Group Dynamics Lesson 1

Group

A collection of two or more individuals who are connected by and within social relationships.

Groups

They come in a staggering assortment of shapes and sizes, from dyads (two members) and triads (three members) to huge crowds, mobs, and assemblies (Simmel, 1902).

Sociologist John James

Who was so intrigued by the variation in the size of groups that he took to the streets of Eugene and Portland, Oregon, to record the size of the 9,129 groups he encountered there.

Group (two or more individual)

He defined a _____ to be two or more people in “face-to-face interaction as evidenced by the criteria of gesticulation, laughter, smiles, talk, play or work.

Group (who are connected)

Definitions of the word _____ are as varied as groups themselves, but a commonality shared by many of these definitions is an emphasis on social relations that link members to one another.

• Primary groups

• Social groups

• Collectives

• Categories

Varieties of Groups

Primary groups

A small, long-term group characterized by frequent interaction, solidarity, and high levels of interdependence among members that substantially influences the attitudes, values, and social outcomes of its members.

Families, close friends, small combat squads (fireteams), etc.

Social Groups

A relatively small number of individuals who interact with one another over an extended period of time, such as work groups, clubs, and congregations.

Coworkers, teams, crews, study groups, task forces, etc.

Collectives

A relatively large aggregation or group of individuals who display similarities in actions and outlook. A street crowd, a line of people (a queue), and a panicked group escaping a fire are examples of collectives, as are more widely dispersed groups.

Audiences, queues, mobs, crowds, social movements, etc.

Categories

A perceptual grouping of people who are assumed to be similar to one another in some ways but different in one or more ways, such as all women, the elderly,college students, or all the citizens of a specific country.

Men, Asian, Americans, New Yorkers, doctors, Britons, etc.

• Composition

• Boundaries

• Size

• Interaction (Task, Relationship)

First 4 Characteristics of Group

Composition

• Who Belongs to the Group? To understand a group, we must know something about the group’s composition: the qualities of the individuals who are members of the group.

• Groups may be more than the sum of their parts but each part defines the whole.

Boundaries

• Who Does NOT Belong? The relationships that link members to one another define who is in the group and who is not.

• Open group

• Close group

Size

• How Large Is the Group?

• A group’s size influences many of its other features, for a small group will likely have different structures, processes, and patterns of interaction than a larger one.

Size

• A group’s size also determines how many social ties—links, relationships, connections, edges—are needed to join members to each other and to the group. The maximum number of ties within a group in which everyone is linked to everyone else is given by the equation n(n– 1)/2, where n is the number of people in the group.

Interaction

• What Do Members Do? Groups are the setting for an infinite variety of interpersonal actions.

Task Interaction

The conjointly adjusted actions of group members that pertain to the group’s projects, tasks, and goals.

Relationship interaction

(socioemotional interaction) The conjointly adjusted actions of group members that relate to or influence the nature and strength of the emotional and interpersonal bonds within the group, including both sustaining (social support, consideration) and undermining actions (criticism, conflict).

• Interdependence

• Structure (Role, Norm)

• Goals (Generating, Choosing, Negotiating, Executing)

• Unity (Group Cohesion)

Last 4 Characteristics of Group

Interdependence

• Do the Members Depend on Each Other?

• Mutual dependence, as when one’s outcomes, actions, thoughts, feelings, and experiences are influenced, to some degree, by other people.

Structure

• How Is the Group Organized?

• Group members are not connected to one another at random, but in organized and predictable patterns.

• Role

• Norms

Goals

• What Is the Group’s Purpose?

• The members of groups pursue their own goals, but because their goals are interdependent, groups promote the pursuit of other members’ goals and group level goals.

(Generating, Choosing, Negotiating, Executing)

Unity

•How Cohesive Is the Group?

•A group’s cohesiveness, however, is often based on commitment to the group’s purposes, rather than on social bonds between members.

•Individuals may not like each other a great deal, and yet, when they join together, they experience powerful feelings of unity as they work collaboratively to achieve an important end.

Group Dynamics

are the influential interpersonal processes that occur in and between groups over time.

Dynamic

implies the influence of forces that combine, sometimes smoothly but sometimes in opposition, to create continual motion and change.

to be strong, powerful, and energetic.

The word dynamic comes from the Greek dynamikós, which means

Formative Processes

How the group begins and develops

This refers to how a group comes together and starts functioning. It includes:

• Why people join the group (common interest, task, or need).

• How they get to know each other.

• How roles, norms, and structure are formed (like who leads, who follows, how decisions are made)

Influence Processes

How group members affect each other

Once the group is formed, members begin to influence each other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.

• Influence can be:

• Direct: Persuading someone to change their opinion.

• Indirect: Following group norms without being told.

• Involves conformity, persuasion, leadership, and obedience.

Performance Processes

How the group works toward goals

These are the behaviors and actions the group takes to complete tasks or solve problems. It includes:

• Planning

• Coordinating efforts

• Decision-making

• Dividing responsibilities

• Monitoring progress

Conflict Processes

How the group deals with disagreements

Conflict happens when:

• Members disagree on ideas, methods, or decisions.

• There are personality clashes.

• There’s competition or poor communication.

Groups handle conflict in different ways:

• Some avoid it

• Others argue or fight

• Healthy groups try to resolve it through communication and

compromise

Contextual Processes

How the environment affects the group

This refers to outside factors that influence how a group functions, such as:

• Physical setting (online vs. face-to-face)

• Cultural norms (values, traditions, expectations)

• Time limits or deadlines

• Institutional rules or support

• To understand people

• To understand social world

Why Study Groups

To understand the People

The study of groups and their dynamics is not only essential for understanding people, but also for understanding organizations, communities, and society itself. Groups are the interpersonal microstructures that link individuals to society.

To understand the Social World

The study of groups and their dynamics is not only essential for understanding people, but also for understanding organizations, communities, and society itself. Groups are the interpersonal microstructures that link individuals to society.

The Value of Groups

• For centuries, philosophers and scholars have debated the value of groups. Groups are often the arena for profound interpersonal conflicts that end in violence and aggression.

• Our groups are sometimes filled with conflict, but by resolving this conflict, we learn how to relate with others more effectively.

• Groups are the bedrock of humans’ social existence, and we must accept the charge of understanding them.

• Forming

• Storming

• Norming

• Performing

• Adjourning

Why Study Groups?

Orientation (Forming)

Exchange of background personal information, uncertainty, tentative communication.

Conflict (Storming)

Dissatisfaction, disagreement, challenges to leader and procedures, cliques form.

Structure (Norming)

Cohesiveness, agreement on procedures, standards, and roles, improved communication.

Performance (Performing)

Focus on the work of the group, task completion, decision making, cooperation.

Dissolution (Adjourning)

Departures, withdrawal, decreased dependence, regret.