BSPY 1202 Unit V: Group Processes

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental group processes, structures, social influence mechanisms, group dynamics, and clinical applications from BSPY 1202.

Group

Two or more people who interact, influence one another, share some common purpose or identity, and perceive themselves as connected.

Aggregate

People who happen to be together in the same place but have little interaction or shared identity, such as passengers waiting for a bus.

Social Category

People classified together because they share a specific characteristic, even if they do not interact with one another (e.g., first-year university students).

Primary Groups

Groups characterised by close, enduring relationships, such as family and close friends.

Secondary Groups

Groups that are typically larger and goal-oriented, such as workplaces or university committees.

Formal Groups

Groups that are structured with clearly defined roles and rules, such as a hospital multidisciplinary team.

Informal Groups

Groups that develop naturally through interpersonal relationships, such as colleagues who regularly support one another.

Reference Groups

Groups used as standards for comparison or behaviour, even when an individual is not officially a member.

Group Structure

The relatively stable pattern of positions and relationships within a group, composed of roles, norms, status, communication, leadership, and cohesion.

Role

A set of expectations about how a person should behave in a particular position within a group.

Role Conflict

A conflict that occurs when expectations from different roles clash with one another.

Role Strain

A condition that occurs when the demands within a single role become difficult to manage.

Norms

Shared rules or expectations about acceptable behaviour within a group, which may be either explicit or implicit.

Status

The relative social standing or prestige of an individual within a group.

Power

The capacity to influence others or control valued resources, decisions, or outcomes.

Group Cohesion

The strength of members' attachment to the group and to one another.

Leadership

The process of influencing and coordinating group members toward goals, occurring in formal or informal ways.

Autocratic Leadership

A leadership style in which the leader makes decisions with limited input from group members.

Democratic Leadership

A leadership style where members actively participate in decision-making processes.

Laissez-faire Leadership

A leadership style in which members receive substantial freedom with limited direction from the leader.

Social Influence

The phenomenon occurring when a person's thoughts, feelings, or behaviour are affected by other people.

Conformity

Changing behaviour or expressed attitudes to fit group expectations.

Compliance

Responding to a request or changing behaviour in response to a request without necessarily accepting the requester's position.

Obedience

Following a command or direct instruction from an authority figure.

Informational Influence

A form of conformity that occurs when people look to others for guidance because they are uncertain about what is correct.

Normative Influence

A form of conformity that occurs when people conform because they want acceptance, approval, or the avoidance of rejection.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

An influence strategy that begins with a small request and later makes a larger request.

Door-in-the-Face Technique

An influence strategy that begins with a large request likely to be rejected, followed by a smaller request.

Low-Ball Technique

An influence technique where initial agreement is obtained, and additional costs or conditions are revealed later.

Social Facilitation

Changes in performance associated with the presence of others, which typically improves performance on simple or well-learned tasks but impairs performance on difficult or unfamiliar tasks.

Social Loafing

The tendency for some individuals to put forth less effort when working collectively than when working alone, especially when individual contributions are difficult to identify.

Deindividuation

Reduced self-awareness and reduced concern about individual evaluation that can occur in group situations characterised by anonymity, arousal, and reduced accountability.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to move members toward a more extreme position in the direction the group was already leaning.

Groupthink

A pattern in which the desire for agreement and group unity becomes so strong that critical evaluation of alternatives is weakened.

Social Identity Theory

A theory proposing that individuals derive part of their self-concept from membership in social groups.

In-Group

A social group with which an individual personally identifies.

Out-Group

A social group perceived by an individual as different from their own group.

Intergroup Conflict

Conflict that occurs when groups perceive their interests, identities, resources, or goals as incompatible.

Universality

A therapeutic factor in group psychotherapy where members discover that others have similar struggles.