Small Group Comm Test 1 Review

What is a small group characterized by?

A common purpose and a sense of belonging.

What is a team

a coordinated group organized to work together towards a specific common goal.

What characteristics define effective teams?

clear, elevating goals, results-driven structure, competent members, unified commitment, collaborative climate, standards of excellence, external support, and principled leadership.

What are some advantages of working in groups?

• Groups offer more information

• stimulate creativity

• enhance memory of discussions

• increase decision satisfaction

• provide a better understanding of self.

What are the disadvantages of working in groups?

• pressure to conform

• potential for individuals to dominate

• reliance on others (social loafing)

• extended time for decision-making.

What is 'social exchange theory' in the context of relationships?

It compares rewards and costs in relationships, where profit makes the relationship attractive.

What are the eight tenets of systems theory?

• Openness to environment

• interdependence

• input variables

• process variables

• output variables

• synergy

• entropy

• equifinality

What does 'synergy' mean in a group context?

The combined efforts of a group produce a result greater than the sum of their individual efforts.

What are the stages of Tuckman's group development model?

Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.

What are task roles in a group?

Roles focused on the completion of tasks, such as initiator-contributor, elaborator, coordinator, and orientor.

What are maintenance roles in a group?

Roles focused on maintaining relationships within the group, such as encourager and gatekeeper.

What is the definition of a norm in a group?

Standards of behavior that are implicit and based on prior group experiences.

What are the bases of power in a group?

Legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and referent power.

What is the difference between primary and secondary tension in groups?

Primary tension refers to initial anxiety about working together, while secondary tension arises from conflicts as the group progresses.

What is 'mutuality of concern' in group dynamics?

The recognition that each member has different levels of commitment and that individual goals should be clear from the start.

What does 'equifinality' mean regarding systems theory?

The idea that there are many ways for a group to reach its final state or achieve its goals.

Teams clearly define

Goals

Roles

Rules

Methods

Primary Groups

Fulfill social needs

ex. Family groups, social groups

Secondary Groups

exist to accomplish tasks

Types of secondary groups

• Problem solving group

• Decision making group

• Study group

• Therapy group

• Committees

• Focus Groups

Openess to enviornment

everything outside of the groups affects routines

Interdependence

every part affect other group

Input Variables

anything like resources; like money, food, water

Process variables

Procedures that the group follows to reach its goal

Output variables

the outcomes of the group process

Synergy

Sum of the parts greater than the individual

Entropy

A measure of disorder or randomness in a group, which can lead to decreased effectiveness and cohesion.

Equifinality

The principle that a group can reach the same outcome through various paths or processes.

Legitimate power

The authority that a person holds due to their position or role within an organization, often recognized and accepted by others.

reward power

The power derived from the ability to provide positive reinforcement or rewards to others, influencing their behavior or decisions.

coercive power

The authority that comes from the ability to impose penalties or punishments on others, influencing their actions or decisions.

expert power

The influence a person has due to their expertise, skills, or knowledge in a particular area, leading others to rely on their judgment.

referent power

The influence a person has because others identify with, admire, or want to be like them, often resulting in loyalty and respect.

monochronic

one thing at a time

polychronic

multitasking

trust

willingness to act on the basis of another

Status

Individuals relative power

effects of status difference

• tend to be more instructive

• Use of complex and second person (you) language

Initiator

contributor (gets the conversation going)

Elaborator

takes complex info and adds more information to it

Coordinator

the person who organizes things

Orientor

Takes all the info the team has done and boils it down to something that is more digestible

Encourager

offers praise, understanding and acceptance of others ideas and suggestions

Gatekeeper

make sure every member of the group has a shot of equal contribution

Forming

the group comes together and gets to know each other

Storming

Conflicts arise as members assert their opinions, compete for roles, and challenge authority. This stage can involve tension, disagreements and power struggles

Norming

the group starts to resolve conflicts, establish norms, and build stronger relationships. Cooperation and cohesion increase as roles become clear

Performing

the group functions efficiently and effectively. Members collaborate toward shared goals with minimal friction, demonstrating high trust and autonomy.

what is a small group

a collection of individuals, typically between 3 to 15 people, who interact regularly, share a common interest or purpose, and influence one another. Unlike a team, a it does not necessarily have a high level of interdependence or shared accountability.

8 types of groups

• primary

• social

• self help

• study

• service

• civic

• work

• public

primary group

provide affection, support, a sense of belonging and confidence

social group

share common interests in a friendly setting or participate in social activities

self help group

groups with a common problem that provide mutual support

study group

to help members gain knowledge and develop skills

service group

support worthy causes that help people outside the group

civic group

support a worthy cause that help people within a group (PTA, Neighborhood watch)

work group

achieve specific tasks and routine duties on behalf of business

public group

discuss important issues in front of or for the benefit of the public or key decision makers

Teams vs Groups: Goals

small group: are discussed in general terms

teams: drive all aspects of team accomplishments

teams vs groups: roles and responsibility

groups: not explicitly defined

teams: explicitly defined

teams vs groups: rules

small groups: evolve according to group’s needs

teams: clearly discussed and developed to help team work together

Teams vs Groups: Methods

Small groups: work is often divided among group members.

Teams: collaborate and coordinate their efforts. Work together independently

Structuration Theory

• Society has rules and structures (like schools, laws, traditions), but people can change them through their actions.

• Provides a general framework that explains how people structure their groups by making active use of rules and resources

• determines what is appropriate/inappropriate within a group.

• suggests that when we join a new group we use rules learned by past groups

Functional theory

• Consequences of behavior

• Communication in groups functions to promote sound reasoning, prevent errors, and build relationships among group members

functions theory prop 1

group members attempt to satisfy task requirements

functional theory prop 2

group members use communication to overcome constraints such as stress from deadlines, interpersonal conflict, or self serving actions

functional theory prop 3

group members take the time to review the process through which they arrived at choices and, if necessary reconsider their choice

symbolic convergence theory

• explains how fantasies, themes and fantasy chains shape a group’s identity and culture.

• people in a group share stories, jokes or symbols that create a common understanding and bond them together

• unification through symbols, groups can work together or successful

Norms are

1. Based on Prior Group Experience/Structuration

2. Based on What Happens Early in the Group

Conforming norms

1. Individual characteristics

2. Norm Clarity and Punishment Certainty

3. Number of people who have already confirmed

4. quality of interpersonal relationship in group

5. identification sense

Identification Sense

norm and behavior are part of group

Generalized Norms

very broad expectations

Operationalized Norms

very specific in details

Generalized to Operationalized tend evolve

cultural expectations

Culture and Norms

must be considered

Ground Rules

explict and agreed

( Status)Importance

do with team members

(Status) Privileges

accept more likely even opinions

willingness

little or no evidence

Self Concept

role of themselves

Schutz’s Theory

Humans needs as they interact in groups

1. inclusion

2. control

3. affection

4. repeating cycles of group development

Socialization Stages

1. Anticipation

2. Encounter

3. Adjustment

Anticipation

learning values and rules of other people from group you want to join

Encounter

employee joins organization learns about company’s culture and expectations; function and monitor interaction

adjustment

helping individual with new situations like new job

Anonymity Variation

contribute group and knowing that other groups may not know who you are; choose disclosure to group and yourself

Social information processing theory

interpersonal interactions evolve overtime and people spend more time together

competence group competer

communicate to determine balance between appropriate and effectiveness

What is a theory

set of explanation or principles based on evidence

Theory Nature

1. Observation of phenomeon

2. repeated pattern

3. Derived Explanation

4. Predictive Value

5. Control