Primary groups are fundamental in forming the social nature and ideals of the individual (Cooley, 1962, p. 23). The result of primary association, psychologically, is a fusion of individualities in a common whole, so that an individual's life is aligned with the common life and purposes of the group.
It should not be assumed that the unity of the primary group is one of harmony and love. It is always a differentiated and can be a competitive unity. The individual may be ambitious, but the chief object of his ambition will be some desired place in the thought of the others, and he will feel allegiance to common goals of the group. For example, a boy may dispute with his fellows a place on the team, but will place above such disputes the group goal of winning the game.
The most important spheres of this intimate association and cooperation are the family, the peer groups of children, and the neighborhood or community group of elders (Cooley, 1962, p. 24). These are practically universal, belonging to all time periods and all stages of development. Human nature is not something existing separately in the individual, but a group-nature or primary phase of society, a simple and general condition of the social mind. It is something more than mere instinct and something less than the more elaborate development of ideas and sentiments that make up institutions (Cooley, 1962, p. 30).
All human beings, because they live in a society, must establish a social balance between themselves and their associates. This social nature gives rise to certain interpersonal needs. Three are basic: inclusion, control, and affection (Johnson & Johnson, 1982, p. 376). The inclusion need centers in membership--who is included and who is excluded. The control need pertains to power relations in the group--who has influence over the other group members. Some members will want more influence, others may not want to influence anyone. The aff...