UNDERSTANDING

GROUP DYNAMICSDONELSON R. FORSYTH

Introduction to Group Dynamics

CHAPTER 1

Lesson objectives

At the end of the chapters, the learners must be able to:

Understand what is a group and what some of the common characteristics of groups.

Identify the different types of groups and appreciate the assumptions that shape the field’s conceptual paradigm of group researchers.

Have an overview on the field of group dynamics and what topics are included in the scientific study of group dynamics.

Be part of a group, get to know each members of the group and participate to each activity of the lesson.

What is a group?

there must be a shared purpose or goal

key role must be played by a mutual dependence

there must be at least two people

they have social connection that is meaningful to them

By definition, a group is 2 or more individuals who are connected by and within social relationships.

Two or more individuals

DYADS = 2 members

TRIADS = 3 members

MOBS, CROWDS, AND CONGREGATIONS = very

large collections of people

GROUP SIZE influences its nature

Who are connected? The members of any given

group are networked together like a series of interconnected computers.

The larger the group, the more ties are needed to join members to each other and to the group.

By and within social relationships Group relationships link each member to one another

and to the group as a whole and define who is in the

group.

GROUP NETWORKING

Have stable but permeable

boundaries—sometimes

unstated but also sometimes

explicitly defined—that

differentiate between those who

are within the group and those

who are outside of the group.

Busy establishing ties with other

individuals

Are online groups real

groups?

Let’s have a debate.

Characteristics of Groups

FEATURE DESCRIPTION

INTERACTION Groups create, organize, and sustain relationship and task interactions among members.

GOALS Groups have instrumental purposes, for they facilitate the

achievement of aims or outcomes sought by the members.

INTERDEPENDENCE Groups members depend on one another, in that each

member influences and is influenced by each other member.

STRUCTURE Groups are organized, with each individual connected to

others in a pattern of relationships, roles, and norms.

UNITY Groups are cohesive social arrangements of individuals that

perceivers, in some cases, consider to be unified wholes.

Describing Groups

Interaction Goals Interdependenc

e

Structure Unity

• Relationship

Interaction• Task

Interaction

• GeneratingType 1: Planning Tasks

Type 2: Creativity Tasks

• ChoosingType 3: Intellective Tasks

Type 4: Decision-making

Tasks

• NegotiatingType 5: Cognitive-conflict

Tasks

Type 6: Mixed-motive Tasks

• ExecutingType 7: Competitive Tasks

Type 8: Performance Tasks

• Mutual,

reciprocal

interdependen

ce

• Unilateral

interdependen

ce

• Reciprocal,

unequal

interdependen

ce

• Sequential

interdependen

ce

• Leader-

follower• Subgroups

• Cohesiveness

• EntitativityInfluenced by:

- Common fate

- Similarity

- Proximity

Types of GroupsTYPE OF GROUP CHARACTERISTICS EXAMPLES

PRIMARY GROUPS Small, long-term groups characterized by

face-to-face interaction and high levels of

cohesiveness, solidarity, and member

identification.

Close friends, families, gangs,

military squads

SOCIAL GROUPS Small groups of moderate duration and

permeability characterized by moderate

levels of interaction among the members over

an extended period of time, often in goal-

focused situations.

Coworkers, crews, expeditions,

fraternities, sports teams, study

groups, task forces

COLLECTIVES Aggregations of individuals that form

spontaneously, last only a brief period of time,

and have very permeable boundaries.

Audiences, bystanders, crowds,

mobs, waiting lines (queues)

CATEGORIES Aggregations of individuals who are similar to

one another in some way, such as gender,

ethnicity, religion, or nationality.

Asian Americans, New Yorkers,

Physicians, U.S. Citizens, women

Nature of Group Dynamics Kurt Lewin

The groups and individuals act and react to

changing circumstances

Dorwin Cartwright and Alvin Zander

Field of inquiry dedicated to advancing knowledge

about the nature of groups, the laws of their development, and their interrelations with

individuals, other groups, and larger institutions.

Thomas Kuhn

These shared beliefs and unstated assumptions give

them a world view—a way of looking at that part of

the world that they find most interesting.

