Chapter 9: communcation in small groups Flashcards
small groups
A collection of people (3-20 people) working interdependently to accomplish a task
EX: team, bureau, region
Synergy
a collaboration that produces more than the sum of its parts
- Resources are more powerful together than when they are separate
Groups are distinguished by…
- Size
- Interdependence
- Identities
- Cohesion
- Roles
Size
more than 3, no more than 15-20
○ Exact size depends on purpose of group
Interdependent
the state in which what happens to one person affects everyone else in the relationship
○ “Affect (good)/affected by (bad)”
○ EX: if someone is being negative, they bring the whole group down
Cohesion
The force by which the members of a group work together in service of a common goal
Task cohesion
the extent to which everyone in the group is working together toward the same objective
□ High task cohesion = everyone is working together
□ Low task cohesion = some are working harder than others (social loafing)
Social cohesion
refers to the level of positive regard group members have for each other
□ High social cohesion = positive, everyone trusts each other
□ Low social cohesion = negative, no one likes/trusts each other
Informal roles
not formally assigned and anyone in the group can choose to take them on
Formal roles
specifically assigned to people to help the group to fulfill its mission
Identities
Colors, pins, secret handshakes
○ Anything that helps people identify your group
Interact online
Some groups communicate online via computer, email, instant messaging
- Different from face to face, members of online groups feel less connected and less happy
Process of socializing into small groups
- Antecedent phase
- Anticipatory phase
- Encounter phase
- Assimilation phase
- Exit phase
Antecedent phase
Phase of group socialization in which people develop certain beliefs, attitudes, and expectations about a specific group before y’all meet
EX: seeing syllabus with a lot of group activities, you assume that you will do all the work in the group because that always happens to you in the group
Anticipatory phase
Phase of group socialization in which people decide to join a group and make judgements about what they expect from that group and its members
○ Decided to join but haven’t met yet, still making assumptions
Encounter phase
Phase of group socialization in which the group meets for the first time
- should define rules and consequences during meeting for the first time
Assimilation phase
Phase of group socialization in which members decide to accept the group’s culture and the group acquires its own identity
Exit phase
Phase of group socialization in which people leave a group
Functions of small groups
- Focus on discrete tasks
- Evaluate and advise
- Create art and ideas
- Provide service and support
- Compete
- Help us learn
Focus on discrete tasks
A function of small groups is to focus on specific assigned tasks
Evaluate and advise
Discuss and evaluate particular issues and give advice on how they should be addressed
○ Some small groups advise on a as-need basis
Create art and ideas
○ Small groups can create artistic expressions (ex: bands, string quartet)
○ Small groups can also create ideas instead of art (ex: brainstorm groups)
Provide service and support
○ Providing community service
○ Support groups
Promote social networking
Social network groups, fan clubs, chat rooms
Compete
Team competitions
Help us learn
- Study groups
- Clubs
