group dynamics final exam definitions 1, 3- 6

Chapter one

group

Two or more individuals who are connected by and within social relationships

Primary groups (varieties of groups)

A small long - term group characterized by frequent interaction, solidarity, and high levels of interdependence among members that substantially influences the attitudes, values, and social outcomes of its members

Social groups (varieties of groups)

A relatively small number of individuals who interact with one another over an extended period of time, such as work groups, clubs, and congregations

Collective (varieties of groups)

A relatively large aggregation or group of individuals who display similarities in actions and outlook. A street crowd, a line of people( a queue) and a panicked a group escaping a fire are examples of collectives, as are more widely dispersed groups( listeners who respond similarly to a public service announcement)

Social capital (varieties of groups)

The degrees to which individuals, groups, or larger aggregates of people are linked in social relationships that yield positive, productive benefits; analogous to economic capital( fiscal prosperity) but determined by extensiveness of social connectedness

Social category (varieties of groups)

A perceptual grouping of people who are assumed to be similar to one another in some ways but different in one or more ways, such as all women, the elderly college students, or all the citizens of a specific country

Social identity (varieties of groups)

An individual sense of self derived from relationships and memberships in groups;also, throw aspects of the self that are assumed to be common to most or all of the members of the same group or social category

Composition (characteristics of groups)

The individuals who constitute a group

Social networks (characteristics of groups)

A set of interpersonally interconnected individuals or groups

Task interaction (characteristics of groups)

The conjointly adjusted actions of group members that pertain to the group projects task and goals

Relationship interaction (characteristics of groups)

(Societal interaction( the conjoint adjusted actions of group members that relate to or influence the nature and strength of the emotional and interpersonal bonds within the group including both sustaining( social support, consideration) and interning actions( criticism, conflict)

Interdependence. (characteristics of groups)

Mutual dependence as when one’s outcomes actions thoughts feelings and experience are influenced to some degree by other people

Group structure. (characteristics of groups)

The organization of a group including the members their interrelations and their interactions

Roles. (characteristics of groups)

A socially shared set of behaviors characters and responsibilities expected of people who occupy a particular position or type of positions within a group by enacting roles, individuals establish regular patterns of exchange with one another that increase predictability and social coordination

Norms. (characteristics of groups)

A consensual and often implicit standard that describes what behaviors should and should not be performed in given context

Group cohesion. (characteristics of groups)

The solidarity or unity of a forum resulting from the development of strong and mutual interpersonal bonds among members and group level forces that unify the group such as shared commitment to group goals and esport de corps

Entitativity. (characteristics of groups)

The apparent cohesiveness or until of an assemblage of individuals; the quality of being a single entity rather than a set of independent, unrelated individuals

Thomas theorem. (characteristics of groups)

The theoretical premise put forward by W.1 Thomas, which maintains that people conception of a social situation, even if incorrect, will determine their reactions in the situation; “if men define situations as real they are real in their consequences”

Essentialism. (characteristics of groups)

The belief that all things including individual and groups have a basic nature that makes them what they are and distinguishes them from others things a things essence is usually inferred rather than directly observed and is generally assumed to be relatively unchanging

Chapter 3

Need to belong

The generalized desire to seek out and join with other people, which, when unsatisfied, causes a state of tension and want

Loneliness

Cognitive and affective malaise which can include sadness, dejection, self-deprecation, and boredom, experienced when one’s personal relationships are perceived to be too few or too unsatisfying

Degrees of separation

In social network analysis the number of steps or relationships needed to link one person in the network to another specific person in the network

Fight or flight response

A physiological and psychological response to stressful events characterized by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system( increased heart rate, pupils dilation) that readies the individual to counter the threat (fight) or to escape the threat(flight)

Tend and befriend response

A physiological, psychological and interpersonal response to stressful events characterized by increase nurturing, protective and supportive behaviors (tending), and initiating and strengthening relationship with other people (befriending)

Cyberostracism

Excluding one or more individuals from a technologically mediated group interaction, such as a computer-based discussion group by reducing or eliminating communication with the person

Individualism

A tradition, ideology or personal outlook, that emphasizes the primacy of the individual and his or her rights independence and relationships with other individuals

Collectivism

A tradition ideology or personal orientation that emphasizes the primacy of the group or community rather than each individual person

Exchange relationships

A reciprocal interdependency that emphasizes the trading of gratifying experiences and rewards among members

Communal relationships

A reciprocal interdependency that emphasizes meeting the needs and interests of others rather than maximizing one’s own personal outcomes

Norm of reciprocity

A social standard that enjoins individuals to pay back in kind what they receive from others

Group culture

The distinct ways that meme bars of a group represent their experiences, including consensually accepted knowledge, beliefs, rituals, customs. Rules, language, norms, and practices