Assumptions About Groups

Groups are real

Groups are more than the sum of their parts

Group Processes are real

Groups are influential

Groups shape society

Groups are living systems

Groups can be studies on several levels

The field of group dynamics is an interdisciplinary one

Multilevel Perspective

MICRO-LEVEL FACTORS

Include the qualities, characteristics, and actions of the individual members.

MESO-LEVEL FACTORS

Are group-level qualities of the group themselves, such as their cohesiveness, their size, their composition, and their structure.

MACRO-LEVEL FACTORS

Are the qualities and processes of the larger collectives that enfold the groups, such as communities, organizations, or societies.

ARE GROUPS GOOD OR BAD?SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Major topics in the field of group dynamicsCHAPTER AND TOPIC ISSUES

FOUNDATIONS

1. Introduction to

Group Dynamics

What are the groups and what are their key features? What do we want to know about

groups and their dynamics? What assumptions guide researchers in their studies of groups

and the processes within groups?

2. Studying Groups How do researchers measure the way groups, and the individuals in those groups, feel, think,

and behave? How do researchers search for and test their hypotheses about groups?

FORMATION AND

DEVELOPMENT

3. Inclusion and

Identity

Do humans, as a species, prefer inclusion to exclusion and group membership to isolation?

What demands does a shift from individuality to collectivity make on people?

4. Formation Who joins groups and who remains apart? When and why do people seek out others? Why

do people deliberately create groups or join existing groups?

5. Cohesion and

Development

What factors promote the increasing solidarity of a group over time? What is cohesion? As

groups become more unified, do they develop a share climate and culture? How do groups

develop over time?

6. Structure What are the norms, and how do they structure interactions in groups? What are roles?

Which roles occur most frequently in groups? How and why do status networks develop in

groups?

Major topics in the field of group dynamicsCHAPTER AND TOPIC ISSUES

INFLUENCE AND

INTERACTION

7. Influence When will people conform to a group’s standards, and when will they remain independent?

How do norms develop, and why do people obey them? Do nonconformists ever succeed in

influencing the rest of the group?

8. Power Why are some members of groups more powerful than others? What types of power tactics are

most effective in influencing others? Does power corrupt? Why do people obey authorities?

9. Leadership What is leadership? If a group without a leader forms, which person will eventually step forward

to become the leader? Should a leader be task focused or relationship focused? Democratic

or autocratic?

WORKING IN GROUPS

10. Group

Performance

Do people perform tasks more effectively in groups or when they are alone? Why do people

sometimes expend so little effort when they are in groups? When does a group outperform an

individual? Are groups creative?

11. Decision-Making What steps do groups take when making decisions? Why do some highly cohesive groups

make disastrous decisions? Why do groups sometimes make riskier decisions than individuals?

12. Teams What is the difference between a group and a team? What types of teams are currently in

use? Does team building improve team work? How can leaders intervene to improve the

performance of their teams?

Major topics in the field of group dynamics

CHAPTER AND TOPIC ISSUES

CONFLICT

13. Conflict in groups What causes disputes between group members? When will a small disagreement escalate

into a conflict? Why do groups sometimes splinter into subgroups? How can disputes in

groups be resolved?

14. Intergroup

relations

What causes disputes between groups? What changes take place as a consequence of

intergroup conflict? What facts exacerbate conflict? How can intergroup conflict be

resolved?

CONTEXTS AND

APPLICATIONS

15. Groups in context What impact does the social and physical setting have on an interacting group? Are groups

territorial? What happens when groups are overcrowded? How do groups cope with severe

environments?

16. Groups and

change

How can groups be used to improve personal adjustment and health? What is the

difference between a therapy group and a support group? Are group approaches to

treatment effective? Why do they work?

17. Crowds and

collective behavior

What types of crowds are common? Why do crowds and collectives form? Do people lose

their sense of self when they join crowds? When is a crowd likely to become unruly?

Activity

The teacher will group you into four or five.

You will ask each members of the group these 3 questions:

1. What are your Top 3 Greatest Fears? Why?

2. What do you want to be when you finish college?

3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

You will be given 10 minutes to get to know each member and

you will be asked about a random member of your group.