of a clear
identity. Individuals may have symptoms such as anxiety, depression,
and an inability to cope with difficult situations, i.e.
stress. Members have to be
motivated and want to make changes to their life. They should join the
group because they want to, not because of other people’s opinions.
These groups use lots of verbal communication, so members should be
able to use verbal skills. Each member should also be able to accept
“psychological-mindedness”. This means that each individual has to
have an ability to accept an appropriate psychological explanation
about their issues within themselves and with others. Obviously the
leader would be the psychotherapist, and they focus on the goals and
future development of each individual. The leader will attempt to
steer the group into a here and now focus and may direct their
comments either to individuals, sub-groups or the whole group.

Counselling groups focuses on dealing with particular problems or
modifying specific situations. Usually each member shares a common
problem that the group can focus on, for example the focus may be on
overcoming an affair. Attention is paid to the particular problem,
whilst other problems have little focus. Some other examples of how
counselling can be used could be depression, isolation, children who
are beyond control, etc. The counsellor takes place of the leader by
helping members to identify and keep to the focus of the group.
Another is to enable members to build links between themselves. The
group share both the problem and solutions adopted by individuals.

Educational groups offer information and to offer members the chance
to learn skills through instruction. For example, a practical skills
group could aim to assist members in easier ways of dealing with
practical problems around the home when on a tight budget. An
environment is provided where basic skills are learnt through
practise. Another form of its purpose could be to prepare members for
life stages, new experiences and challenges. The group could focus on
the feelings produced from transitions, i.e. from junior to secondary
school, from school to employment, and from work to
unemployment/retirement. In leading such groups, it is useful to know
how people learn. Effective learning is more likely to follow from a
willingness to participate in a process of discovery and enquiries in
which members can contribute their own experiences. A shared learning
process and through discussion can be beneficial in each members
learning process. Also, simulation exercises help members to approach
a situation they may be facing.

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