Small Group Communication Final Exam

What is a small group

Between 3 to 7 members

Interdependent

Cohesive

Share rules and norms

Have individual roles

Possess unique identities

Have distinct communication patterns

Small Group Communication

Three or more people working interdependently for the purpose of accomplishing a task

Social Loafing

a person exerting less effort to achieve a goal when they work in a group than when they work alone.

The Three Primary Feature of Small groups

1. Group size-General Consensus for a small group and exist

2. Interdependence- Systems Theory (actions effect group)

3. Task-additive task, conjunctive task

The Three Secondary Features of Small Groups

1. Norms

2. Identity

3. Types of Talk

1. Norms

-A Guidline or rule designed to regulate the behaviors of group members -- task, procedural, social

-what might be imposted on a group member who violates a norm- a sanction

2. Identity

The psychological and/or physical boundaries that distinguish a group member from a non- group member (we-ness) ( group member- non group member)

3. Types of Talk

-Problem solving talk-Dominet

-Role talk

-consciousness-raising talk-epideictic/present moment/in the moment talk that provides inspiration

-encounter talk-daily interactions

-striving for balance makes a group successful

Eight Types of Small Groups

Eight Types of Small Groups

1. Primary

2. Social Group

3. Self-help

4. Learning

5. Service

6. Public

7. Work

8. Virtual

1. Primary Group

intimate relationships -- family, close friends

2. Social Group

common interests

3. Self-help

common problem/situation (AA)

4. Learning

Enhancing skills/abilities-Yoga

5. Service

volunteer work

6. Public

interact for audience observation

7. Work

organized context

8. Virtual

exist in different physical locations

Three Key Reasons Individuals Join Groups

-class project

-friend in the group

-connection

1. Attraction Theory

2. Interpersonal Communication Motives

3. Lack of Violation

1. Attraction Theory

-enjoy the company's products or services

-drawn to the idea of group membership

-enjoy the company

2. Interpersonal Communication Motives

-inclusion

-affection

-control

-escape

-pleasure

-relaxation

3. Lack of Violation

required to do so (required to join group)

Socialization

constant within a group

Small Group Socialization- 1. Antecedent Phase

what you will bring to the group

-experiences

-strengths and weakness

-knowledge skills

-personality/beliefs

-identity

Small Group socialization-2. Anticipatory phase

Expectations of the group work

Small Group Socialization- 3. Encounter Phase

Come together ( ice breaker, intro)

-Group goals, find roles

Small Group Socialization-4. Assimilation Phase

"we Ness", Group identity

-feeling comes when knows what to expect

Small Group Socialization- 5. Exit Phase

No longer a group

Four Outcomes of Socialization

1.cohesion- desire to stay in group

2. consenus- come to an agreement (don't have to be best friends)

3. communication satisfaction

4. loneliness- feeling of powerless of participating in group

Traits

Relatively enduring behaviors that people tend to use constantly across their life span

Communication Traits

-communication apprehension

-communicator style

-augmentatives

-Verbal agressives

Personality Traits

-machiavellianism- an individuals ability to manipulate a situation in order to influence and control it for his or her own purposes

-self-montoring- person pays attention to the social requirements of a situation and striving for appropriateness and effectiveness, adapts his or her verbal and non verbal behaviors.

-self-esteem- A persons overall self-worth

communication Apprehension (communication trait)

-an individual's level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person/persons

1. trait apprehension-experience CA across all levels

2. context-based apprehension-scared of speaking

3. audience-based apprehension-nervous talking to certain individuals

4. situational apprehension- scared due to the situation ( job interview

Communicator Style (communication trait)

-The way an individual uses verbal and non-verbal communicative behaviors to indicate how literally others should take a message

-10 attributes- friendly, impression leaving, relaxed, contentious, attentive, precise, animated, dramatic, open, domient

cluster

generally use several attributes at the same time.

