COST 10 Module 1

• Group Dynamics

• deals with the attitudes and behavioral patterns of a group

• concerned with how groups are formed, what is their structure and which processes are followed in their functioning

• concerned with the interactions and forces operating between groups.

Group

• refers to two or more people who share a common meaning and evaluation of themselves and come together to achieve common goals

• a collection of people who interact with one another; accept rights and obligations as members and who share a common identity

Characteristics of groups

• Collection of 2 or large group of people

• Common goal

• Interaction

• Interdependence

• Collective Identity

• A functioning unit with stable structure

Reasons for Group Formations

• Personal Characteristics

• Opportunity for interactio

• Interest and goals

• Influence and power

Advantages of small groups

• Clear roles and responsibilities

• High visibility of and accountability in members’ contributions

• Ease of planning and management of activities

• Shared decision-making

• Shared resources

• Synergy

• Exposure to diversity

• Networking

• Quick response and flexibility in making decisions

• Less chance of group fragmentation

• It is easier to arrive at a collective decision making

Disadvantages of small groups

• Sometimes, one very knowledgeable person is probably a better fit for the task than a group of less knowledgeable people

• Social loafing

• It may lack policies and procedures, training and development for the members

• Lesser job security

• Extra workloads

Social Loafing

occurs when members contribute less to the group than they would if working alone

Advantages of large groups

• Bigger pool of talent, ideas, and experiences

• Increased Output

• More resources

• Systematic and structured plan

Disadvantages of large groups

• No freedom for individual thinking

• Complicated systems leading to longer response time when making decisions

• Sense of alienation or anonymity

• Possibility of unequal workload and credit

• Resistance to leadership directives

• Conflict

• Coordination and management issues

Stages of Group Development/Evolution

1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Adjourning

Forming

• first stage of group development

• when the group is just starting to come together

Storming

• formation of sub-groups

• dispute and competition at its greatest

Norming

• more serious concern about task performance

• disputes are easier resolved

• group wants to move forward together

Adjourning

• when the task is successfully completed

• group disbands

• also known as mourning

Erving Goffman

sociologist who created a field of study called microsociology

Microsociology

study of social interaction

Social Interaction

• process by which we act and react to stimuli around us (between people)

Five categories of social interaction

1. Social Exchange

2. Competition

3. Conflict

4. Cooperation

5. Coercion

Social Exchange

• most basic social interaction

• interact to receive something in return

• reciprocity/tit-for-tat basis of exchange

Reciprocity

• tit-for-tat

• doing something for someone makes them owe you something in exchange

Competition

• 2 or more people strive against each other for possession of the same thing

• deals with finite/scarce resources

• cornerstone of capitalist economic system

• can motivate people

• actions are opposed and paralleled

• lack of cooperation

• leads to conflict

Conflict

• disagreement among parties involved

• Motives are opposed

Cooperation

• individuals acting together to achieve a common goal

• motives are paralleled and mutual

Coercion

• individuals are forced to do the bidding of others

Responses of individuals when joining groups

1. Conformity

2. Non-conformity

Conformity

adapting to fit group expectations

Reasons for conformity

1. Normative

2. Informational

Normative Conformity

• to fit in

• fear of rejection

• compliance

Compliance

group beliefs are accepted externally but rejected internally

Informational Conformity

• conforming due to lack of information

• internalization

Internalization

group beliefs are accepted internally and externally

Types of conformity

1. Compliance

2. Internalization

3. Identification

Identification

group beliefs become part of individual identity

Collective action

actions taken by a collection or group of people, acting based on a collective decision

Founding theories of collective action

1. Social Identity Model of Collective Action

2. Relative Deprivation Theory

3. Group Consciousness

Social Identity Model of Collective Action

shows that identity is related to collective action and perceived injustice and perceived efficacy mediate this relationship

Factors of Collective Action according to SIMCA

1. Perceived injustice

2. Perceived efficacy

3. Group efficacy

4. Positive social identity

5. Group identification as a motive

Relative deprivation theory

negative emotions experienced by individuals who feel unjustly deprived of something they desire

Group Consciousness

members within a social identity group become aware of how their group identification affects their position in society

Indirect path to collective action

Personality and life experiences → Group Consciousness → Collective Action

Direct path to collective action

Personality and life experiences → Collective action

Collective Action Problem

Conflict between individual interest and group interest

Types of Goods

1. Private

2. Club

3. Common

4. Public

Private Good

• excludable (not for everyone) and rivalrous (can deplete)

Club Good

• excludable (not for everyone) and non-rivalrous (does not deplete)

Common Good

• non-excludable (for everyone) and rivalrous (can deplete)

Public Good

• non-excludable (for everyone) and non-rivalrous (does not deplete)