Social groups are made up of two or more people who interact with one another and share a feeling of togetherness and common identity. Primary groups are tiny and characterized by long-lasting, deep personal interactions. Secondary groupings include impersonal, goal-oriented, transient connections. In primary groups, members help each other achieve shared goals. They may do this by giving advice, helping with training programs, learning new skills, etc. Often, they will also express their feelings about different topics inside the group. This is why primary groups are often called "psychological safe places". In secondary groups, members help one another out of self-interest (i.e., because it's in their best interest to do so). For example, students in a class will often go beyond just listening to one another's ideas to provide feedback as well. This is why secondary groups are often called "functional teams": when things get tough, they work together to overcome obstacles. Primary groups are much harder to find than secondary groups! That's why it's important to understand how to identify which types of social connections you have in order to better facilitate positive change within your community.