10 attributes of communicator style

1. friendly

2. impresson leaving

3. relaxed

4. contentious

5. atentive

6. precise

7. animated

8. dramatic

9. open

10. dome

argumentativeness

An individuals ability to defend his or her position on a controversial issue while simultaneously attempting to refute another person's position on the same issue

verbal aggressivness

The tendency for an individual to attack the self-concept of another individual for the purpose of inflicting psychological harm

Homogeneous Groups

Same

Heterogenous Groups

Different

*Four dimensions of cultural diversity:

1.Power Distance

2.Uncertainty Avoidance

3.Individualism-Collectivsm

4.Time Orientation

Dimensions of Cultural diversity- 1. Power distance

U.S is law

-The inequality that exists between a less powerful person and more powerful person

Dimensions of Cultural Diversity- 2. Uncertainty Avoidance

-the amount of stress that a culture associates with an unknown future

-U.S-low (more willing to adapt new technologies)

Dimensions of Cultural Diversity- 3. Individualism-Collectivism

-whether attention is focused on the group or the individuals

-individualistic vs collective cultures

Dimensions of Cultural diversity- 4. Time-Orientation

-how quickly a culture assumes imporentent aspects of life should develop

-long term vs. short term

Sex

Biological

Gender

Identify, Value With

Learning Styles

individuals preferences for acquiring information in a learning environment, influences how individuals listen to and present info.

Informational Diversity

refers to differences in knowledge and perspectives ( Freshman and Seniors)

Value Diversity

values placed in small group work

Ethnocentrism

thinking your culture is better than any other culture

Three Developmental Models

1. Tuckman's Five-Phase Model

2. Gersick's Punctuated Equilibrium Model

3. Poole's Multiple Sequence Model

Tuckman's Five-Phase Model

1. forming-members come to group with concerns of Individuals goals

2. storming-develop relationships, group process begins

3. norming-work on task together, attempt to get along

4. performing-prepare task for output and evaluation by an external audience

5. adjourning-reach the end of their involvement together and/or have finished their task

Gersick's Punctuated Equilbrium

1. Phase one-start with first meeting (lasts until the group approaches the midpoint or transition. (little work gets done)

2. Phase two- group members accomplish more work an obvenutally leads to completion (helps explain why so many groups wait until last minute)

Pools Multiple Sequence Model

All groups working on varying in degrees

-task process-members analyze task by using various decision making and problem solving procedures, engage in critical analysis of the positive and negative consequences of the alternative, or evaluate the implementation of a solution

-Relational- engage in behaviors that promote member relationships and determine how to handle conflict

-Topic Focus-concern themselves with major issues or themes that emerge at any given point in the groups work

The Seven Characteristics of a Task

1. Task Difficulty

2. Solution multiplicity

3. Intrinsic Interest

4. Population famiraltiy

5. Acceptance levle

6. Area of Freedom

7. Social Complexity

1. Task Difficulty

how was the task can be accomplished

2. Solution Multiplicity

number of alternatives that exist

3. Intrinsic Interest

what each group member finds intersting

4. Population Familiarity

how familiar is the group with task

5. Acceptance Level

the degree group members find the outcome acceptable

6. Area of Freedom

how much freedom to do what the group wants (creativity)

7. Social Complexity

degree of ego-involvement of group members accomplishing task

Problem Solving

-a method

-use inutioin and gathering facts

Decision Making

- more of a judgment

-after thinking, one will take a course of action

Four Ways a Group Makes a Decision

1. consensus- general agreement

2. compromise- meeting in the middle (giving something up)

3. majority Rule-most of the gore wants that so they go with it

4. Authority Rule-whoever is in charge makes decision for the group

Five Steps of the Functional Perspective of Small Group Communication

1. Develop a corrected understanding of the Issue

2.•Determine the minimal characteristics required of the alternative needed to resolve the issue

3.•Identify a relevant and realistic set of alternatives

4. •Examine the alternatives in relation to the minimal characteristics of the alternative

5.•Select the best alternative in light of the previous four steps

Groupthink

a mode of thinking that [members] engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive group...which override[s] their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action

The Three Antecedent Conditions of Group Think

1. Decision Characteristics

2. Group Structure

3. Decision-Making Context

1. Decision Characteristics

parameters surrounding task assignment as experienced directly by the group

2. Group Structure

Behaviors unique to the group

3. Decision-Making Context

organizational parameters surrounding task assignment that are independent of the group

Symptoms of Group Think

-illusion of invulnerability- a group overestimates their mortality

-closed mindedness- group relies soly on its members to gather and evaluate information

