Group Dynamics and Organisational Behaviour

Flashcards about group dynamics and social influence.

Group dynamics

A system of behaviors and psychological processes occurring within a social group (intragroup dynamics), or between social groups (intergroup dynamics).

Complex adaptive systems

Systems that consist of a number of components, or agents, that interact with each other according to sets of rules that require them to examine and respond to each other’s behaviour in order to improve their behaviour and thus the behaviour of the system they comprise.

Group influence on individual behavior

Individual behavior is influenced by the presence of others, and groups also influence individual's decision-making processes.

Social categorization

The cognitive process of classifying people into different categories/groups according to perceived (or conceived) characteristics.

Social Identity Theory

A theory of intergroup relations based on self-categorisation, social comparison and the construction of shared self-definitions (in terms of in-group defining properties).

Identity

The part of our self concept that derives from our membership of social groups.

Group Norms

Informal rules of conduct for behaviors considered important by most group members.

Conformity

Showing behavior that is in accordance with the normative expectations within a group.

Compliance

Assenting to a norm in order to attain rewards or avoid punishment, change in public behavior after exposure to others’ opinions.

Conversion

Change in covert (private) behavior after exposure to other’s opinions/behaviours.

Internalization

Believing that the behaviour dictated by a norm is truly the right and proper way to behave.

Roles

Behavioural prescriptions assigned to people within groups.

Status

The position of an individual relative to others in the group (high - low, central - peripheral).

Social Comparison Theory

Evaluate oneself through comparisons with (similar) others.

In-group favoritism

Favoring individuals who are perceived to be a member of one’s own category/group.

Ethnocentrism

Evaluative preference for all aspects of our own group relative to the other groups.

Out-group discrimination

Discriminating against individuals perceived to be a member of a category/group different from one’s own.

Stages of Team Development (Tuckman, 1965)

Orientation, Trust Building, Goal/Role Clarification, Commitment, Implementation, High Performance, Renewal.

Stage 1: Forming

Individualistic, withhold full participation, wait and see, mission is understood but does not motivate, communication from leader to members.

Stage 2: Storming

Stress over roles, uneven contribution, working out who to trust, purpose slowly becoming clear, communication often aggressive.

Stage 3: Norming

Informal experts emerge, team over-rely on them, swear allegiance to team, reluctant to challenge others, clear focus on performance and goals.

Stage 4: Performing

Team is pro-active, strong culture of high accountability, share leadership, prioritizes business as a whole, high trust.

Stage 5: Adjourning

Break-up of the group, once the task is completed successfully and its purpose fulfilled.

Normative influence

Influence based on the need to be accepted and approved by others.

Informational influence

Influence based on the informational value of opinions expressed by others.

Pros and cons of conformity and deviance

That conformity ensures that a group can control members’ behaviors, and deviance (occurs when a member of a group violates a group norm) can force the group to re-examine the appropriateness of their norms.