Ultimatum game

An experimental bargaining situation in which one individual, the allocator, must propose a division of a shared resource to other members, if they reject the allocator’s proposal, no one receives any of the resource

Equity norm

A social standard that encourages distributing rewards and resources to members in proportion to their inputs

Equality norm

A social standard that encourages distributing rewards and resources equally among all members

Personal identity

accepting socially shared generalizations about the prototypical characteristics attributed to members of one’s group as accurate descriptions of oneself

Individualists

Individuals predisposed to put their own personal interests and motivations above the groups’a interest and goals

Collectivists

Individuals predisposed to put their own group interests and goals above their personal interests and motivations

Optimal distinctiveness theory

A conceptual analysis that assumes individuals strive to maintain a balance between three basic needs: the need to be assimilated by the group, the need to be connected to friends and loved ones, and the need for autonomy and differentiation (proposed by Marilyn brewer)

Social identity theory

A conceptual analysis of self evaluation processes that theorizes self esteem functions to psychologically monitor of one’s degree of inclusion and exclusion in social groups

Minimal the inter group situation

A research procedure used in studies of inter group conflict that involves creating temporary groups of anonymous, unrelated people ( developed by Henri Rangel and John turner)

Social categorization

Restricting comparison between the ingroup and other groups to tasks and outcomes when the ingroup is more successful than other groups and avoiding areas in which other groups surpass the ingroup

Stereotypes

A. Socially shared set of cognitive generalizations( beliefs and expectations)

Social identification

Accepting the group as an extensions of the self and therefore basing one’s self definition on the group qualities and characteristics

Collective self esteem

Individuals overall assessment of that portion of their self concept that is based on their relationships with others and membership in social groups

Bask in reflected glory or( BIRG)

Seeking direct or indirect association with prestigious or successful groups or individuals

Cutting off reflected failure( CORFing)

Distancing oneself from a group that performs poorly

Ingroup our group bias

The tendency to brow the ingroup its members and its products more positively than other groups their members and their products. Ingroup favoritism is more common than the out group rejection

Stereotype threat

The anxiety provoking belief that others perceptions and evaluations will be influenced by their negative stereotypes about one’s group that can, in some cases, interfer with one’s ability to perform up to one’s capabilities

Individual mobility

Reducing one’s connection to a group in order to minimize the threat to individual self-esteem

Chapter 4

Personality

The configuration of distinctive but enduring dispositions characteristics, including traits, temperament, and values, that characterize an individual’s responses across situations

Five factor model

A conceptual model of the primary dimensions that structure individual differences in personality. The five dimensions are extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience. Different theorists sometimes use different labels

Extraversion

In personality trait theories, the degree to which an individual tends to seek out social contacts, including such related qualities as outgoing, enthusiastic, energetic, and assertive. Introverts are oriented primarily toward inner perceptions and judgements of concepts and ideas, whereas extroverts are oriented primarily toward social experiences

Shyness

The tendency to be reserved or timid during social interactions, usually coupled with feelings of disconnect and nervousness

Social anxiety

A feeling of apprehension and embarrassment experienced when anticipating or actually interacting with other people

Experience sampling

A research method that asks participants to record their thoughts, emotions, or behavior, at the time they are experiencing them rather than at a later time or date; in some cases, participants make their entires when they are signaled by research’s using electronic pagers, personal data assistants (PDA) or similar devices

Social anxiety disorder

A persistent and pervasive pattern of overwhelming anxiety and self consciousness experienced when anticipating or actually interacting with other people

Attachment style

One’s characteristics approach to relationships with other people; the basic styles include secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing, as defined by the dimensions of anxiety and avoidance

Need for affiliation

A motivating state of tension that can be relieved by joining with other people, which frequently includes concerns about winning the approval of other people

Need for intimacy

A motivating state of tension that can be relived by seeking out warm, positive relationships with others

Need for power

A motivating state of tension that can be relieved by having control over other people and one’s environment

Fundamental interpersonal relations orientation

A theory of group formation and development that emphasizes compatibility among three basic social motives; inclusion, control, and affection( developed by William Schutz)

Relationally

The degree to which one’s values, attitudes and outlooks emphasize and facilitate establishing and maintaining connections to others

Social movement

A deliberate sustained and organized group of individuals seeking change or resisting a change in a social systems. Movements are sustained by individuals who may share a common outlook on issues or by members of identifiable social groups or categories but not by business political organizations or governments

Affiliation

The gathering together of individuals (typical members of the same species) in one location; also a formalized relationship, as when an individual is said to be affiliated with a group or organization

Social comparison

The process of contrasting one’s personal qualities and outcomes, including beliefs, attitudes, values, abilities, accomplishment, and experiences to those of other people

