lecture 3/4: group dynamics Flashcards
(19 cards)
Defining Group Dynamics
- (Keith Davis, 1982) The social process by which people interact face to face in small groups
- (Toseland et al, 2004) patterns of interaction and relationships that emerge among individuals within a group. It involves understanding how individual behavior, attitudes, and emotions are influenced by the group’s structure, processes, and context.
Role of group worker
- help groups develop dynamics that promote the satisfaction of members’ socio emotional needs while facilitating the accomplishment of group tasks” (Toseland & Rivas, 2012)
4 + 1 Dimensions
Communication & interaction patterns
Cohesion
Social integration and influence
Group culture
Psychological Space (Not in literature)
Communication as a process: What consists of this?
- Verbal and non-verbal
- Awareness of the meanings behind messages and their effects on (1) a particular group member and (2)on the group as a whole
- Members need to receive appropriate feedback
o (1) describe the content of the communication or the behaviour as it is perceived by the group members
o (2) feedback is to be given to the member who sent the message as soon as the message is received
o (3) feedback to be given in a tentative manner
Interaction Patterns (Group-centered vs Leader centered)
- In most situations, workers should strive to facilitate the development of group-centered rather than leader-centered interactional patternsGroup-centered patterns:
Definition - Open communication patterns between group members
Example 1- Round robin: members take turns
Example 2- Free floating: all members take responsibility for communicationLeader-centered patterns:
Definition- Communication is directed from members to the worker or from the worker to group members, thereby reducing members’ opportunities to communicate freely to each other
Example 1- Maypole: leader to member & member to leader
Example 2- Hot seat: extended back & forth exchange between leader and a member
3 components of cohesion
o Member-to-member attraction and a liking for the group as a whole (Social cohesion) – this builds up more easily if there’s social interaction e.g. dinner together
o A sense of unity and community so that the group is seen as a single entity
o A sense of teamwork and espirit de corps with the group successfully performing as a coordinated unit (Task cohesion)
Principles for Practice to achieve cohesion (Toseland & Rivas, 2017)
o high level of open interaction promotes cohesion
o needs of the members are met (what made you join this group?)
o achieving group goals makes group more attractive
o cooperate rather than compete
o intergroup competition help strengthen group identity
o group size facilitates involvement
o rewards, resources, status or prestige are attractive
o group pride facilitates cohesion
dangers of excessive cohesion
o Too much conformity and fear of breaking norms
o Thoughts or ideas are accepted without questioning or exploring
o Too much focus on group’s needs/interest excluding consideration of others
o Underlying: Group think – a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group members strive for unanimity/harmony override their motivation to appraise alternative views resistance to change
what consists of Social integration and influence
- Integration – how members fit together and are accepted in a group – related to sense of belonging
- Prerequisites for the formation and maintenance of a cohesive group: Social order and stability
- Norms, Roles and Status
o Promote integration by influencing how members behave in relation to each other
o Achieve a balance to satisfy members’ socio-emotional needs while simultaneously promoting effective and efficient group functioning
what are norms?
- They are shared expectations and beliefs about appropriate ways to act in a social situation
o Can increase sense of predictability in the group - Can be explicit or implicit
- In groups, norms can develop over time or be present if group members belong to other groups together e.g. children from the same school, class, family, neighbourhood
- Norms affect behaviour in groups
o Norms are not overtly decided – if they are they become rules or regulations
Rules and regulations are “codified” norms - Norms could be about
o Clothing and hairstyle
o Ways of relating to peers, particular authority figures or types of adults
o Ways of handling children
how can norms be achieved? (practical applications)
Facilitators can:
o Discuss rules with group members at the start of the group
setting out rules (minimum) from the agency and worker
* phrased as “group agreement” (because the notion that rules are fixed is ingrained in people’s minds & notion that this is shared and there is ownership - increase sense of predictability as well)
asking group members what rules they want for the group, with suggestions, e.g. listening to each other
o These can be reviewed and restated regularly for members to internalise them as norms
o The facilitator can also challenge existing norms in the group that are anti-social and/or unhelpful for the members.
what are roles?
- Roles define behaviour in relation to a specific function or a task that the group member is expected to perform
types of roles
o Task oriented roles – relating to the completion of the group’s task
o Maintenance or socially oriented roles – focus on maintaining the social structure of the group
o Individualistic or hindering roles – which place the needs of the member above those of the group
list of task-oriented roles
Task oriented roles – relating to the completion of the group’s task
- Initiator: Contributes new ideas
- Information and opinion seeker: Asks for info about the task and input from members
- Contributor: Gives info and own opinions
*Clarifier/elaborator: Explains, gives examples - Summariser: Reminds group and keeps it on track
- Energiser: Stimulates group to effort
*Recorder: Keeps a record of decisions, actions, progress
list of maintenance/social roles
Maintenance/Social Roles - focus on maintaining the social structure of the group
- Encourager: Praises the ideas of others
- Harmoniser: Mediates differences between others
- Compromiser: Helps group find agreement
- Gatekeeper: Keeps communication channels open
- Standard setter: Checking on satisfaction with and reminding of procedures and norms
- Follower: Accepts and works with group decisions
*Observer: Notes process and gives feedback
list of individualistic or hindering roles
Individualistic or hindering roles – which place the needs of the member above those of the group
Dominator: Asserts superiority of views and interrupts others
Aggressor: Attacks others verbally
degrader
Attention seeker: Calls attention to self all the time
Withdrawer: Not talking or joining in activities
Blocker/ Uncooperative: Disagrees with/ opposes ideas, resists group progress
Self-confessor: Wants to reveal unrelated feelings and issues
Distracter: Draws others into side conversations, activities
what is status and how is it determined & what function does it serve?
- Status refers to an evaluation and ranking of each member’s position in the group relative to all other members
- A person’s status within a group is partially determined by
o his or her prestige
o position
o recognised expertise outside the group - Status serves a social integration function (hierarchy)
- e.g. low status members have the potential to be disruptive of productive group processes
o when hierarchy is too rigid and low status members feel undervalued less engagement
what is group culture?
- Personality of a group
- Group culture refers to values, beliefs, customs and traditions held in common by group members. shapes behaviours
- Group culture can be viewed at 3 levels:
o Symbols and rituals display the culture of the group
o The way members interact with each other
o Core beliefs, ideologies, and values held in common by members - The culture that a group develops has a powerful influence on its ability to achieve its goals while satisfying members’ socio-emotional needs.
o Could be negative/positive/competitive/tense etc
what is psychological space; how can you ensure psychological space
- Sense of safety; acceptance; freedom to express themselves freely
- Environmental factors
o Physical distance between people; Arrangement of chairs in the room
e.g. fixed physical objects that create a sense of safety/blockage
o Temperature of the room
o Stress levels in the room
