Chapter 1 Flashcards
how is our personal identity derived
through the way we are perceived and treated by other members of our groups
3 reasons groups are important
we are small group beings
we live in groups
groups add to quality of life
4 types of groups
pseudo
traditional
effective
high preformance
5 stages of group development?
forming, norming, storming, performing, adjourning
figure 1.1 review
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WHAT ARE GROUP dynamics
the area of social science that focuses on advancing group life. It is the scientific study of the nature of groups, behavior in groups, group development, and the interrelations between groups and individuals, other groups, and larger entities
I suggest different ways of making decisions (such as majority vote or consensus) depending on the … what 3 things
(a) availability of time and resources, (b) size and seriousness of the decision, and (c) amount of member commitment needed to implement the decision.
how does goals define a group
a number of people joined together to achieve a goal
how does interdependence define the group
a collection of people that are interdependent in some way. not a group unless a event that effects one of them effects them all
what is interdepeendance definition of group
people who share a common fate in the sense that an event which affects one member is likely to affect all.
how does interpersonal interaction define group
a number of people who are interacting with one another
how does perceptions of membership define group
two or more persons who perceive themselves as belonging to a group: have a collective perception of their unity and who have the ability to act and/or are acting in a unitary manner toward their environment.
how does structured relationships define a group
a collection of individuals whose interactions are structured by a set of roles and norms.
A social-psychological group is an organized system of two or more individuals who are interrelated so that the system performs some function, has a standard set of role relationships among its members, and has a set of norms that regulate the function of the group and each of its members.” what kind of def?
structured relationship definition
“A group is a social unit which consists of a number of individuals who stand in (more or less) definite status and role relationships to one another and which possesses a set of values or norms of its own regulating the behavior of individual members, at least in matters of consequence to the group.
structured group
how does mutual influence define?
collection of people who influence one another
how does motivation define?
A group may be defined as a collection of individuals who are trying to satisfy some personal need through their joint association
“It is questionable that a group could exist unless its members’ needs are satisfied by their membership
motivation
what are the 7 definitions of group
motivation, perception, influence, goal, structured, interaction, interdependence
number of persons or things regarded as forming a unit on account of any kind of mutual or common relation or classified together on account of a common degree of similarity.”
Oxford
what is a small group
2 plus people in face 2 face interaction, each aware of their positive interdependence as they strive to achieve mutual goals, each aware of his or her membership in the group, and each aware of the others who belong to the group
groups are contrasted with…
aggregates
define aggregate
is a collection of individuals who are present at the same time and place but who do not form a unit or have a common degree of similarity
e.g. of aggregates?
Individuals standing on a street corner, the members of an audience at a play, and students listening to a lecture are aggregates
can you have groups without interaction?
yes those are large groups
how does the group orientation vs the individual orientation perspective of group differ (short answer def in textbook page 9
They believe that when people come together as a group, they form a new social entity with its own rules, attitudes, beliefs, and practices.
I: groups do not think, feel, or act—only people do without individuals groups do not exist
T: a group mind or collective consciousness dominated an individual’s will in many situations
group orientation
T: groups are no more than (a) shared sets of values, ideas, thoughts, and habits that exist simultaneously in the minds of several persons or (b) the sum of the actions of each member taken separately
individual orientation
… characterized by face-to-face interaction, interdependence, and strong group identification such as families and very close friends) are the building blocks of society
small primary groups (small groups
do we need groups
Each of these living conditions depends on cooperative efforts of group work for its success. In fact, our ability to function effectively in groups may be the reason humans exist today. This ability certainly played a large role in the manner humans developed.
how did humans overtake the neanderthals
It may have mainly been a matter of attrition and population pressure. met up in Europe. we flourished they vanished 30 000 years ago
how did neanderthals hunt
direct combat (only used stone as tools)
the …is the toughest institution humans have
family however the structure of the family keeps changing
what makes businesses viable today
their ability to work in small groups and produce results
knowledge of group dynamics is central to… 5
edu, family, effective businesses, psychological health,
how does it influence edu
cooperative learning = higher achievement and psycho health
are young people today suffering?
are experiencing much more depression, feeling hopeless, giving up, being passive, having low self-esteem, and committing suicide
how can groups help depression?
