CLIQUE

About

In social sciences, a clique refers to a small group of individuals who interact with one another and share similar interests while excluding others. The formation and development of cliques represents a normative part of social development across all genders, ethnicities, and popularity levels. While cliques are most commonly studied during adolescence and middle childhood, they exist in all age groups throughout society. Members of cliques are often bound together by shared social characteristics such as ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Common examples of adolescent cliques include athletes, nerds, and outsiders. Cliques typically maintain closed friend groups and may exclude or "ban" members who engage in behavior deemed unacceptable, such as socializing with disliked individuals. Some cliques tend to isolate themselves as a group and adopt a superior attitude toward others, which can manifest through bullying and other antisocial behaviors.