Small Groups

Summary

Small groups function as a microcosm of society and a primary site of social interaction. Historically, the field began by analyzing the fundamental difference between the fragile dyad and the complex triad, recognizing that the introduction of a third member dramatically alters group dynamics. As the field evolved, a distinction emerged between the study of small groups—often referring to face-to-face, empirically observed sets of people—and group processes, a theoretical tradition investigating the fundamental mechanisms (such as status and justice) that operate in groups of any size. Multiple leading theoretical frameworks (including Social Exchange Theory and Expectation States Theory), methods of analysis, and the persistence of group processes research in sociology due to its focus on social structure.