Table 2 Types and characteristics of community groups that participants nominated as their most important (n = 160)
No. | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
Group type | ||
Social | 61 | 39 |
Task-focused | 29 | 19 |
Both social and task-focused | 28 | 18 |
Neither | 37 | 24 |
Formally organized | ||
Yes | 126 | 81 |
No | 29 | 19 |
Hierarchical | ||
Yes | 56 | 36 |
No | 99 | 64 |
Has strict rules | ||
Yes | 57 | 37 |
No | 98 | 63 |
Relatively relaxed/casual | ||
Yes | 94 | 61 |
No | 61 | 39 |
Has a leader | ||
Yes | 116 | 75 |
No | 39 | 25 |
Group members have clearly defined roles | ||
Yes | 71 | 46 |
No | 84 | 54 |
People in the group are similar to one another | ||
Agree | 90 | 56 |
Do not agree | 70 | 44 |
Participants’ influence within the group | ||
Little or none | 42 | 27 |
Some or a lot | 114 | 73 |
Number of group members | ||
0–19 | 56 | 37 |
20–49 | 42 | 27 |
50+ | 55 | 36 |
Length of time the group has existed | ||
Less than 5 years | 16 | 11 |
Between 5 and 20 years | 30 | 20 |
More than 20 years | 104 | 69 |
How often the group gains new members | ||
Rarely or never | 21 | 14 |
Occasionally | 94 | 62 |
Often | 37 | 24 |
How often group meets | ||
One or more times a week | 83 | 58 |
Fortnightly or monthly | 58 | 41 |
Never meets | 2 | 1 |