Final Exam Lectures Flashcards
Tuckman’s (1965) 4-stage Developmental Process (Linear)
A) Forming -Familiarize, role establishment, relationship formation B) Storming -Rebellion, resistance to control, fighting to establish roles and status C) Norming -Cooperation and build team unity D) Performing -Band together for team success
What Is a Group?
A)Group: Two or more people who interact and exert a mutual influence on each other and share the following characteristics:
- A collective identity
- Sense of shared purpose or objectives
- Structured modes of communication
- Personal and/or task interdependence
- Interpersonal attraction
The Cyclical (Life Cycle) Perspectives
- Development of groups is similar to the life cycle (Birth, growth, and death).
- Emphasis is on the terminal phase of the groups existence.
- As the group develops, it psychologically prepares for its own breakup.
- This model is especially relevant for groups and teams that last 10 to 15 weeks.
The Pendular Perspective
A) Shifts occur in interpersonal relationships during the growth and development of groups.
B) Groups do not progress through linear phases but sway…
-Orientation
-Differentiation and conflict
-Resolution and cohesion
-Differentiation and conflict
-Termination
Group Structure
A) Group Roles
-A set of behaviors required or expected of a person occupying a position in a group.
-Formal roles: Dictated by the structure of the group.
-Informal roles: Evolve out of the dynamics of the group.
B) Norms
-A level of performance, pattern of behavior, or belief.
-Asch’s (1952) study on conformity.
Fostering Effective Team Climate
A) Provide Social Support
-An exchange of resources between at least two people perceived by the provider and the recipient as intended to enhance the well-being of the recipient.
-Comes from athletes, coaches, friends, and parents.
-Improves communication.
B) Proximity
-People or more likely to bond when near each other (Ex. Same dorms).
C) Distinctiveness
-Unique, special, united
-Us against the world mentality
-Team uniforms, initiation rites, etc.
D) Fairness
-Can bring a team closer together or tear it apart.
-Based on: Compatibility between coach and player assessment of ability. Coach’s communication. Athlete’s perception that coach is helping, etc.
E) Similarity
-Team members that are more similar on more factors will be more apt to function at a higher level.
Individual and Team Performance in Sport
A) While individual ability is important, the individual abilities of team members alone are not good predictors of how a team will perform.
B) Steiner’s (1972) model
-Actual productivity= potential productivity-losses due to faulty group processes.
-Losses result from motivation and/or coordination.
C) The Ringelman Effect
-The phenomenon by which individual performance decreases as the number of people in a group increases.
-Ingham replications (1974): Due to poor coordination or reduced motivation? Blindfolded subjects and got identical results.
-Therefore it can be concluded that there is a reduction in motivation.
D) Social Loafing
-Individuals within a group or team putting in far less than 100% effort due to motivational losses.
-Might believe that teammates are unmotivated.
-Feel that they are lost in the crowd.
-Feel like teammates will take up the slack.
-Feel like they can hide in the crowd (avoid negative consequences).
Defining Cohesion
-A dynamic process reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfaction of member affective needs (Carron, Brawley, and Widmeyer, 1998).
Two Types of Cohesion
A) Social Cohesion
-developing and maintaining social relationships within the group: interpersonal attraction, closeness of the group, feelings of acceptance.
B) Task Cohesion
-achieving goals and objectives deemed important to the group: productivity, performance, task accomplishment, feelings about one’s personal involvement.
What about Performance?
A) Impact of cohesion on performance has yielded equivocal results.
B) Majority of “better” research demonstrates a positive cohesion/ performance relationship.
The Cohesion-Performance Relationship
A) Types of measures
-It was once thought that a positive cohesion-performance relationship existed with task-cohesion measures, but there was no cohesion-performance relationship with social cohesion measures.
-However, the most recent research shows that increases in both task and social cohesion are associated with increase performance.
B) Task Demands
-Original research argued that the cohesion-performance relationship was stronger with interacting teams (Ex. volleyball) and that no relationship existed with coaching teams (Ex. bowling).
-However, the most recent research has shown the task demands do not influence the cohesion-performance relationship.
Flow of Causality
A) Does cohesion lead to better performance or vice-versa?
-Studies have demonstrated both.
The MAPS Approach to Team Building
A) Mission: Derive and clarify team mission.
B) Assessment: Assess team strengths and areas that need improving.
C) Pan: Develop action plans to improve effort and commitment.
D) Systematic Evaluation: Reflect, review, and revise group goals and plans.
Applications for Team Building
A) Recommendations for leaders
- Highlight physical proximity
- Group size
- Group distinctiveness
- Define members roles
- Strive for group homogeneity
- Increase communication
- Stress cooperation
- Highlight individual sacrifices for the team
- Build success early
- Emphasize conformity
- Recognize player goals
Possible Negative Aspects of Cohesion
- Reduced individuality and increased conformity
- Reduced personal responsibility
- Self deception increases
- Social loathing can occur
