Georg Simmel's Dyad Analysis

Are groups among friends stronger in pairs or groups of three? According to the sociologist Georg Simmel, strength in relationships between individuals does not always lie in numbers. In his dynamics, Simmel observes two types of small groups: the dyad and the triad. The dyad consists of two individuals that exhibit a strong personal relationship. The triad consists of three individuals that can become prone to estrangement once a dyadic alliance forms within its ranks. I observed Simmel's theories by taking note of the characteristics of the dyad and the triad in my own study group. I split the group into a dyad and then later added a third person to examine the sustainability of a triad. In my first observation of Simmel's dynamics, I chose to evaluate a dyad. In this group, I have included myself and my classmate, Hannah. The activity I decided to analyze was a study session in the anatomy room at the library on campus. Even though this was an academic meeting, I could sense a more intimate relationship developing between us. It was also noted that,

In this group, I added Hannah's friend, Jessica, who joined us to study on another occasion. As soon as we met to study, I noticed how easily Jessica and Hannah became distracted by each other because they were already good friends. According to Simmel, this was an example of an alliance within the group. At first, I was not completely excluded but sensed slight isolation from the conversations that were held between the two. As the conversations increased between Jessica and Hannah, I quickly realized that our study session was becoming less productive as were my attempts to join in on their dialogues. I lost all interest in our group and decided to leave early because of my isolation from the group. By feeling isolated from the group and ultimately leaving, I witnessed the characteristic flaw of a triad: