Groups

Non-social/Minimal Groups

Two or more people who interact minimally and are not interdependent; they do not rely on or influence each other significantly.

Real Groups

Two or more people who interact and are interdependent; their needs and goals cause them to depend on and influence each other.

Interdependence

A state in which individuals within a group need each other to achieve their goals, and their actions affect one another.

Group Identity

The shared sense of belonging and common identification among members of a group.

Group Structure

The organized pattern of relationships within a group, including norms, social roles, status hierarchies, and communication networks.

Injunctive Norms

Perceptions of what behaviors are approved or disapproved of by others in a group.

Social Roles

Socially defined expectations about how particular group members should behave.

Status Hierarchies

A ranking of individuals within a group based on power, prestige, or competence.

Stable Communication Network

Consistent patterns of information flow and interaction among group members.

Cohesiveness

The strength of the bonds among group members.

Interpersonal Cohesiveness

The extent to which group members enjoy being with each other.

Task Cohesiveness

The degree to which group members are committed to working together to achieve a common goal.

Social Facilitation

The process through which the mere presence of others influences an individual's performance.

Dominant Response

The most typical or well-learned response in a given situation.

Evaluation Apprehension

Concern about being judged by others, which can affect performance.

Social Loafing

The tendency for individuals to reduce their personal effort when working collectively in a group, especially when individual contributions are not easily identifiable.

Deindividuation

A psychological state characterized by a loss of self-awareness, reduced feelings of individual responsibility, and an increased susceptibility to group norms, which can lead to atypical behavior.

Group Polarization

The tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclinations of their individual members.

Majority Influence

Conformity that occurs when individuals adopt the attitudes or behaviors of the majority group members due to normative or informational pressures.

Minority Influence

The process by which dissenters produce attitude change within a group, often through consistent and confident expression of their views.

Groupthink

A style of group decision-making in which the desire for harmony and conformity within the group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives, leading to poor decisions.

Need for Power

A motivational drive characterized by a strong desire to have control, influence, and status over others.

Achievement Motivation

A motivational drive characterized by a strong desire to excel, succeed, and accomplish challenging tasks.