Group Dynamics

Question 1

Plato and the Philosopher King

Answer 1

• Plato’s philosopher king is the lover of wisdom (philos-sophia) who knows where to go, the navigator
• He is needed as most people are caught in the world, unaware of where to go, mindless, etc.
• Karl Popper blamed this idea for 20th century totalitarian leaders (Hitler, Stalin) who had a narcissistic view of themselves as the sole leaders and the sole people who know how to lead

Question 2

Aristotle’s Wisdom of the Crowds

Answer 2

• Individuals are biased, limited, corporeal, etc. (they’re gonna die) and the truth is shaded for the individual
• The truth, averaged together, cancels out individual biases
• The idea that the group collectively ascertains truth (wisdom of the crowds) was first associated with Aristotle and is behind many different elements of society today, like democracy. wikipedia, the rational market and laissez-faire economics

Question 3

What is a Group?

Answer 3

• Group in social psychology is defined as three or more people who interact and influence one and another (Ex. prime minister or president with cabinet ministers, community members meeting to solve a problem, campus clubs, etc.)
• Groups can vary in size, tightness, longevity, etc.
• Defining a group can be difficult because sometimes same aggregate can fit the bill, while at other times it may not

Question 4

What various benefits can a group provide to the individual?

Answer 4

• May fulfill fundamental need to belong
• Provide advantages for protection, food acquisition, mating, child rearing, etc.
• Groups also provide individual with sense of self and identity

Question 5

Social norms

Answer 5

• Groups possess norms about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour (cross situation vs not)
• Implicit or explicit pressure to conform/adhere to group (social) norms
• Strong penalties for deviance through ostracism, hostility/animosity, and psychological/physical threats

Question 6

Social roles

Answer 6

• Groups also have specific expectations about how particular people are supposed to behave (different categories of people who are supposed to do and have certain things/characteristics)
• Roles can be helpful because people know what to expect from each other, increasing potential reciprocity and effectiveness
• However, role ambiguity negatively related to job performance and roles can be dangerous when people lose sense of individuality (deindividuation)

Question 7

Group Cohesiveness

Answer 7

• Qualities of a group that bind members together
• If group formed for social reasons, then group cohesiveness is desirable
• However, if group formed to work together, then there is a more complex relationship as group cohesiveness leads to better performance if close cooperation required, but backfires when people focused on maintaining close relations than finding best answers above & beyond what the task is
• Stronger evidence that performance influences group cohesiveness more than cohesiveness influences performance