Groups and Group Cohesion File

Question 1

Definition of a Group:

Answer 1

A group is two or more people who interact directly, are aware of their interdependence, and work together to achieve a shared goal.

Question 2

Seven Characteristics of a Group (Johnson & Johnson, 2009):

Answer 2

Two or more people who perceive themselves as members.
Direct interaction between members.
Structured interaction through roles and norms.
Members are interdependent.
Members influence each other.
Group members share a common goal.
Membership satisfies a personal need for belonging or achievement.

Question 3

Definition of a Team:

Answer 3

A team is a specific type of group, where members not only work together but also share a common goal and depend on each other’s success for the achievement of that goal.

Question 4

Difference Between a Team and a Group:

Answer 4

Group:A collection of individuals who may or may not work collaboratively or share a common goal
Team:A group that is organized, with defined roles, interdependence, and a clear objective

Question 5

Key Characteristics of a Team:

Answer 5

Common Purpose:All members work toward the same goal.
Interdependence:Team members rely on each other’s performance for success.
Role Differentiation:Each member has a specific role that contributes to the overall objective.
Mutual Accountability:Team members hold each other accountable for the group’s performance.
Cohesion:Team members share a sense of unity and commitment to the team’s goals.

Question 6

Definition of Group Dynamics:

Answer 6

A field of inquiry in social psychology focused on understanding the nature of groups, their development, and their relationships with individuals and larger institutions.
Essentially, group dynamics examines how groups behave internally (among members) and externally (with nonmembers).

Question 7

Why Study Group Dynamics?

Answer 7

Groups are a significant part of our daily lives, influencing us in many ways.
Understanding group dynamics helps us improve group performance and relationships.
Group dynamics are studied across various fields: political science, business, psychology, and more.

Question 8

Group Composition:

Answer 8

The individuals within a group affect how the group behaves and performs.

Question 9

Assembly Effect:

Answer 9

Variations in group behavior occur based on the particular combination of individuals in the group.
The way a group behaves depends on who is in the group.
Rosenberg (1955) found that individuals contributed differently depending on who they were grouped with.

Question 10

Steiner’s Model of Group Effectiveness:

Answer 10

Actual Productivity = Potential Productivity – Process Losses

Question 11

Potential Productivity:

Answer 11

The best possible performance based on group resources.

Question 12

Process Losses

Answer 12

Inefficiencies that reduce performance, such as poor coordination or reduced motivation.

Question 13

Sources of Process Losses:

Answer 13

Faulty Coordination: Difficulty in synchronizing efforts among team members.
Reduced Motivation: Individuals may not put in maximum effort when working in a group.

Question 14

Group Effectiveness:

Answer 14

A group’s effectiveness is determined by the balance between group resources and process losses.

Question 15

Team A vs. Team B Example:

Answer 15

Team A will be more effective than Team B if:
It possesses greater relevant resources and experiences fewer process losses.
It possesses greater relevant resources but experiences approximately equal process losses.
It possesses approximately equal relevant resources but experiences fewer process losses.

Question 16

Four Types of Group Tasks (Steiner, 1972):

Answer 16

Additive Tasks:
Compensatory Tasks:
Disjunctive Tasks:
Conjunctive Tasks:

Question 17

Additive Tasks:

Answer 17

Group performance is the sum of individual efforts (e.g., team relay in swimming).

Question 18

Compensatory Tasks:

Answer 18

Group performance is an average of individual efforts (e.g., scoring in gymnastics).

Question 19

Disjunctive Tasks:

Answer 19

Group performance depends on the strongest member (e.g., a lead cyclist in a cycling race).

Question 20

Conjunctive Tasks:

Answer 20

Group performance depends on the weakest member (e.g., a rowing team).

Question 21

Social loafing, Definition

Answer 21

Social loafing refers to the reduction of individual effort in a group setting compared to when working alone.
Occurs when individual contributions are less identifiable.
More likely in large groups or in tasks where individuals feel their contribution is dispensable.

Question 22

The Ringlemann Effect definition

Answer 22

The Ringelmann Effect refers to the phenomenon where individual effort decreases as group size increases.
Max Ringelmann’s research in the 1880s found that as more people were added to a task (e.g., pulling a rope), the overall effort per person decreased.

Question 23

The Ringlemann Key Findings:

Answer 23

Performance loss is due to bothcoordination losses(difficulty in synchronizing actions) andmotivation losses(individuals feeling less accountable in larger groups).
The larger the group, the more people assume others will pick up the slack, leading to reduced individual effort.
Closely related tosocial loafing, but emphasizes group size as a factor.

Question 24

The Köhler Effect

Answer 24

Occurs when weaker members of a group increase their effort because they feel indispensable.
Most common in conjunctive tasks where group performance depends on the weakest member.

Question 25

Social Compensation

Answer 25

Stronger members work harder to compensate for the weaker ones. Common in disjunctive tasks where one member’s performance can carry the group.

