Introduction to Group Dynamics

Groups, groups, groups

The Impressionists: a group of paintersThe 1980 Olympic Hockey team: a teamThe Andes Rugby Team: a group of

survivorsJobs vs. Sculley: Two executivesThe Apollo 13 crew: 3 astronauts

Questions to consider

Overview

What is a group? What are some common characteristics of

groups?What assumptions guide researchers in their

studies of groups and the processes within groups?

What fields and what topics are included in the scientific study of group dynamics?

What is a Group?

Definition of a group:Two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social relationships.

Two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social relationships.

• Size: dyads and triads to large collectives (this class, mobs, audiences)

Two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social

relationships.

• Connected: members are linked, networked

Two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social relationships.

Social, interpersonal connection: not

categorical only

Billions of groups in the world, but they can be classified into basic categories, or clusters

Cooley (1907) drew a distinction between primary and secondary groups

Types of groups

Congregations, work groups, unions, professional associations

Larger, less intimate, more goal-focused groups typical of more complex societies

Secondary groups

Families, close friends, tight-knit peer groups, gangs, elite military squads

Small, long-term groups characterized by face-to-face interaction and high levels of cohesiveness, solidarity, and member identification

Primary groups

ExamplesCharacteristicsType of Group

(Cooley, 1907)

Cooley (1907) primary secondary

Arrow and her colleagues offer a more fine-grained analysis planned vs. emergent

Types of groups

Concocted Founded Circumstantial Self-organizing

Study groups, friendship cliques in a workplace, regular patrons at a bar

Emerge when interacting individuals gradually align their activities in a cooperative system of interdependence.

Self-organizing

Waiting lines (queues), crowds, mobs, audiences, bystanders

Emergent, unplanned groups that arise when external, situational forces set the stage for people to join together, often only temporarily, in a unified group

Circumstantial

Groups that form spontaneously as individuals find themselves repeatedly interacting with the same subset of individuals over time and settings

Emergent groups

Study groups, small businesses, expeditions, clubs, associations

Planned by one or more individuals who remain within the group

Founded

Production lines, military units, task forces, crews, professional sports teams

Planned by individuals or authorities outside the group.

Concocted

Deliberately formed by the members themselves or by an external authority, usually for some specific purpose or purposes

Planned groups

ExamplesCharacteristicsType of Group

Perceiving groups: people intuitively draw distinctions between groups—some look groupier than others

Lickel, Hamilton, Sherman, and their colleagues asked people to rate many kinds of aggregations on a scale from 1 (not at all a group) to 9 (very much a group).

Women, Asian Americans, physicians, U.S. citizens, New Yorkers

Aggregations of individuals who are similar to one another in terms of gender, ethnicity, religion, or nationality.

Social categories

Crowds, audiences, clusters of bystanders

Aggregations of individuals that form spontaneously, last only a brief period of time, and have very permeable boundaries

Weak associations

Teams, neighborhood associations

Work groups in employment settings and goal-focused groups in a variety of nonemployment situations

Task groups

Families, romantic couples, close friends, street gangs

Small groups of moderate duration and permeability characterized by substantial levels of interaction among the members, who value membership in the group

Intimacy groups

ExamplesCharacteristicsType of Group

Interaction: task and relationship

Interdependence: sequential, reciprocal, mutual

What are some common characteristics of groups?

Structure: roles, norms, relations

Goals: generating, choosing, negotiating, executing

McGrath’s Taxonomy of Group Tasks is based on 2 key dimensions:

Choosing vs. Executing (Doing) and Generating vs. Negotiating

Common characteristics of groups (continued)

Cohesion: unity and entitativity• Entitativity is perceived

groupness

• Campbell’s theory of entitativity

• common fate• similarity• proximity

Common characteristics of groups (continued)

What assumptions guide researchers in their studies of groups and the processes within groups?

Group dynamics describes both:• Interpersonal processes in groups

• The scientific study of groups and group processes (Kurt Lewin)

Individual level: focus on the individual (psychological)

Group level: focus on the group and social context (sociological)

Multilevel: adopts multiple perspectives on groups

Level of Analysis

The Paradigm: assumptions and orientations

Groups are real Group processes are real

–groupmind, collective conscious–Sherif's (1936) study of norm

formation

Person A

Person B

Person C

Convergence

Alone GroupSession 1

GroupSession 3

GroupSession 2

Ave

rage

di

stan

ce e

stim

ates

•Groups are more than the sum of their parts –Lewin's (1951) field theory: behavior is a function of the person and the environment

–B = f(P, E).

Assumptions (continued)

•Groups are living systems: Tuckman's (1965) theory of group development

–forming–storming–norming–performing–adjourning

Assumptions (continued)

Forming

Storming

Norming

Adjourning

Task

Performing

•Groups are influential

•Groups shape society

Assumptions (continued)

What fields and what topics are included in the scientific study of group dynamics?

Interdisciplinary: psychology, sociology, political science, anthropology, business, etc.

Team performance; effects of victory and failure; cohesion and performanceSports and Recreation

Self and society; influence of norms on behavior; role relations; devianceSociology

Team approaches to treatment; family counseling; groups and adjustmentSocial Work

Personality and group behavior; problem solving; perceptions of other people; motivation; conflict

Psychology

Leadership; intergroup and international relations; political influence; powerPolitical Science

Classroom groups; team teaching; class composition and educational outcomes

Education

Organization of law enforcement agencies; gangs; jury deliberationsCriminal Justice

Information transmission in groups; discussion; decision making; problems in communication; networks

Communication

Therapeutic change through groups; sensitivity training; training groups; self-help groups; group psychotherapy

Clinical/Counseling Psychology

Work motivation; productivity; team building; goal setting; focus groupsBusiness and Industry

Groups in cross-cultural contexts; societal change; social and collective identities

Anthropology

TopicsDiscipline

Action research: integrates basic and applied research.

Topics: group formation, cohesion, structure, influence, performance, conflict, etc.

Collective Behavior

Groups and Change

Groups in Context

Intergroup Relations

ConflictLeadershipDecision MakingPerformance

PowerInfluenceStructureCohesion and Development

Group Formation

Individual and the Group

Research Methods

Introduction to Group

Dynamics

… the "field of inquiry dedicated to advancing knowledge about the nature of groups"

(Cartwright & Zander, 1968, p. 7).

Group Dynamics!

For more information visit http://psychology.wadsworth.com/forsyth4e