Modules A and B Communications

ripple effect

one part of the group can have significant impact on the whole of the group

group emotional contagion

the transfer of moods among people in a group and its influence on work group dynamics

synergy

when a group performance from joint action of members exceeds expectations based on perceived abilities and skills of individual members

what four things are needed for positive group synergy

members are highly motivated to achieve the common goal, members participate relatively equally, groups are diverse, groups members are competent communicators

four things that can cause negative synergy

ignorance, competition amongst each other, resistance to change, sharing a collective bias or mindset

dynamic equilibrium

the range in which systems can manage change effectively to promote growth and success without destroying the system with too much instability

5 steps for dealing with a difficult group member

make sure the group is cooperative not competitive, establish a clear code of conduct, change communication in relation to difficult person’s behavior, confront the difficult person, separate yourself from the difficult person

openness

the degree of continuous interchange with the outside environment

adaptability to change

adjustment of group boundaries in response to changing environmental conditions

boundary control

amount of access to input a group has

psychological barriers

groups can communicate to a member that htey do not actually belong in a group, erecting a psychological barrier between the member and the group

linguistic barriers

private vocabulary or slang

rules

who and what is allowed in the group

role

pattern of expected behavior associated with parts we play in groups

networks

structured pattern of information flow and personal contact

open networks

change and potential disruption

closed networks

emphasize stability, privacy and permanence

do larger or smaller groups have more nonparticipants

larger groups

are larger or smaller groups able to apply intense pressure to conform to majority opinion

smaller groups

____ are most cooperative

small groups

group members are less satisfied with groups if they have more than ___ people

10

what is the best size for a group?

the smallest size capable of performing the task effectively

the larger the group size, the ___ formal

more