GROUP THERAPY is better treatment. Networks of friends and family, group activities, and other types of productive group interaction can help people feel more connected to the world around them, making them less depressed and anxious
When it comes to group functioning, knowledge does give power. is this enough for success
social skills also required
The nature of group structure
The relationship between group structure and group productivity
How the dynamics of the group determine its effectiveness
The ways groups develop over time
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what basic features characterize all groups 6
a purpose that defines the territory of the group and binds the members together, a definable pattern of communication among members, different members performing different functions that fit into an overall division of labor, procedures for managing conflicts, expectations concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior by group members, and the adaptation of the group to the organization, society, and culture within which it is based.
when does a group structure develop
whenever two or more individuals join together to achieve a goal, a group structure develops
Two aspects of group interaction are especially important to understanding how a group is structured
differentiated roles and integrating norms
what are Roles
Expectations defining the appropriate behavior of an occupant of a position toward other related positions
what are norms
Common beliefs regarding group members’ appropriate behavior, attitudes, and perceptions; rules, implicit or explicit, that regulate the behavior of group members
e.g. of roles
President, vice president, secretary; summarizer, recorder
e.g. of norms
Promptness, courtesy, reciprocity, responsibility
…. differentiate the responsibilities of group members, whereas … integrate members’ efforts into a unified whole.
roles, norms
define role
a set of expectations governing the appropriate behavior of an occupant of a position toward occupants of other related positions.
is conforming to role reqs a good thing
will be rewarded instead of punished
can you have one role without other people abiding by their roles?
no roles are complementary so one can not be preformed without the other e.g. teach and student
The expectations that define a role include rights and obligations; the … of one role are the … of other roles
obligations, rights
what is a role conflict
Within a group, expectations of the obligations that accompany a particular role can conflict
e.g. of role conflict
What a principal and what students expect from a teacher, for example, can be contradictory.
2 ways role conflicts can occur?
conflicting interests or when the demands of one role are incompatible with the demands of another role
what is status 3
the degree to which an individual’s contribution is crucial to the success and prestige of the group, how much power and control over outcomes that individual has, and the extent to which the person embodies some idealized or admired characteristic (such as being physically attractive)
how is status often determined 3
physical dominance, wealth, edu
status and power always go hand in hand t or f
f
They found that an individual having high status and high power in an organization results in an enhanced self-perception that leads to altruistic behavior but …. On the other hand, when an individual has high status but low power in an organization that rewards high power, he or she engages in … behaviour
disdain for the worker selfish behavior (usually by deviating from the prescribed norms to increase his or her own rewards) but has respect for the workers.
how does status influence the group
High-status individuals are likely to be valued by the group and treated more tolerantly. These group members, therefore, often are less affected by group norms and peer pressure than are lower-status members. less likely to expect punishment. more influence
define norms
are rules, either implicit or explicit, established by groups to regulate the behavior of all members. a group are the group’s common beliefs regarding appropriate behavior, attitudes, and perceptions for its members
do all groups have norms
yes but can be formal or informal
is a norm always related to all people in the group
no some norms specify the behavior expected of all group members, and others apply only to individuals in specific roles.
how does the importance of norms vary
Norms that have a low effect on the objectives and values of the group usually allow for a greater range of behavior and bring less severe pressures for members to conform than do norms more relevant to group functioning
For a group norm to influence a person’s behavior, what 3 things must happen
the person must recognize that it exists, be aware that other group members accept and follow the norm, and accept and follow it himself or herself.
how do norms change for members over time
At first a person may conform to a group norm because the group typically rewards conforming behavior and punishes nonconforming behavior. Later the person may internalize the norm and conform to it automatically, even when no other group members are present.
