Chapter4

Chapter 4: The Political Psychology of Groups

Learning Objectives

  • Influence of Groups

  • Group Performance

  • Group Decision-Making

  • Conflict of Groups

The Nature of Groups

Definition of a Group

  • Groupness/Social Integration: Moreland (1987)

  • Entitativity: Lickel et al. (2000) - degree of perceived groupness varies (e.g., bank line vs. family groups)

Types of Groups

  • Common Bond Groups: Member similarity and likability

  • Common-Identity Groups: Attachment to group identity

  • Typology: Personal relationships, vocational, political affiliations, stigmatized groups, ethno-religious groups

  • Mechanism: Reflects the need for affiliation

Group Composition

  • Size Effects: Larger groups foster less commitment

  • Diversity:

    • Increased diversity complicates communication (Zenger & Lawrence, 1989)

    • Promotes innovations (McLeod & Lobel, 1992)

  • Examples of Political Groups: Political parties, interest groups

Group Structure

  • Developmental Dynamics: Rapid establishment; slow change

  • Status Effects: High status leads to dominant behaviors, affecting communication

  • Roles: Expectations for behavior, role strain, ambiguity

  • Norms: Behavioral rules that enhance performance

  • Cohesion: Strengthened by time, rewards, and external threats

Group Formation

  • Functional Perspective: Groups meet needs for survival, psychological support, and information

  • Needs Addressed: Affiliation, power, social support, collective productivity

Interpersonal Attraction

  • Attraction based on similarity in attitudes, beliefs, status, appearance

  • Proximity increases relationship formation

  • Preference for reciprocated likability and physical attractiveness

Group Development Stages

  1. Forming: Group orientation and information exchange

  2. Storming: Conflict emerges from disagreements

  3. Norming: Cohesion and unity develop

  4. Performing: Mature functioning, potential dissolution (adjourning)

Influence in Groups

Norms and Conformity

  • Sherif (1936): Conformity through persuasion

  • Asch (1955): Majority influence despite incorrect responses

  • Reasons for Conformity:

    • Normative Social Influence (desire for acceptance)

    • Informational Social Influence (seeking correctness)

Situational Factors in Conformity

  • Larger groups increase conformity

  • Dissenters reduce conformity effects

  • Individuation: Desires to stand out decreases conformity

  • Deindividuation: Collective identity strengthens conformity

Power Dynamics in Groups

  • Definition: Capacity to influence others (French & Raven, 1959)

  • Critical Bases of Power:

    • Reward

    • Coercive

    • Legitimate

    • Referent

    • Expert

Reactions to Power Usage

  • Outcomes include compliance, attraction, conflicts, and motivations (intrinsic vs. extrinsic)

Minority Influence

  • Occurs through consistent opposition and effective argumentation

  • Successful if issues are of lesser personal relevance to the majority

Group Performance

  • Social Facilitation: Improved performance in the presence of others

  • Social Inhibition: Decreased performance with complex tasks

  • Productivity Losses: Due to coordination and motivation losses

  • Enhancing productivity through team development techniques

Group Decision Making Processes

  • Three-stage model: Orientation, Discussion, Decision

  • Social-Decision Schemes: Majority-wins, truth-wins, first-shift rules

  • Impact of Emotions: Anger can diminish effective decision-making

Complex Decision-Making Units

  • Types: Predominant Leader, Single Group, Coalition of Autonomous Actors

  • Challenges: groupthink, new group syndrome, bureaucratic politics

Groupthink Dynamics

  • Signs include pressure to conform, self-censorship, and illusions of unanimity

  • Causes: high cohesion, isolation, directive leadership

New Group Syndrome

  • Context of uncertainty in roles can lead to errors

  • Bureaucratic Politics: Reflects procedural conflicts

Group Polarization

  • Tendency for group discussions to lead to more extreme positions

  • Mechanisms: Persuasive arguments; social comparison; social identity processes

Escalating Commitment

  • Involves sustained investment despite costs; affected by social identity

  • Persistence due to social and emotional factors

Improving Group Decisions

  • Strategies like appointing a devil's advocate, fostering authentic dissent, and multiple advocacy

Conflict in Groups

Social Dilemmas

  • Types: Prisoner’s Dilemma, Collective Traps, Collective Fences

Causes of Conflict

  • Attributions, intergroup communication difficulties, evolutionary psychology factors

Coalitions in Conflict

  • Temporary agreements among adversaries, formed to achieve specific goals

  • Theories: Minimum-resource and minimum-power theories explain coalition dynamics

Conclusions

Key Topics

  • Definition and characteristics of groups

  • Group structure and dynamics

  • Group influence strategies: conformity and power

  • Decision-making challenges and improvements

  • Nature and management of conflict in groups