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THE ROLE OF THE PRIMARY GROUP IN THE INFORMAL SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM
Abstract
In a broad sense, this research was concerned with the role that the primary group plays in contemporary support systems. Specific attention was focused on Eugene Litwak's theory of the shared functions of bureaucracies and primary groups. There were three main objectives. First, to theoretically and empirically examine Litwak's treatment of the nature of primariness; second, to test hypotheses derived from his theory of shared functions; and third, to reintegrate the primary-group concept into Litwak's theory. Traditional primary-group theory indicates that the essential character of the concept is bound in positive affect, holistic acceptance of one another and the like. By contrast, Litwak's theory centers upon denotative categorizations (kin, friend, neighbor) or the provision of social support as ways to operationalize the primary-group concept. Theoretical arguments were raised about the validity of Litwak's stance, and the data suggest that the assumption he makes about the nature of primariness is faulty; that his theory encompasses informal support, but not explicitly primary groups. However, the problem is with the scope of his theory, not the causal mechanisms. The theory argues that the structural characteristics of support providers will be consistent with the structural requirements of the support task, and the results tended to be in congruence with the hypotheses. It should also be noted that the data fit the hypotheses better when a measure of "closeness" was added to the prediction equation, suggesting a problem of misspecification when primariness is not controlled. To reincorporate the primary-group concept, two modifications were suggested. The first argues that the primary group will make up the core of the informal support system, while the second suggests that when the task is expressive, the provider is more likely to be primary and that when the task is instrumental, the provider is less likely to be primary. Both modifications found moderate support in the data.
Subject Area
Sociology
Recommended Citation
CREECH, JAMES CHARLES, "THE ROLE OF THE PRIMARY GROUP IN THE INFORMAL SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM" (1983). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8404823.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8404823