Primary and Secondary Group Moral Responsibility Roles

Samenvatting

Sociol'ts often view the norms of primary groups (ie, friends), as opposed to the norms of secondary groups (ie, the larger community). It is proposed that primary groups which support norms from the larger community often mistakenly appear to oppose them because primary group means of implementing moral responsibility are diff from secondary group means. Questionnaire data from Coll S's suggest that a high % feel some moral responsibility in connection with a friend's hypothetical misdeed. A typology of responses distinguishing between primary & secondary means of exercising responsibility for society's norms was developed. The typology was related meaningfully to: (1) the kind of motive imputed to the offender, (2) the tendency toward absolute moral judgments, (3) the seriousness of readjustment anticipated if ego were the offender, (4) the relative ease of facing friends as compared with acquaintances, (5) sex, & religious affiliation. AA.