Twelve families in a housing society in Lucknow formed a residents' group when the society kept running short of water. Members meet in the society hall once a month, and on other days they share plans on a phone messaging app. Within months, families who used hoses to wash their cars switched to buckets, as their neighbours on the group did. In March, Rakesh, a member, forgot to send the society's letter to the municipal office, and every family went without tanker water for a week. Meera, another member, built a rainwater harvesting pit, and two nearby societies copied her plan. Last year, when a pipe burst near the gate, passers-by stopped and stood around watching.
When a pipe burst near the gate, passers-by stopped and stood around watching. These people together are best described as which of the following?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A crowd
Option (1) A primary group — Incorrect. A primary group, such as the family, already exists for a person and its members have close face-to-face contact. Passers-by who stop by chance share no such tie.
Option (2) A team — Incorrect. A team is a special kind of group whose members have complementary skills, a common goal and mutual accountability. The onlookers share no goal or duties.
Option (3) A crowd — Correct. A crowd is a collection of people present at a place by chance, like people who gather at a road accident. It has no structure, no feeling of belongingness and no interdependence, which fits the passers-by.
Option (4) A formal group — Incorrect. A formal group is formed on clear rules, and its members have set roles, as in an office. The onlookers came together without any rules or roles.
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