Self evaluation maintenance(SEM) model

A theoretical analysis of social comparison process that assumes that individuals maintain and enhance their self esteem by associating with high achieving individuals who excel in areas that are not relevant to the individual’s own sense of self esteem and avoiding association with high achieving individuals who excel in areas that ar importance to the individuals sense of self esteem( developed by Abraham tesser)

Social comparison orientation

The dispositional tendency to compare oneself to others

Proximity principle

The tendency for individuals to form interpersonal relations which there who are close by also know as the principle of propinquity

Elaboration principle

The tendency for good to expand in size as no miners become linked to a group member and thus become part of the group itself this process is termed percolation in network theory

Similarity principle

The tendency for individuals to seek out affiliate with or be attracted to an individual who is similar to them in some way this tendency causes groups and other interpersonal aggregates to be homogenous rather then diverse

Homophily

“Loved of the same” the tendency for the members of groups and other collectives to be similar to one another in some way such as demographic background attitudes and values generally expressed informally as birds of a feather flock together

Complementarity principle

A tendency for opposites to attract when the ways I. Which people are dissimilar are congruent ( complementary) in some way

Interchange compatibility

Compatibility between group members based on their similar needs inclusion control and affection; defined by William Schultz)

Originator compatibility

Compatibility between group members that occurs when individuals who wish to express inclusion, control, or affection within the group are matched with individuals who wish to receive inclusion, control or affection from others (defined by William schutz)

Reciprocity principle

The tendency for liking to be met with liking in return when A likes B, then B will tend to like A

Minimax principle

A general preference for relationships and members that provide the maximum number of clauses rewards and incur the fewest of possible costs

Comparison level for alternatives ( CL alt)

In social exchange theory the standard by which individuals evaluate the quality of Rosie groups that they may join ( described by John thibaut and Harold Kelly)

Chapter 5

Social cohesion

The attraction of members to one another and to the group as a whole

Task cohesion

A shared commitment among members to achieve a goal and the resulting capacity to perform successfully as a coordinated unit

Collective efficacy

The belief shared among a substantial portion of the group members that the group is capable of organizing and executing the actions required to attain the group’s goals and successfully complete its tasks

Group potency

The level of the groups’ shared optimism regarding its collective capabilities

Collective cohesion

The degree to which the group unites its members as indicated by the perceived solidarity of the group (entitativity ) and members identification with the group

Identity fusion theory

A conceptual analysis that explains the extreme self sacrifice( such as heroism in the face

Emotional cohesion

The emotional intensity of the group and individuals when in the group

Relation cohesion theory

A conceptual analysis of chess in that assumes members of groups decelop

Structural cohesion

The unity of a group that derives from the group’s structural in

Five stage model of group development

A theoretical analysis of the regularities groups exhibit as they change over time that identifies five stages: orientation(forming), conflict(storming), structure(norming), performance(performing) and dissolution(adjourning) ( identified and labeled by Bruce tuckman)

Equilibrium model

A conceptual analysis of group development that assumes the flux of a goer’s shifts back and forth between the group’s tasks and the interpersonal relationships among group members (proposed by Robert bales)

Punctuated equilibrium models

A group development theory that assumes groups change gradually over time but that the periods of slow growth are punctuated by brief periods of relatively rapid change

Old sergeant syndrome

Symptoms of psychological disturbance, including depression, anxiety, and guilt, exhibited by noncommissioned officers in cohesive units that suffer heavy casualties. Strongly loyal to their unit and its members these leaders feel so responsible for their units losses that they withdraw psychologically from the group

Cognitive dissonance

An adverse psychical state that occurs when an individual simultaneously holds two conflicting cognitions

Hazing

An imitation into a group that subjects the new member to mental or physical discomfort harassment, embarrassment, ridicule, or humiliation

Chapter 6

Prescriptive norms

A consensual standard that identifies preferable, positively sanctioned behaviors

Proscriptive norms

A consensual standard that identifies prohibited negatively sanctioned behaviors

Descriptive norms

A consensual standard that describes how people typically act, feel, and think in a given situation

Injunctive norms

An evaluative consensual standard that describes how people should act feel and think in a given situation rather than how people do act feel and think in that situation

Social tuning

The tendency for individuals actions and evaluations to become more similar to ur actions and assumed evaluations of those around them

role differentiation

An increase in the number of roles in a group accompanied by a gradual decrease in the scope of these roles as each one becomes more narrowly defined and specialized

Task role

Any position in a group occupied by a man and who performs behaviors that center on task and activities such as initiating structure provoked task related feed back and setting goals

Relationship role

Any position in a group occupied by a member who performs behaviors that improve the nature and quality of interpersonal relation among members such as showing concern for the feelings of toners reducing conflict and enhancing feelings of satisfaction and trust in the group