Chp 18: Small Group Communication

Chp 18: Small Group Communication

BOOK: pgs. 271-287

PDF: pgs. 281-297

What you need to Know

• A small group consists of how many people? 3 or more people
• What is the magic number of people to work well together in a small group?
• 5 stages of group development (which stage is where most of the work is done?); Challenges of working groups: group think, group hate, social loafing, domination, irresponsibility)
• Benefits of working in groups
• Positive traits for working in groups (dialogue in groups at end of chapter)

Group Development

Tuckman’s (1965) 5-Stage Model of Group Development: a five-stage theory of group development proposed by Bruce Tuckman consisting of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning; Tuckman suggests not all groups will move through each stage depending on their tasks or goals

• Forming
  • Team acquaints and establishes ground rules.
  • Formalities are preserved and members are treated as strangers.
• Storming
  • Members start to communicate their feelings but still view themselves as individuals rather than part of the team.
  • They resist control by group leaders and show hostility.
• Norming
  • People feel part of the team and realize that they can achieve work if they accept other viewpoints.
• Performing (where most of the work is done)
  • The team works in an open and trusting atmosphere where flexibility is the key and hierarchy is of little importance.
• Adjourning
  • The team conducts an assessment of the year and implements a plan for transitioning roles and recognizing members’ contributions.

Challenges of Group Work

• Groupthink - Avoid this
• Grouphate - when people have strong negative feelings about the prospect of working in a group
• Social loafing and a reduction in effort
• Nonparticipation
• Domination
• Irresponsible members

Key Terms

1. Fantasies - creative interpretations of shared events that help define a group’s identity
2. Symbolic convergence - occurs when groups create a unique meaning for a term, experience, or event in the group’s life that serves to further strengthen the bond between group members
3. Task roles - related to accomplishing work together as a group
4. Maintenance roles - related to the development and maintenance of the relationships within the group
5. Groupthink - the willful seeking of unanimity despite individuals who harbor doubts
6. Social loafing - “a reduction in motivation and effort when individuals work collectively compared to when they work individually”

Rewards of Group Work

• Efficiency
• Opportunity to learn from others - get ideas from one another
• Pool of a variety of resources
• Exposure to diverse people

Dialogue in Groups

1. Allow for non-task talk (phatic communication to get to know one another)
2. Paraphrase contributions to ensure understanding
3. Exercise in turn-taking
4. Take good notes
5. Be flexible
6. Engage in constructive conflict
7. Focus on the goal (not what others are or are not doing)

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