Chapter 9 - Group Cohesion

Question 1

What is group dynamics?

Answer 1

• gaining knowledge of the nature of groups & their development, & the interrelationships of groups with individuals, other groups, & larger institutions

Question 2

What is assembly effect?

Answer 2

• variations in group behaviour that are a result of the particular combinations of individuals in the group
• individuals contribute differently to a groups outcome depending on the particular assignment of individuals to the group

Question 3

What is the importance of groups?

Answer 3

• Their number
• Their influence on individual behaviour
• Their prevalence in sport
• Fact that they satisfy a fundamental need

Question 4

What are 3 factors of group effectiveness ?

Answer 4

• communication
• decision making
• cohesion

Question 5

What is group communication?

Answer 5

• providing opportunities to socialize to increase comfort levels among players
• arrange the dressing room so that players are close enough to talk to each other easily
• promote cooperation and reduce rivalry by focusing on group goals and de-emphasizing personal goals and objectives.

Question 6

What is group decision making?

Answer 6

• decision made by the group should be better than one made by individuals
• it is generally believed that the group possesses more resources to inform a decision than any one individual member does
• i.e., two heads are better than one

Question 7

What is group cohesion?

Answer 7

• Dynamic process which reflects tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfaction of member affective needs
• the study of cohesion has revealed that enhanced levels of cohesion are associated with key outcomes for both the individual and the team in the sport setting

Question 8

What is majority rule?

Answer 8

• A rule of decision making in groups based on the principles of equal participation and equal power for all members

Question 9

What is groupthink?

Answer 9

• members of a cohesive group so strongly desire a unanimous decision that it overrides their motivation to realistically evaluate other possible options

Question 10

What are fundamentals of a group?

Answer 10

• Is manifested in countless situations
• Influences our thoughts and emotions; affects health if not satisfied
• Is present in all people
• Influences behaviour

Question 11

What are 5 example that are not part of a group?

Answer 11

• A statistical grouping
• Unorganized collections
• Subculture
• Organizations
• Associations

Question 12

What are 5 general types of a group?

Answer 12

• The group defined by COMMON FATE
• The group defined by MUTUAL BENEFIT
• The group defined by SOCIAL STRUCTURE
• The group defined by INTERACTION
• The group defined by SELF CATEGORIZATION

Question 13

What are 4 characteristics of group cohesion?

Answer 13

• Dynamic not static
• Factors that hold groups together are varied and numerous – multidimensional in nature
• Instrumental in nature - all groups form for a reason
• Affective reasons – strong emotional ties among group members

Question 14

What are sociograms?

Answer 14

• diagrams of the relationships among group members

Question 15

What is sociometry?

Answer 15

• a research technique that graphs & mathematically summarizes patterns of inter-member relationships

Question 16

What is the multidimensional construct model of group cohesion?

Answer 16

• broken down into 2 aspects:
• Individual aspects: Beliefs group members hold about personal benefits
• Group aspects: Beliefs members hold about the group as a collective

Question 17

What does individual & group aspects divide into?

Answer 17

• Task cohesion: Orientation towards achieving group’s objectives
• Social cohesion: Orientation towards developing and maintaining social relationships within group

Question 18

How does leadership correlate with group cohesion?

Answer 18

• creates Team Building
• creates Team building activities
• Team building enhances cohesion

Question 19

What is team building?

Answer 19

• Programs promoting increased sense of team unity and cohesiveness, enabling the team to work together more smoothly

Question 20

What are team building activities?

Answer 20

• Players bond during activity and improve ability to work as a team
• For entire season resulted in higher perceptions of cohesion

Question 21

What are 4 cohesion factors in sport groups?

Answer 21

• Individual attraction to the group-task
• Individual attraction to the group-social
• Group integration-task
• Group integration-social

Question 22

What is social support?

Answer 22

• Leader behaviours that are characterized by a concem for the welfare of the individual athletes, the fostering of a positive group atmosphere, and warm relationships with team members

Question 23

What is decision style?

Answer 23

• the degree to which a leader allows participation by subordinates in decision making

Question 24

What is autocratic style?

Answer 24

• a decision style that involves independent decision making & stresses personal authority on part of the leader

Question 25

What is democratic style?

Answer 25

• a decision style that allows participation by team members in joint decision making with the leader

Question 26

What is a transformational leader?

Answer 26

• going beyond one’s own self-interests with the purpose of empowering, inspiring, and giving those being led the confidence to achieve a higher level of functioning

Question 27

What is social loafing?

Answer 27

• the reduction in individual effort when individuals work collectively compared to when they work alone

Question 28

What is collective efficacy?

Answer 28

• a groups shared perception of the group’s capabilities to succeed at a given task

Question 29

What are mediators ?

Answer 29

• mechanisms that account for the effect of one variable on another variable