Chapter 1-Groups You Belong

Instructions. Almost all of our time is spent interacting in groups. We are educated in groups, we work in groups, we worship in groups, and we play in groups. But even though we live our lives in groups, we often take them for granted. Consider their influence on you by naming the groups to which you belong, as well as those that influence you.

1. List 5 groups you belong to now. In your list include and indicate whether they are: primary groups, social groups, collectives, and categories.
2. Which group has changed the most over time? Describe this change briefly.
3. Which group is highest in cohesiveness, and which is highest in entitativity?
4. Which group has influenced you, personally, the most? Explain the group’s influence on you briefly.
5. Identify 5 groups that you do not belong to, but that influence you in some way. Of these groups, which one influences your behaviors, emotions, or outcomes—the most?

1. Chapter 3-Your Self Esteem

2. Your evaluation of yourself—your self-esteem—depends on both the value you put on your individual qualities as well as the value you put on your collective ones. Address/answer/respond to each item and number each as noted below:
   1. Select one social group or category that you belong to and with which you identify strongly. The group could be an actual social group, such as a team, a church congregation, or your university. It could also be a social category that reflects your race, your gender, your religion, or your ethnicity.
   2. Describe the importance of this group for your identity.
   3. Do you frequently characterize people, including yourself, as inside or outside this group?
   4. Have you listened to other people’s discussions of what it means to belong to this group?
   5. Have you explored what membership in this group means to you personally?
   6. Has your connection to this group changed over time?