Why cliques are bad

Others seem much more restricted, though. People in these groups make it clear that not just anyone can be part of their crowd. That type of restricted group is sometimes called a clique. Cliques are tight groups that usually have a strict code of membership and ways to act. Instead of being centered on shared values and beliefs, many cliques tend to focus on maintaining their status and popularity. For instance, a clique may try to make it seem like the people in it are "better" than those outside, or that their clique is higher status than another clique.

People in cliques sometimes use their power to hurt others on purpose, either by excluding them, being mean, or both. Sometimes they might insult people by trying to "fix" them or give them "makeovers. Unlike regular groups of friends, where members are free to socialize with others outside the group, people in cliques often do everything together.

They sit together in class, go to the mall together after school — and they only do stuff with other clique members or people they decide are "cool. Although people might think it's better to belong to a clique than to be excluded, many times people in cliques end up dealing with lots of pressures and rules.

They soon start to worry about whether they'll continue to be popular or whether they'll be dropped. After a while, they may begin to realize that true friends wouldn't be so bossy or demanding. Cliques attract people for different reasons: For some people, being popular or cool is the most important thing, and cliques give them a place where they can get this social status. Other people want to be in cliques because they don't like to feel left out. Some people simply feel it's better to be on the inside than the outside it's not, but more on that later.

Cliques give people who like to take control a chance to be in charge for good or bad! For people who feel more comfortable following, they offer a place where rules are clearly defined. It's usually clear to clique members what they need to do to fit in. Sometimes that means sacrificing some freedom and following the leader rather than doing what you feel like doing. Clique membership is usually tightly controlled by the leaders.

These social gatekeepers are the ones with the power to decide who should be hot and who should not. This type of membership control usually happens in cliques of girls. As many great kids have found, entry into a clique isn't guaranteed. In fact, a girl who is seen as likeable and popular may actually be excluded from belonging to a clique.

That's because her personality or confidence may pose a threat to the leaders. She might not be a good "follower" — especially if she can be popular enough on her own. Sometimes her friends may even be invited to join when she isn't. Why are cliques so problematic, what makes them so common, and how can you stop them from forming? Each day, the researchers placed three participants into a room. They handed them a ball, asked them to toss it between each other, and then closed the door.

Unbeknownst to the third group member, the other two participants were actually working for Williams. And after a few minutes of sharing the ball, the insiders began to ignore their counterpart and throw solely between themselves. The researchers wanted to see the effects of social exclusion on the third participant. Subjects played a video game version of the ball toss while lying in an MRI scanner, and the scientists saw that the same brain regions that register physical pain lit up in people excluded from the game.

Our species evolved in tribes and, for the first chunk of our lives, our survival depends on being included and cared for by others. The word clique has negative connotations. But cliques do have benefits. Like the people in the experiment excluded from a simple ball game, staff members left out at work are likely to feel unfairly treated, which could affect performance and lead to them looking for a new job. You should swiftly deal with any form of bullying, like gossiping or rumour spreading, in line with your company policy.

But if a clique excludes an outsider for a characteristic protected by the Equality Act , the worker could claim discrimination, and you could face an unlimited tribunal payout. If you spot unfavourable treatment based on a protected characteristic, you need to stop it—ideally with the help of an HR expert. It describes a common phenomenon where people within a group strive for agreement. Groupthink can cause clique members to stop coming up with ideas. It cuts their chances of job progression, and leads to a lack of creativity within your business.

So what can you do to build a collaborative, clique-free company? Could it be because your staff feel unsafe or insecure on their own? Do they fear the company downsizing, or change? Also, a discussion about what they should avoid posting online is always helpful. Employees need to realize that these guidelines apply both in the office and outside of work.

Being alike can make employees feel safe. But it also hinders productivity. Be sure they know that you value creativity and authenticity from your employees. When you do that, you will discourage the like-mindedness that holds cliques together. If you find yourself falling into a specific clique in the workplace, work on expanding your social circle.

Spend time with people outside your normal group. Strike up conversations with new people and refuse to get caught up in speaking negatively about others. Struggling with stress? Our guide offers expert advice on how to better manage stress levels.

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Was this page helpful? To some people, the group appears like a close-knit group of friends. They have similar interests and enjoy spending time together. The problems arise when others are not welcome to join or hang out with the group.

The expectation is that to belong to the group, friendships are exclusive to the group. If someone in the group does stray from the group, they are quickly ostracized.

This excessive togetherness is bad for teens because they are not meeting new people or expanding their sphere of friendships. Remember, the healthiest kids have friends in different social circles with a variety of different interests. Never encourage your kids to stick with only one group of friends, but instead encourage them to branch out and meet new people. It is almost unheard of for a clique to exist without some type of peer pressure. From pressures to exclude others and dress a certain way, to pressures to date only certain people, teens in cliques are pressured to be and act a certain way in order to belong.

Even more extreme pressures like binge drinking or maintaining a certain weight, are prevalent in cliques. If you find that your child feels pressured to behave in a certain way in order to be accepted by her friends, then you need to take a closer look at whom she is hanging out with. Remember, controlling and unhealthy friends are not able to accept the fact that members of the group might have different thoughts, ideas or preferences.

There is power in numbers, and when teens belong to cliques they feel empowered to do things they would not otherwise do. As a result, they are more likely to engage in rumors and gossip as well as name-calling. They also are more likely to make fun of other people and bully those who do not fit with the ideals of their group. Cliques also can lead to cyberbullying. Teens in the group assume their friends have their back and will engage in cyberbullying others more freely.