Groupings in Society

In-groups consists of individuals who feel a sense of belonging, membership and identity to a certain group of individuals, while out-groups feel otherwise. Grouping is one phenomenon that is never absent in the classroom. Discrimination between these groupings is just a matter of relative bias/favoritism towards the in-groups and the exact opposite of which towards the out-groups. In-groups in the classroom can be classified into mutual choices, cultural diversities, age differences, personal issues and varying skills and learning styles. Out-groups however can be classified into "stars", "isolates" and "ghosts".

"Stars" in the classroom refers to the students who enjoy the attention that they get from other students. They are the center or hub of attraction in the classroom and they belong to the out-groups since nobody seems to like them. "Isolates" and "ghosts" are those students who feel hostile and indifferent towards in-groups that they wanted to be alone and unseen by others. Classroom in-groups on the other hand consists of students who prefer to spend their student lives with someone they've chosen to have a mutual agreement with, especially if their personalities clicked. Some examples of in-groups along with the underlying traits common to each group are summarized in the following:

1. Athletes

- Sport-minded students, active in school activities, especially in sports, popular, confident, brawny and can be found in the gym

2. Intellectuals

- Sometimes referred to as "nerds"; studious, brainy, participate in class discussions, run in student bodies and can be found in the library

3. Cheerleaders

- Socialites, popular, snobs, fashionable, attention-seekers and getters, frequent the malls, night-outs and other parties

4. Hippies & Rockies

- Music lovers, tend to have a world of their own, quietly listening to music in one corner or banging their heads together in the sway of rock & roll

These groups greatly influence their members as they are together almost everyday. For instance, if a new student transfers to a school wherein she knows of no one, and gets entangled with the popular girls in school, she'll have the tendency of becoming one of them too; in the way she dress up, the way she puts on her make-up, the way she talks and deals with other students, and even in the way she walks. This is something that is bound to happen because any individual who seeks belongingness will try anything to blend in, even if it means changing not only her physical attributes, but also her personality and outlook in life.