Group Dynamics - Chapter 2

What is the level of analysis?

The focus of study when examining a multilevel process or phenomenon, such as the individual-level or the group-level analysis

What were the reasons to study at the group-level and the individual-level?

Group-level: humans are the constitutive elements of a group, and groups (and their processes) have a profound impact on their members.

Individual-level: focusing on the person in the group would explain the behavior of each group member, and certain psychological processes (such as attitudes, motivations, or personality) could be determinants of social behavior.

What is micro-level?

Micro-level factors include the qualities, characteristics, and actions of the individual members.

What is meso-level?

Meso-level factors are group-level qualities of the groups themselves, such as their structure

What is macro-level?

Macro-level factors are the qualities and processes of the larger collectives that enfold the groups, such as communities, organizations, or societies.

What is the multilevel perspective?

The view that does not favor a specific level of analysis when studying human behavior, but recognizes that a complete explanation of group processes and phenomena requires multiple levels of analysis, including individual (micro), group (meso), and organizational or societal (macro) level.

Which two measurement methods are there, and what do they entail?

Observation: watching and recording a group’s activities and interactions

Self-report: assessing by giving questionnaires, tests or interviews to ask respondents to describe their feelings, attitudes, beliefs and thoughts.

Which types of observation are there, and what do they mean?

Overt observation: openly watching and recording information without attempting to conceal your presence and research purposes.

Covert observation: watching and recording information of groups and their activities without their knowledge (e.g., watching from a distance or from a camera).

Participant observation: watching and recording group activities as a disguised member of the group or participant in the social process.

Which research methods are there, and what do they entail?

Case studies: an in-depth examination of activities and dynamics of a group or groups.

Experimental studies: research design where the investigator (1) manipulates at least one variable by random assignment, (2) measures at least one variable, and (3) controls the influence of other variables on the outcome.

Correlational studies: testing the strength of the relationship between the variables that are being measured.

What are the advantages of case studies?

1) ability to provide richly detailed qualitative descriptions,
2) with disbanded groups, researchers can use archival data, and therefore the study does not interfere with the group itself,
3) case studies focus on bona fide groups (= groups found in everyday, natural contexts with history, real relationships and goals that they are pursuing), rather than artificially created groups,
4) natural groups provide different kind of data than lab studies, since they have their own norms, routines and procedures,
5) when phenomenon have been observed, but it is unknown how it happen or what process caused it (case studies are appropriate in such a case)
6) useful when researches can’t manipulate or control the situations (ethically or practically).

What are the disadvantages of case studies?

1) findings might not be generalizable to other groups since the focus in on a unique group (unless connected to a broader theory),
2) if the study is qualitative, objectivity can be difficult because interpretations may be influenced by bias,
3) since case studies often rely on records and artifacts, they can be inaccurate, incomplete, or unavailable,
4) later evidence can change conclusions about the group’s dynamics,
5) case studies cannot confirm causal relationships.

What are the advantages of experimental studies

1) ability to manipulate the IV, measure the DP, and control other variables,
2) experiments can allow causal conclusions (if all variables are kept constant).

What are the disadvantages of experimental studies

1) the IV cannot always be manipulated or other variables cannot always be kept constant,
2) to maintain control over the variables, you may end up studying artificial group situations/ad hoc groups (=groups that are just created for the purpose of research),
3) by controlling the group in a certain may (witholding information from participants), it could involve deception, which can be ethically controversial,
4) when studying already-existing groups in the field, it reduces the control you can have over the group (which reduces the strength of the researchers’ conclusion).

What are the advantages of correlational studies?

1) they’re used to describe relationships between variables and how strong they are connected,
2) when coupled with valid measures, correlational studies can clearly describe these relationships without disrupting or manipulating any aspect of the group.

What are the disadvantages of correlational studies?

1) they provide limited information about causality because variables are not manipulated,
2) a third variable could explain the relationship between the two variables,
3) It is often difficult to tell which variable influences the other.

What is the motivational perspective?

A theoretical perspective that looks at people’s motivations and emotions. Motivation are psychological mechanisms that give purpose and direction to behavior, and emotions often accompany these needs and desires.

What is the behavioral perspective?

A theoretical perspective that explains organisms learning new responses to environmental stimuli through conditioning.

What is the social exchange theory?

It’s part of the behavioral perspective, and suggests an economic model of interpersonal relationships where individuals seek out relationships that offer them many rewards and have few costs

Within social exchange theory, when do exchanges create relationships (and strengthen them) among members and their group?

• When rewards are valuable and costs are low,

• When members trust each other to meet long-term obligations,

• When the exchange feels fair, mainly through mutual reciprocity, and

• When members show commitment: stronger attachment, loyalty, and concern for others and the group’s well-being

What is the systems perspective?

A theoretical perspective that assumes groups to be complex, adaptive, dynamic systems of interacting individuals, created for a purpose, with procedures and standards to reach the goal.

What is the input-process-output (I-P-O) model?

A model from the systems perspective for understanding group-level processes, such as group development, productivity, and interpersonal conflict.

What is the cognitive perspective?

A theoretical perspective where group dynamics can become understandable by studying cognitive processes, which are processes that acquire, organize, and integrate information

Within the cognitive perspective, which two effects significantly improve memory according to research?

The self-reference effect and the group-reference effect

What is the biological perspective?

A theoretical perspective that explains group members’ responses through physiological, genetic and neurological characteristics

If a group member is experiencing distress, how will other members respond (physiologically) to that person?

According to the biological perspective, other members will experience changes in heart rate and blood pressure as they respond sympathetically to the other member’s distress

Men who have elevated levels of testosterone tend to seek what position in the group?

According to the biological perspective, these men will seek to gain positions of higher status in the group

What were the reasons that group dynamics were not studied earlier?

• Groups were private affairs, meaning whatever is going on within groups is private matter (incorrect assumption)

• Groups were deemed too complex to study (incorrect assumption)

• Groups seemed to be obvious, so it didn’t need to be studied (incorrect assumption)

• There were methodological disagreements between researchers