Topic 7 slides, group dynamics

Group Dynamics in HCI

Definition of Groups

• Groups: Any collection of people who define themselves as a group, governed by shared attitudes and behaviors.

  • Examples include:

    • Friends in neighborhoods

    • Classmates in schools

    • Colleagues at work

    • Members of online communities

Group Definitions

• Any collection of people who define themselves as a group and whose attitudes and behaviors are governed by the norms of the group.

• Notable definitions include:

  • "What matters is a sense of belonging" [Tajfel, 1981]

  • "A group exists of two or more individuals perceiving themselves as members of the same group" [Brown, 1995]

  • "A group exists if its existence is recognized by at least another person" [Turner, 1981]

• Characteristics of groups:

  • Shared goals

  • Interdependence

  • Interactions

  • Mutual influence

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Self-Actualization: Achieving full potential, including creative activities.

• Esteem Needs: Prestige and accomplishments.

• Belongingness and Love Needs: Intimate relationships and friendships.

• Safety Needs: Security and safety.

• Physiological Needs: Food, water, warmth, rest.

Need to Belong

• According to Baumeister & Leary (1995), the need for bonds aids survival:

  • Keeping children close to caregivers.

  • Mutual protection within groups.

  • Cooperation in hunting and sharing food.

  • Division of labor to allow growing food.

  • Emotional support to get through crisis.

Reasons for Joining Online Groups

• Alleviation of loneliness.

• Attraction of relative anonymity.

• Seeking like-minded people.

• Remote communication possibilities.

• Presenting a 'version' of oneself.

• Formation of multinational groups [various studies cited].

Stages of Group Formation [Tuckman, 1965]

1. Forming: Members introduce themselves; exploration of group's purpose.

2. Storming: Conflict phase; establishment of hierarchy and role definition.

3. Norming: Development of cohesion, trust, shared norms, and emotional investment.

4. Performing: Focus on objectives and insights leading to effective activity.

5. Adjourning: Conclusion of group activities and dealing with loss.

Group Identity

• Social Identity: Self-concept tied to group membership, encompassing its values and emotional significance [Tajfel, 1978].

• Collective Identity: Shared similarities and psychological connection with the social group [Abrams & Hogg, 2001].

Building Membership Attachment [Ren et al., 2012]

• Importance of developing interpersonal bonds and group identity in online communities.

• Affect Generalization: Affection towards one group member can extend to the whole organization.

• Two types of attachment:

  • Bond-based attachment: Focus on individual relationships.

  • Identity-based attachment: Focus on the group as a whole.

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1986)

• Automatic categorization of people on exterior characteristics.

• Ingroup bias towards own members:

  • Give higher rewards.

  • Show more prosocial behavior.

  • Experience more positive affect.

  • Judge products more favorable.

Implicit Bias

• Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures attitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to report.

Media Equation and Computers as Social Actors [Reeves & Nass, 1996]

• We treat computers as social actors, mainly because we cannot fully understand what is happening.

• Effects are stronger with robots, because they act autonomously and simulate emotions.

Group Decision Making: Benefits and Drawbacks

• Benefits:

  • Generate more ideas and solutions.

  • Objective analysis, multiple perspectives.

  • Feeling that a group decision is superior to individual decision

• Drawbacks:

  • Group polarization.

  • Common knowledge effects.

  • Social influence.

  • Groupthink.

Groupthink [Irving Janis, 1982]

• A kind of thinking in which maintaining group cohesiveness and solidarity is more important than considering the facts in a realistic manner.

• Symptoms include:

  • Illusion of invulnerability

  • Illusion of morality

  • Collective rationalization

  • Excessive sterotyping

  • Self-censorship

  • Illusion of unanimity

  • Pressure for conformity

  • Mindguards

Preventing Groupthink

• Encourage critical evaluation and avoid premature leader preferences.

• Utilize subgroups and engage outside opinions.

• Create an environment fostering fresh ideas.

Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) as a Solution

• CMC can alleviate the influence majority has over minorities, encouraging dissenting voices, particularly in individualistic cultures [Tan et al., 1998].