10 advantages and disadvantages of belonging to a social group

One of the main characteristics of human beings is that we have a clear tendency to live inserted in groups, and not individually. In fact, for millions of years, our evolutionary lineage has been made up of hominids that have lived in tribes, groups in which several families coexist.

However, as with virtually any psychological bias, this lifestyle doesn't just provide benefits; it also carries certain risks and inconveniences. In this article we will see what they are the advantages and disadvantages of belonging to a social group, with explanations.

• Related article: "Group Psychology: definition, functions and main authors"

Advantages of belonging to a group

In this section we will see what are the benefits of having one or more groups that accept us and consider us a member of the community.

1. They represent a protection factor

The first advantage is obvious and has to do with a very material fact: being part of a group makes it more difficult for many of us to expose ourselves to dangerous situations that they can end us.

For example, it means that if someone attacks us, others will probably come to our defense, or that if we are left without a basic livelihood to live on, others will give us shelter.

2. Provides us with role models

In addition, another of the advantages of being part of a group is that we are constantly exposed to examples to follow, people who have characteristics and objectives similar to ours and? are stimulating when it comes to directing our actions towards a goal.

In this way, being surrounded by people like this will make us more likely to feel motivated to perfect certain qualities. that if we work they provide us with better livelihoods and that at the same time they will surely benefit the rest of the members of the cluster.

3. They reinforce our self-esteem

The feeling of belonging It is one of the aspects that positively reinforce people's self-esteem.

On the one hand, seeing how the rest of the people consider us a part of the group implies that they recognize our importance, since the The same efforts that these people dedicate to watch over the community are, indirectly, efforts from which oneself benefits.

On the other hand, being part of a group means that other people identify with us, that are predisposed to make sacrifices to defend ourselves against attacks from elements outside the group, which which emulates the functioning of the affective ties that arise in families and love relationships in general.

4. combat loneliness

Loneliness is one of the vital situations most related to harmful lifestyle habits and physical or psychological illness.

For this reason, the simple fact of having a community is beneficial, because encourages us to get out of the house and socialize, which keeps us active and gives us reasons not to abandon ourselves.

5. Provides us with information

Information is one more resource, and belonging to a group, having the possibility of contacting many people, supposes an important social capital.

This, for example, makes us not need to memorize everything we need to live, since this information is distributed among the individuals with whom we deal (this is what is known as transactive memory).

Disadvantages of being part of a group

Although it is considered that in the balance between benefits and drawbacks the former have more weight than the latter (among other things because we depend on social relationships to survive), it is true that belonging to a group also has its negative elements. Let's see what they are.

1. contagion risk

Groups are means of spreading epidemics. However, in modern societies, the fact of belonging to a group in which preventive measures are taken appropriate minimizes this risk, assuming that one can not be part of a group and at the same time interact with others. the rest.

2. Effect of social pressure

Another of the disadvantages of belonging to a group is that the simple fact of being part of one exposes us more to group pressure, given that the rest of its members share certain characteristics with us and through this identification initiatives can be legitimized to create uniformity among individuals.

For example, using as an excuse that all members of the group share a language, you can try to associate clothing and symbols that express that identity, making those who do not adopt this aesthetic remain pointed out

• You may be interested in: "Asch's conformity experiment: when social pressure can make us"

3. Penalty of dissent

Enter into group dynamics using exemplary punishments against those who were previously part of the group and later adopted behaviors that are considered contrary to group identity.

4. Emergence of default leadership

Another disadvantage of group membership is that if we do not work to avoid it by using democratic mechanisms, a leader appears who has more power than the rest in decision-making and the distribution of roles, regardless of their degree of ability in the task to be tackled collectively.

5. outward confrontation

The feeling of belonging has various degrees of intensity, and in the most extreme it can legitimize hostility towards those who are not part of the group, just because it's out of bounds.

But even when the feeling of belonging is not very strong, the simple fact of being part of one tends to predispose us to not be as supportive of those who are outside of it.

Bibliographic references:

• Asch, S. AND. (1955). Opinions and social pressure. Scientific American, p. 31 - 35.
• Sewell, W. h. (1989). Some reflections on the golden age of interdisciplinary social psychology. Annual Review of Sociology. 15.