Chapter 9: Team dynamics & cohesion

EXSS 181

Why study groups?

Almost any position requires understanding of the processes & dynamics of groups

Group

2+ people who interact w/ & exert mutual influence on each other

Team

Any group of people who must interact w/ each other to accomplish shared objectives -> teams have mutual influence & task interdependence represented by 4 key characteristics

What are the 4 key characteristics a team represents?

Collective sense of identity

Distinctive roles

Structured modes of communication

Norms

Collective sense of identity

"we-ness" rather than "I-ness"

Distinctive roles

All members know their job

Structured modes of communication

Lines of communication

Norms

Social rules that guide members on what to do & what not to do

What are the 3 theories of group development?

Linear theory

Cyclical theory

Pendular theory

Linear theory

Groups develop in 4 progressive stages

Cyclical theory

Groups develop in a cyclical fashion (life cycle)

Pendular theory

Groups develop & flow through stages

What are the 4 progressive stages of the linear theory?

1. forming

2. storming

3. norming

4. performing

What group does cyclical theory make the most sense for?

Medium-duration groups (rec sports leagues, summer leagues) because as the groups develop, you are preparing for a breakup

According to the pendular theory, what occurs in interpersonal relationships as groups grow/develop?

Shifts

What are the stages of group development according to pendular theory?

Orientation

Differentiation & conflict

Resolution & cohesion

Differentiation & conflict

Termination

Social support

An exchange of resources between 2+ people perceived by the provider & recipient as intended to enhance the well-being of the recipient

What does social support provide?

Appraisal information

Reassurance

Cooperation

Reduces uncertainty

Aids in mental & physical recovery

Improves communication

How does a team climate develop?

From how players perceive the interrelationships among group members

What are the 5 aspects of a team climate?

Proximity

Distinctiveness

Fairness (or lack of it)

Similarity

Social support

Cohesion

A dynamic process reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together & remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfaction of member affective needs

Task cohesion

Degree to which group members work together to achieve common goals

Social cohesion

Interpersonal attractions among group members

What are the 2 dimensions of cohesion?

Task cohesion & social cohesion

How do we measure cohesion?

Questionnaires (GEQ)

Sociograms

Sociograms

A diagram that is constructed to record social interactions and how people feel about one another

What aspects are important for building cohesion in sport settings?

Team structure

Team environment

Team processes

Leaders & group members

Team structure

Leadership, role acceptance, conformity

Team environment

Togetherness, distinctiveness

Team processes

Sacrifices, goals, cooperation

How do leaders & group members to building team cohesion?

Establishing group norms

Require interaction between members

Individual sacrifices for the group

Form sub-groups

Increase distinctiveness

Ringlemann Effect

Individual performance decreases as the number of people in group increases

Social loafing

term used to describe a phenomenon which individuals in a group/team put forth less than 100% effort because of losses of motivation

What are some conditions that lead to social loafing?

Individual's output cannot be independently evaluated

Task is not perceived to be meaningful

Personal involvement in the task is low

Comparison against group standards isn't possible

Group members are strangers

Teammates are perceived to have high ability

Individual team members perceive their contribution to the outcome as redundant

Individual is competing against a perceived weaker opponent

They don't feel seen/valued

What are some ways to eliminate/combat social loafing?

Emphasize the importance of individual pride & unique contributions

Increase identifiability of individual performances

Determine specific situations in which social loafing occurs

Conduct individual meetings to discuss social loafing

Appreciate each teammate's responsibilities

Divide the team into smaller units

Steiner's Model

Actual productivity = potential productivity - losses due to poor group processes

T/F: the abilities of individual team members are always good predictors of how a team will perform

False; they don't always serve as good predictors

As the need for group cooperation increases, the ____ the importance of group productivity (and the ____ the importance of individual ability)

greater, lesser

What is the cohesion performance relationship?

Some studies find that cohesion is positively related to performance, but this isn't always the case because other studies have found a negative relationship

Task demands

Interaction (2+ people) vs co-action (2 people)

Which comes first: performance or cohesion?

It's a circular relationship -> unsure the direction of causality

Factors associated w/ cohesion

Team satisfaction

Conformity

Adherence

Social support

Stability

Group goals

How does conformity affect cohesion?

Can be good (strong effort, praising) or can lead to maladaptive outcomes