Talk:Issues in Interdisciplinarity 2019-20/Truth in the Formation of Social Groups

(testing) yeah I think this bit works fine - we should all be able to edit it Melisa.Ozturk.00 (discuss • contribs) 14:23, 2 December 2019 (UTC)

Outline:

-Sociology : explaining social bonds and the passage for example from mechanic to organic solidarity

-Biology : what biological / genetic phenomena causes humans to naturally regroup ( survival, instinct ... )

-Psychology : the need for humans to belong and feel as though they are part of a greater whole

-Geography : people form groups depending on their geographic proximity

Introduction structure:

-social bonds are everywhere -social groups at the base of society -evolutionary process, from couples, to clans to larger communities -but how do you explain their formation? -Different approaches to the study of formation of social groups, which discipline truly explains it?

Intro (Maia): Social groups are considered to have followed a gradual evolution, originating from couples and developing into clans and larger communities. Although their existence and progression is undeniable, how exactly do you explain their formation? Various approaches can be adopted to study this topic. Disciplines such as geography, biology, psychology and sociology have come up with different explanations for this phenomenon. While some of these are sources of contradiction, others on the contrary, compliment one another and help us understand where truth resides in the formation of social groups.

Intro (Melisa): Human interaction and development are governed by our social groupings - from smaller familial groups to whole nations. How and why these groups form are contested among different disciplines, are our groupings predisposed by our ethnicities and where we have grown up, staying fixed over time, or are they more volatile and prone to change, being affected by varying factors like favourite sports clubs and reading preferences?

Intro (Julia) : It has been long believed that social groups are the base of a prosperous society, human interaction evolving from individuals to larger communities. Commonly, a social group is defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Although there are many studies in modern society related to social groups, the truth in the formation of a social group has has not been yet discussed. Being a gradual process, it can be analysed from an interdisciplinary perspective, the truths of various disciplines fusing together to form the actual definition of a social group. What are the disciplines that contribute in this specific case? Do their truths work together in a dynamic way?

Introduction combined: Human interaction and development are governed by our social groupings. Commonly, a social group is defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Social groups are considered to have followed a gradual evolution, originating from couples and developing into clans and larger communities. Although their existence and progression is undeniable, how exactly do you explain their formation? Various approaches can be adopted to study this topic. Disciplines such as geography, biology, psychology and sociology have come up with different explanations for this phenomenon. While some of these are sources of contradiction, others on the contrary, compliment one another and help us understand where truth resides in the formation of social groups.

Discipline order:

-geography (the most obvious : people regroup because of proximity)

-biology (molecular analysis of the genes that affect your social behaviour)

-psychology (the need to belong is "natural")

-sociology (social interactions)

Discussion:

Hey Melissa, it's Maïa writing :) This is the little part I wrote in sociology, it's very simplified but I think you can transfer the idea to geography:

"Often times social groups formed based on age, sex, way of life … Today with the rise of globalisation and social media creation of “social groups” formed of people from all over the world, different cultures, different languages, different ages, but similar interests… " - I feel this would be a better fit for the concluding paragraph? Melisa.Ozturk.00 (discuss • contribs) 14:45, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

I think we should change the headings to proximity, genes, belonging and solidarity (or whatever you see fit for your section) and talk about why the chosen discipline's truth is relevant to that idea Melisa.Ozturk.00 (discuss • contribs) 14:45, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

Oh true, it could work in the conclusion as well. And I agree I think we need to change the headings...

2A02:C7F:C030:F800:DD3:CB78:D240:CD83 (discuss) 17:15, 8 December 2019 (UTC) Maïa

Conclusion:

Julia conclusion: It can be easily observe that the truth in formation of social groups can be interpreted from an interdisciplinary perspective, with humanities point of view being more closely related to each other than to the natural sciences. Although biological explanation is highly concerned on the molecular analyses of the genes involved in brain behaviour, other disciplines, such as psychology and sociology complete harmoniously the positivist truth of the science, by illustrating the need of the humans to belong and feel as part of a great whole, respectively clarifying the origins of social bonds.

something I want to add in conc: proximity doesn't always mean you come to like those people, more about evoking strong feelings, could also be people you dislike the most

Emma conclusion idea:

Through looking at the formation of social groups in the perspective of multiple disciplines, a dizzying array of often contradictory conclusions can be found. For example, geography pins down proximity as a key incentive, and psychology backs this up through an evolutionary perspective. However, sociology also concludes that difference and independence from others are important for a social group to function. These disagreements arise from the individual “truths” of each discipline and their varying positivist and interpretive views.

However, as contradictory as it may seem, these differences in “truths” allow us to see the phenomena of social groups from a more holistic view. Disciplines such as geography, psychology, and sociology take on a positivist attitude when regarding their "truths"; however, they tend to draw conclusions from general trends from empirical data, thus ignoring phenomena that deviate from the general conclusion. For example, in geography, proximity may be a cause of social groups forming. On the other hand, it also may be a cause for social division and ostracism. These holes in "truths", however, can be filled by looking at the issue from another discipline such as sociology and the human tendency to form social groups with people who share a commonality. Additionally, when asked why social groups form at all, biology can answer; because it is coded in our genes to do so. Psychology can back this up through an explanation of the evolutionary factors that favoured our ancestors who were more inclined to form social groups. When looking at each disciplines' conclusions at a glance, they may seem unconnected or even contradictory, but upon deeper inspection, they fit together to create a much bigger whole. Fundamentally, social behaviour cannot be explained through one set of truths; it’s a complex interplay of systems that may often appear contradictory.

Although proximity does in fact play a large part in the formation of groups it would be more accurate to say that it affects interpersonal relations both positively and negatively. While those in closest proximity are likely to be the ones we voluntarily associate with more regularly, they could equally be the people who we dislike the most.

In more modern times urbanisation, globalisation and the development of the internet have resulted in growing diversity and thus the creation of cross-cultural social groups. ^ contradictions to the truths Melisa.Ozturk.00 (discuss • contribs) 22:20, 8 December 2019 (UTC)