User:Cjoseph0713/sandbox

A clique is a social group of people who communicate or connect with each other more than they do with others in the same environment. Being apart of a clique is usually seen as a norm in society regardless of status. Many of these cliques are most likely to be prevalent during teenage years, but regardless of age progressing through life, people may still encounter these groups. These cliques vary, these cliques can range from athletes, nerds, co-workers, fraternities, sororities, cheerleaders, rejects, etc. Many affecting factors cause these cliques to form such as; ethnicity, similar interest, physical appearance, etc. For the most part, members of a clique usually Isolate themselves and may view their clique as superior. That is to say being apart of a clique is not a permanent position. Cliques come along with these unwritten rules or what the members consider acceptable.

Social Isolation

Paolo Parigi and Warner Henson II, In their article titled "Social Isolation In America" defines social isolation and shows how prevalent it is in our society.

"Isolation refers to the degree of apartness of an entity; may have structural or subjective interpretations"

Social isolation can be linked to cliques, being apart of one means that your committed to that specific group of individuals. In which, this isolates you from getting involved with other social groups. The formation of cliques can be attributed as a cause for Social Isolation. Members of a clique usually stick to what they know and tend not to sway in a different direction. This may be due to the fact that they may encounter each other frequently in the same setting. For example, this could be traditional places like work, school, church, or even a sports team. On that note, these structured institutions stir up alike interest or similarities between each other which in most cases attracts these members together. Being that these traditional institutions usually come standard growing up, members of cliques feel quite comfortable with the people they associate with.

Being socially isolated within a clique usually leads to no association or communication with "outsiders". Although, members may communicate with other individuals ,a causal meeting may not be sincere or friendly. Social interactions between other cliques or people are voluntarily avoided and if the two parties engage, it usually becomes a competition between the two.

Members

Different factors affect the way cliques are established. In some cases, people are subconsciously placed in a clique by association. For example, joining a basketball team usually causes others to automatically perceive you as an "athlete". Many people may gravitate toward a clique subconsciously through the way they are perceived or who they associate with.

Having similar interest is the most common way cliques are formed. As people interact with each other doing the simple things that they enjoy doing, they may find themselves drifting towards or becoming attracted to others that share the same passion. This usually may cause someone to gain more confidence being surrounded by people with similar interest as them. Not to mention it may cause an individual to feel more socially accepted.

Ethnicity usually plays a role according to setting or time frame. In today's society as race still is prevalent, cliques solely based on race have been formed. One memorable example of such a clique could be the Ku Klux Clan, a notorious white supremacy group.

Members of cliques often create their own distinct dress code and communicate with each other differently then other cliques. As a result, this makes a clique unique and gives each member a reassuring feeling that they belong to that specific group. As these cliques come together is isn't hard to distinguish one from the other.

Interactions between members of a clique can also lead to organized social events, such as parties, significant dates, or private meetings. Clique members have a strong commitment to their respected group. In regards to this, being present at social events is seen as mandatory. Considering this, it's shows the firmness of cliques and how people ultimate conform to these specific groups.

Tina Abbott, In her book titled "Social and Personality Development" she goes into detail about how these members conform to their specific group.

"Conformity to peer groups is a prerequisite to achieving independence and autonomy as an adult.... As the young person struggles to become independent from their parents, they use the security provided by the peer group and the self-confidence that comes with it, to take the final step towards independence".

Homophily

Homophily is a term used to describe the way people tend to link up with others due to the fact that they share similar characteristics. The existence of homophily is also very prevalent in today's society. This concept can be seen as a possible main cause for clique formation.

On the subject of homopily, people come together and link up for many different reasons. The most typical reason is simply, people who are close in location easily bond with each other. Also, people that you may meet through family, workplace, and an activity that places people in contact with others, to form a personal relationship.

In some cases, the impact of homophily can be seen when people in cliques get married. Furthermore, homophily has plenty to do with how social networks thrive.

Network Formation

Networking involves meeting up with new people to form relationships and work together to gain better opportunity. Some people find that joining a clique is means for finding or gaining a better chance at success. For example, many join a sorority or fraternity to gain a better advantage at getting a job because they may be hired by someone who may be affiliated.

Cliques go hand in hand in the way people network.