Group action

In mathematics, a symmetry group is an abstraction used to describe the symmetries of an object. A group action formalizes the relationship between the group and the symmetries of the object. It relates each element of the group to a particular transformation of the object.

In this case, the group is also called a permutation group (especially if the set is finite or not a vector space) or transformation group (especially if the set is a vector space and the group acts like linear transformations of the set). A permutation representation of a group G is a representation of G as a group of permutations of the set (usually if the set is finite), and may be described as a group representation of G by permutation matrices. It is the same as a group action of G on an ordered basis of a vector space.

A group action is an extension to the notion of a symmetry group in which every element of the group "acts" like a bijective transformation (or "symmetry") of some set, without being identified with that transformation. This allows for a more comprehensive description of the symmetries of an object, such as a polyhedron, by allowing the same group to act on several different sets of features, such as the set of vertices, the set of edges and the set of faces of the polyhedron.

Group action (sociology)

In sociology, a group action is a situation in which a large number of agents take action simultaneously in order to achieve a common goal; their actions are usually coordinated.

Group action will often take place when social agents realize they are more likely to achieve their goal when acting together rather than individually. Group action differs from group behaviours, which are uncoordinated, and also from mass actions, which are more limited in place.

Group action is more likely to occur when the individuals within the group feel a sense of unity with the group, even in personally costly actions.

See also

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