Group dynamics and goal setting in sport

Question 1

What is a group?

Answer 1

• collection of people who share similar goals and interact with one another

Question 2

Tuckman model of team formation

Answer 2

• forming
• storming
• norming
• performing

Question 3

Stage 1: forming

Answer 3

• high dependence leader for guidance
• get to know each other
• little agreement on aims
• unclear individual roles
• leader must give strong direction

Question 4

Stage 2: storming

Answer 4

• group decisions are difficult
• try to determine everyone’s position in the group
• more focus because more purpose
• cliques form
• power struggles
• leader = advisor and coaching role

Question 5

Stage 3: norming

Answer 5

• agreement and consensus in opinion
• roles clear and accepted
• less important decisions given to small group or individuals in the group
• commitment and unity
• social and friendly
• leadership is more shared

Question 6

Stage 4: performing

Answer 6

• clear vision, aims and strategies
• no interference or participation from the leader
• focus on achieving goals
• trusted to get on with the task at hand
• disagreements occur but resolved positively within the group

Question 7

what team cohesion?

Answer 7

• motivations that attract individuals to the group
• resistence that stops them from breaking up
• ’ total field of forces which act on members to remain in a group’

Question 8

team cohesion’s: two dimensions to Carron (1980)

Answer 8

• group intergration: how individual members of the group feel about the group as a whole
• individual attraction: how attracted individuals are to the group

Question 9

Steiners model for group performance

Answer 9

Actual productivity= potential productivity- losses due to faulty processes

Question 10

loses due to faulty processes:

Answer 10

• coordination problems: if coordination and timing of team members do not match, team strategies that depend on them will suffer
• motivation problems: if they arent motivated to the same extent, they will be pulling in different directions, team potential wont be realised

Question 11

What is the ringlemann effect?

Answer 11

• average individual performance decreases as group size increases
• rope pulling task study: groups pulled with more force than an individual, but not with as much force as each individual force pulling together

Question 12

What is social loafing?

Answer 12

• when some individuals in a group lose motivation, apparently caused by the individual losing identity when placed in a group
• individual efforts may not be recognised by those who are spectating or by those taking part

Question 13

how to limit social loafing?

Answer 13

• aim to highlight individual performance
• give credit to individuals in team situations e.g. number of assists
• feedback to individuals about performance
• social support
• peer pressure
• individuals should be selected on their interactive skills

Question 14

How can goals setting effect performance?

Answer 14

• directing attention
• regulating the amount of effort that is put into a task
• ensuring effort is sustained until the goal is reached
• motivating people to develop a variety of strategies to reach their goals

Question 15

SMART

Answer 15

• specific
• measurable
• achievable
• recorded
• timed

Question 16

Specific

Answer 16

• goals must be clear and specific

Question 17

Measurable

Answer 17

• goals need to be assessed so need to be measurable
• helps with motivation

Question 18

Achievable

Answer 18

• goals that coaches and performers share are more likely to be achieved because all parties have a common purpose and goals set are realistic to the ability of the performer

Question 19

Recorded

Answer 19

• recorded so goals can be monitored and crossed off

Question 20

Timed

Answer 20

• split into short term goals leading to long term ones
• ensures they remain realistic and achievable

Question 21

what is an outcome goal?

Answer 21

• goals that are targets directed towards an end result of the activity

Question 22

what is a performance goal?

Answer 22

• goals directed towards the individuals end performance
• performance judged against other performances

Question 23

What is a process goal?

Answer 23

• goals that are used to improve a skill and are often related to improving technique or tactics