Group Cohesion

Question 1

What is cohesion?

Answer 1

Desire of group members to achieve their goals and the forces acting to keep members within the group/ integrated and focuses.

Question 2

What is task cohesion?

Answer 2

• When the cohesion is results based/ outcome based.
• The team works together but allows members to make their own contribution.
• A team can perform well without the need for social cohesion.

Question 3

What is social cohesion?

Answer 3

• When the cohesion is seen by working together/ interaction between team members and the way in which they do this.
• Allows support for each other and trust to develop.
• Social cohesion can however form cliques and be a negative aspect.
• Task cohesion can override the problems of poor social cohesion.

Question 4

What is Co-Action?

Answer 4

• In some sports success comes from people all pulling together. Everyone completes the task at the same time but separately (e.g a rowing team pulling together).

Question 5

What is interaction?

Answer 5

• In other tasks success depends on everyone completing different roles but having to integrate them all together (e.g most team sports like netball or football).

Question 6

What are the 4 ‘Carrons Antecendents’ (factors that may affect cohesion)?

Answer 6

• Environment factors: group size, age, geography, contracted obligations.
• Personal factors: group similarity, gender, aspirations/satisfaction.
• Team factors: Ability, stability, desire for success, shared experiences.
• Leadership factors: Leader style, leader team relation.

Question 7

What are 3 specific ways that cohesion can be affected by?

Answer 7

• Communication
• Sharing common goals
• Unequal pay or rewards.

Question 8

What are 3 specific ways that a lack of cohesion can be created?

Answer 8

• Poor tactics
• Lack of communication
• Misunderstanding of roles or the coaches instructions.

Question 9

What is Steiners model (1972)?

Answer 9

Actual productivity= potential productivity- Losses due to faulty process.

Question 10

What are 3 ways in which a lack of co-ordination may be caused by?

Answer 10

• Poor strategies
• Poor tactics
• Lack of communication

Question 11

What is the Ringelmann Effect?

Answer 11

• When group performance decreases with group size.
• A study of ‘tug of war’ found that a team of eight did not pull eight times as hard as an individual.

Question 12

What is social loafing?

Answer 12

• Individual loss of motivation in a team player due to a lack of performance identification when individual efforts are not recognised.
• Social loafers take the easy option and make limited contribution to the cause, you can easily spot lazy players.
• Causes of social loafing: low confidence, lack of fitness, low ability, injury.