-pressure toward uniformity-results in members in engaging in self censorship and mind guarding

Decision- Making Procedures

making that coordinate group members' communication, keep members focused on issues at hand, and guide members through the process of problem diagnosis, solution section, or solution implemntion

The Key components of the Four Decision-Making Procedures that would be most likely to use in a small group

1. Brainstorming

2. Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

3. Ideawriting

4. Six Thinking Hats

1. Brainstorming

-allows groups to generate more ideas or solutions to problems than individuals might generate working alone

Four Rules of Brainstorming

rule 1- No evaluation should occur during the session

Rule 2- Generate as many ideas as possible without extended pauses

Rule 3- be creatively wild and crazy

rule 4- piggyback or hitchhike off of each other's ideas

Three tips of Brainstorming

1. Before you begin, select on one group member to write down the ideas where everyone can see.

2. make sure all group members understand and agree to follow the four rules

3. Remind group members to refrain from evaluating ideas during brainstorming session

2. Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

-Allows group members to independently silty generate ideas

Four Steps of NGT

1. each member silently generates ideas (on cards)

2. host ideas so that everyone can see them

3. discuss each idea in order

4. have individuals privately select and rank the priority of these ideas

3. Idea-writing

-focuses on a single topic that produces a written product

Four steps to idea writing

1. Individuals react to a problem by listing 3-4 ideas

2. members exchange lists and respond to the ideas

3. members read others comments on their list and respond

4. members summarized, report, and evaluate their collective ideas.

4. Six Thinking Hat Procedure

-focus solely on one aspect of a decision at a time

Six Thinking Hats Colors

-white-neutral and objective manner

-red-emotinal manner

-black-cautious manner

-yellow-optimistic manner

-green-creative manner

-blue-procedul manner

Recommendations for Six thinking hats color

1. start with blue hat-event should we host (cost, location, food, permission)

2. use at least two hats

3. spend no more than 1mn per member per hat.

Roles

-focuses on the commutative behaviors used by group members during group meetings

-roles can include the speaker and the speech

-can also be designed as "assignments"

repeatable pattern of communicative behaviors that group members came to expect from each other

Role Rigidity

occurs when members do not play a variety of roles

Role Conflict

occurs when two or more members vie for the same role

Role Strain

occurs when the group requires members to assume a new role and they feel reluctant, at least initially to do so

Formal Roles

-external, defined positions that are associated with given responsibilities and are usually allocated according to the position or ability of each person.

-3 formal roles

1. leader-most focus on the task accomplishment involvement with external artist

2. recorder-incharge of minutes of writing down

3. critical advisor-could be leader, "devils advocate", challenging groups progress in a constructive way

Informal Roles

-depend more on their character than on any specific knowledge or position.

-Five informal roles

1. Task leader-technical skills

2. social emotional leader-emphasize the role of respect, supporting good listening habits

3. Information Provider-Provides info

4. Central Negative-Challenging, the groups decision, focused on small conversations

5. Tension releaser- breaks tension with funny things

Devient Roles

Destroy the groups productivity and success because the communicative focus centers an individuals member rather than on the best thing for the group

10 Devient Roles

1. Airhead-purposly acts stupid so other members compete roles

2. aggressor-attacks members or task

3. Blocker-interfers with groups process by disagreeing frequently

4. clown-makes a fool of themselves by saying dumb things

5. dominator-monoplizeds group time and tires to show supority

6. egghead-acts as he or she is smarter than members

7. recognition seeker-seeks attention by boasting

8. self confessor-expresses personal feelings unrelated to the groups members

9. special pleaser-introduces irrelevant info and support

10. Winner-complainer about having to participate in a group task

Appointed Leader

selected by another leader or a body of officials without the public directly participating

Elected Leader

Voted in

Shared Leadership Behaviors

-behaviors any group member can enact to demonstrate leadership

-two views of shared leadership

1. Membership with competence in the test or relational area assumes the leader role.

2. Any group member emerges as the leader

Classic Leadership Approach

1. Trait Approach

2. Style Approach

3. Situational Approach

1. Trait Approach

-emerged in the 1920s

-based on identifying characteristics of leaders vs. non-leader

-"great man Theory of Leadership"

-Associated with specific physical, personality, and communicative behaviors