Small group communication chapters 4-6

Get aquainted with you group members

• share expertise

• share personal information

• share patiently

• share virtual

goals of the group

• generate ideas, information, or options

• making a choice

• putting an idea into action

Agenda

a thoughtfully prepared list of issues topics tasks and questions the group will discuss of accomplish

social loafing

members who may not follow through on assignments don’t actively contribute, or don’t attend meeting

free riding

when an individual does not bear a proportional amount of the work and yet shares the bebenifits of the group

team performance requires:

• explicit ground rules

• make members accountable

• make the issue a group concern

roles:

sets of expectations; originate from sources

self-concept

your idea of picture of yourself

task roles

roles that members assume to help accomplish the groups mission

maintenance (social) roles

roles that influence groups social atmosphere

individual roles

roles characterized by behavior that calls attention to the individual contributions of group members

Emergent team roles

5 emergent roles:

• the solution seeker

• the problem analyst

• the procedural facilitator

• the complainer

• the indifferent

norms

rules or standards that determine appropriate and inappropriate behavior in group (evolve from general to operational)ground

how do norms develop?

structuration:

groups become structured based on the ways things were done in other groups

ground rules

explicit, agreed-on prescriptions for acceptable and appropriate behavior

charge

the purpose of team, group, or committee

status

an individual’s importance

power

the ability to influence or exert control over others

five power bases

• legitimate power

• referent power

• expert power

• reward power

• coercive power

trust

the extent to which a person is confident in, and willing to act on the basis of, the words, actions and decisions of another

group climate

the emotional environment of a group which affects and is affected by interaction among members (member communication= primary determinant of group climate)

evaluation vs. description

evaluation = “you” statements

description = “I” statements

control vs. problem orientation

control= makes group members defensive

problem orientation= benefits all concerned

strategy vs. spontaneity

strategy= staged, scripted communication

spontaneous = no hidden agenda with a more supportive enviroment

neutrality vs. empathy

neutrality= implies “I don’t care about you”

empathy= active listening and concern shown

superiority vs. equality

superiority= is seen as obnoxious

equality= implies mutual trust and respect

certainty vs provisionalism

certainty= people with all the answers put other on the defense (counterproductive)

provisionalism= those who appear flexible and committed to solving problems are more efficient)

interpersonal confirmation vs disconfirmation

confirming responses= a communication response that causes a person to value him/herself more

disconfirming responses= a response that causes another person to value him/herself less

group cohesiveness

the degree of attraction members feel toward one another and toward a group

communicati

on network the pattern of interaction within a group or who talks to whom