Exam 2 - Group Dynamics Flashcards
Group
two or more individuals interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular goals
Formal Group
defined by the organization’s structure
designated work assignments and established tasks
Informal Group
not formally structured or organizationally determined
formed on the need for social contact
Ingroup
people with whom one shares a common identity
Outgroup
those perceived as different from one’s group
Ingroup favoritism
we see members of our ingroup as better than other people and people not in our group as all the same
Role
a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit
Behavior
groups can influence individual behavior
Role expectation
how others believe an individual should act in a given role
Role perception
an individual view of how we are supposed to act in a given role
Psychological contract
an unwritten agreement between the employer and employee about mutual expectations
Role conflict
occurs when the expectations of an individual’s role in different groups are in opposition
Conformity
the adjustment of one’s behavior to align with the norm’s of the group
Emotions
emotions of one member influence the emotions of other members + members interpret their shared emotions in the same way
interrole conflict
occurs when an individual is confronted by divergent role expectations
Status
a socially defined position or rank given to group members because:
- the power they have over others
- their ability to contribute to the group’s goal
- their personal characteristics
Status and norms
high status individuals often have more freedom to deviate from norms
Status and group interaction
high status people are often more assertive
Status inequity
perceived inequity creates disequilibrium and can lead to resentment and corrective behavior
Status and stigmatization
stigma by association: the status of the people with whom you are affiliated can affect how others view you
Large groups
better doing something with input
Small groups
good for gaining diverse input
Social Loafing
the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individuall
Free riding
when the social loafer is exploitive (benefits at the expense of the group)
Diffusion of responsibility
b/c group results cannot be attributed to any single person, the relationship between an individual’s input and the group’s output is clouded
individuals may be more tempted to become free riders and coast on group’s efforts
Strategies to deal with social loafing
Personal Ethics
- stronger individuals work ethic, less likely to engage in social loafing
Group Consciousness
Group Agreeableness
Strategies for increasing cohesiveness
- make group smaller
- encourage agreement with group goals
- increase time spent together
- increase status of the group and perceived difficulty of attaining membership in the group
- stimulate competition with other groups
- give rewards to group rather than individuals
- physically isolate the group
Pros and Cons of Diversity in Group
Pros
- solving problems in unique ways
- become more open-minded
Cons
- increased group conflict -> lower group morale & higher dropout rates
Weakness of group decision making
time consuming
conformity pressures
dominance of a few members
ambiguous responsibility
Strengths of group decision making
more complete information and knowledge
increased diversity of views
increased acceptance of solutions
higher effectiveness and efficiency
-accuracy
- speed
- creativity
- acceptance
Group think
situations in which group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views
Groupshift
group polarization in which the initial positions of individual members of a group are exaggerated toward a more extreme position
Brainstorming
group leader states problem, members “free-wheel” as many alternatives as they can
no criticism is allowed, one idea stimulates others, group members are encouraged to think the unusual
Interacting groups
members meet face to face and rely on verbal and nonverbal interaction to communicate
