Small Group Comm Midterm

Define Groups

Three or more individuals who have a common purpose, interact with each other, influence each other, and are interdependent

Types of Groups

Primary groups and Secondary groups

Primary Groups

Groups formed to meet primary needs for inclusion and openness

Secondary Groups

Groups formed to meet secondary needs for control and problem solving

Types of secondary groups?

Support groups, learning groups, and organizational groups

Support Groups

Groups formed for members to help each other understand, address, and cope with personal issues or problems (therapy or personal growth groups)

Learning Groups

Secondary groups whose members meet to understand and learn about a particular topic (Classes, Study Groups)

Organizational Groups

Groups created by organizations, usually to solve organizational problems (problem-solving groups within a larger organization)

Types of organizational groups?

Committees and Self-Managed Work Teams

Committees

A type of secondary group that performs a specific service for an organization

Self-Managed Work Teams

Also called autonomous work groups; groups of peers who manage their own work schedules and procedures

When to use groups?

Groups working on problems with multiple solutions typically make higher-quality decisions than individuals do

Group Ethics

Standards and rules for appropriate group member and leader behavior

Elements of Systems?

Input, throughput processes, outputs, and environment

Input

All the elements of a system that are present at the outset, or the initial raw materials of the system

Throughput Process

Influences on the system that result from actual activities within the group as it goes about its business

Outputs

Those tangible and intangible products or achievements of the group system emerging from throughput processes

Environment

Systems do not exist in a vacuum but are embedded in multiple surroundings or contexts

Characteristics of Systems?

Open and closed systems, interdependence, feedback, multiple causes, multiple paths, synergy

Open Systems

A system with a free exchange of information with its environment - that is, with inputs and outpputs flowing back and forth between the system and its environment

Closed System

A system with limited flow of information between itself and its environment

Interdependence

When the elements of a system mutually influence each other

Feedback

The return of system outputs as system inputs, which allows the system to monitor its movement toward goals and make necessary changes

Multiple Causes

The idea that no single system input determines system outputs; instead, system outcomes are the result of numerous interdependent factors

Multiple Paths

The idea that system objectives can be reached in a variety of ways

Synergy

A system’s ability to take on an identity separate from its individual elements

Major characteristics of communication?

Symbolic, personal, transactional, shared responsibility, and content and relational

Communication is Symbolic

We use words and gestures to represent ideas

Communication is Personal

Meanings exist in people, not in the words themselves

Communication is a Transactional Process

Sending and receiving messages happen at the exact same time

Shared Meaning is the Responsibility of all Members

Achieving clear understanding requires effort from everyone involved

Communication Involves Content and Relational Dimensions

Every message shares raw data and defines the relationship tone

Types of listeners?

People-oriented, action-oriented, content-oriented, time-oriented

People-Oriented Listener

A listener who is concerned about how her or his listening behaviors affect relationships

Action-Oriented Listener

A listener who is concerned about how her or his listening behaviors contribute to the task at hand

Content-Oriented Listener

A listener who prefers information from perceived credible sources and is drawn to analyzing the information she or he hears

Time-Oriented Listener

A listener who values time and is focused on efficient discussion

Categories of Nonverbal Behaviors

Appearance, space and seating, facial expressions and eye contact, movements, voice, timing

Functions of Nonverbal Behaviors

Express how we feel, how we perceive our relationships to other people, supplement words, and substitute for words

Tuckman’s Model of Group Development

Forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning

Types of Tension

Primary, secondary, tertiary

Primary Tension

Anxiety arising early in a group’s formation, as members work out their relationships and roles

Secondary Tension

Task-related tension that stems from differing opinions about the substantive work of the group

Tertiary Tension

Tension that stems from power and status struggles in a group

Techniques to improve group creativity

Brainstorming, synectics, appreciative inquiry

Brainstorming

A procedure designed to tap members’ creativity by asking them to generate as many ideas as possible without evaluations

Synectics

A procedure designed to stimulate creative thinking by using metaphors and looking for similarities in different things

Appreciative Inquiry

A technique that focuses on an organization’s or situation’s strengths and seeks to build on those strengths

Factors to improve critical thinking

Having the right attitude, gathering information, evaluating information, checking for errors in reasoning, avoiding groupthing

Problem

The difference between what exists presently and what you expect or want

Characteristics of Problems

Task difficulty, solution multiplicity, intrinsic interests, member familiarity, acceptance level

Sources of power

Legitimate, reward, punishment, expert, referent, information, ecological

Legitimate Power

Influence based on a member’s title or position in the group

Reward Power

Influence derived from someone’s ability to give members what they want and need

Punishment Power

Influence derived from someone’s ability to take away what members want and value

Expert Power

Interpersonal influence that stems from someone’s perceived knowledge or skill

Referent Power

Influence due to a person’s ability to be liked and admired

Information Power

Influence based on a person’s ability to control information

Ecological Power

Influence derived from a person’s ability to manipulate the logistics of the task as well as the physical environment of a group

Types of Leadership

Designated leader, emergent leader

Designated Leader

An appointed or elected leader whose title (chair, president) identifies him or her as leader

Emergent Leader

A person who starts out with the same status as other members but gradually emerges as informal leader in the eyes of the other members