Question 26

Social Facilitation

Answer 26

The tendency for individuals to perform better on simple tasks in the presence of others. Performance can decline on complex tasks due to increased pressure or anxiety. Social facilitation occurs due to heightened arousal caused by the presence of an audience or co-actors. Implications for Team Performance: In sports, athletes may perform better in front of crowds for well-practiced tasks (e.g., shooting free throws). However, complex or unfamiliar tasks may suffer due to the anxiety of performing under pressure.

Question 27

Group Think

Answer 27

A mode of thinking that people engage in when the members of a cohesive group so strongly desire a unanimous decision that this overrides their motivation to realistically evaluate other possible options.

Question 28

Definition of Deindividuation

Answer 28

Deindividuation is the psychological state where individuals lose self-awareness and accountability, often leading to behavior that is inconsistent with their personal norms.

Question 29

Causes of Deindividuation:

Answer 29

Anonymity: Being in a large group or an anonymous setting reduces individual accountability. Arousal: High emotional intensity in groups can lead to impulsive actions. Group Size: The larger the group, the less likely individuals are to feel personally responsible for their actions.

Question 30

Consequences of Deindividuation:

Answer 30

Increased likelihood of antisocial or aggressive behaviors. Individuals may behave in ways they wouldn’t normally, such as engaging in risky or unethical actions. Positive or negative behaviors can be amplified depending on group norms.

Question 31

Examples of Deindividuation in Sports:

Answer 31

Crowd Behavior at Sporting Events: Fans may engage in aggressive or reckless actions (e.g., rioting or vandalism) during high-stakes games due to anonymity and emotional arousal. Team Deindividuation: Athletes in team sports might feel less responsible for mistakes, attributing failures to the group rather than individual performance. Examples in Society: Online Anonymity: People often behave differently online due to the anonymity of the internet, leading to trolling or cyberbullying. Protests or Public Gatherings: Peaceful protests can sometimes escalate into violent events as individuals become part of a faceless crowd and lose a sense of personal responsibility.

Question 32

Definition of the Collective Effort Model (CEM):

Answer 32

Expectancy-Value Theory: Individuals are motivated to contribute if they believe their effort will lead to better group performance. Social Impact Theory: Individual effort is influenced by the size and importance of the group. The larger the group, the less impact one feels their effort has. Equity Theory: Individuals compare their contributions and rewards with others in the group and adjust their effort accordingly.

Question 33

Implications of the CEM:

Answer 33

Motivation to exert effort is higher when group members perceive that their effort is both necessary and instrumental to the group’s success. Social loafing occurs when individuals believe their effort won’t be noticed or won’t make a significant difference.

Question 34

Social Identity Definition:

Answer 34

Social identity is part of an individual’s self-concept that is derived from their membership in a social group and the emotional value attached to that membership (Tajfel & Turner, 1979).

Question 35

Social Identity Theory (SIT):

Answer 35

Explains that individuals define themselves not only through personal traits but also through group memberships (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). People seek a positive self-concept through comparison between their group (ingroup) and others (outgroup). Ingroup is often attributed with positive characteristics, while outgroups are viewed less favorably.

Question 36

Impact on Team Dynamics:

Answer 36

Social identity influences team behavior, cohesion, and performance. Team members who strongly identify with their team show greater commitment and willingness to perform (Fielding & Hogg, 2000).

Question 37

Cognitive Identification:

Answer 37

Involves the perception of team identity and comparing it to one’s personal identity

Question 38

Affective Identification:

Answer 38

Describes the emotional connection to the team and fellow members.

Question 39

Evaluative Identification:

Answer 39

Refers to the importance of being part of a particular team, contributing to the individual’s sense of self-worth.

Question 40

Definition of Group Cohesion:

Answer 40

Cohesion refers to the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in pursuit of its objectives and member satisfaction. Cohesion can be broken into two dimensions: Task cohesion: The commitment of group members to achieve a specific goal. Social cohesion: The strength of personal relationships within the group.

Question 41

Multidimensional Nature of Cohesion (Carron et al., 1985):

Answer 41

Group cohesion is instrumental (goal-focused). Group cohesion is dynamic, changing based on group circumstances. Group cohesion includes emotional elements, where members enjoy spending time together.

Question 42

Four-Dimensional Concept of Group Cohesion:

Answer 42

ATG-T (Attraction to the Group-Task): Individual’s motivation to achieve group goals. ATG-S (Attraction to the Group-Social): Individual’s personal connection to the group socially. GI-T (Group Integration-Task): How well the group functions together toward tasks. GI-S (Group Integration-Social): How integrated the group is on a social level.

Question 43

Definition of Collective Efficacy:

Answer 43

A group’s shared belief in its capability to organize and execute actions required to achieve team goals (Bandura, 1997). Higher collective efficacy leads to greater persistence and effort, even in difficult conditions.

Question 44

Impact of Collective Efficacy:

Answer 44

Teams with high collective efficacy choose more challenging goals, work harder, and are more resilient. Collective efficacy can often predict team success better than individual member strength (Fransen et al., 2012).