Final answer:
A person can be a member of a group against their will through coercion, social pressures, indirect threats, or by accepting purposive, solidary, or material incentives. Out-groups dynamics can also force individuals into certain groups for protection or survival, and campus life illustrates the compelled association with groups for identity and social reasons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Individuals can become members of groups against their will in various ways. For example, people may be coerced into joining a group due to social pressures, or in some cases, by direct threats to their safety or well-being. There are also situations in which individuals might join interest groups, even if reluctantly, due to purposive incentives, where they believe in the group's goals but not necessarily in the group itself; or because of solidary incentives, which are the social rewards of being part of a group. Furthermore, groups sometimes provide material incentives to draw members that might not otherwise choose to join, such as discounts, services, or other tangible benefits.
In the context of prisons, inmates might feel that they are not free to refuse participation in certain groups due to the potential benefits promised, which causes them to join against their desires. Additionally, social dynamics, such as the concept of hate crimes, illustrate how groups can exert a negative influence by excluding or tormenting people based on out-group dynamics, which can lead to a forced association with a group for self-protection or survival. Campus life also demonstrates the power of groups through inclusion or exclusion, as students often feel compelled to join groups that define their identity and social circle, sometimes regardless of whether they wholeheartedly wish to belong to these groups.