Final answer:
Task and interest groups are considered relatively temporary compared to other group types. Secondary groups such as these are goal-oriented and often dissolve after their purpose is fulfilled, whereas primary groups provide ongoing emotional support.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the given options, task and interest groups are considered relatively temporary. These groups are typically formed for a specific purpose or around a shared interest, and they tend to disband once the goal is accomplished or the interest changes. For example, a group project team in a school setting (task group) usually dissolves after the project is completed. Likewise, a book club (interest group) might not be a permanent arrangement, as members can come and go based on their current interests.
Secondary groups play an important role in society as they are transactional, task-based, and short-term, fulfilling practical needs whereas primary groups, such as families and close friends, provide emotional support and serve expressive functions. Sociologist Charles Horton Cooley distinguished between these two types of groups, indicating that while secondary groups are often larger and impersonal, primary groups are typically small and engage in long-term emotional ways.
Understanding the difference between these group types is crucial as they each serve different needs in our lives, and people often move between primary and secondary groups over time. Leadership within these groups can vary, being more informal in primary groups and more overt within secondary groups.