RW: Group Process: Navigating the Dynamics Flashcards
Primary Group
Spontaneous and have informal social processes and structures
Membership is automatic and freely chosen
i.e. friend groups, neighbors, family
Secondary Group
Exists for a specific purpose, emphasizing completing a job and/or accomplishing specific goals
Membership is more selective and group’s social processes and structures are formalized
i.e. student council, an exercise group, committee
Definition of a group
A collection of persons who engage in repeated, face-to-face communication, identify with each other, are interdependent, and share a common purpose or purposes
Meets basic needs for belonging, security, safety
Shapes thinking and behaviour through internal processes of acceptance and rejection
Characteristics that Influence Functionality of Small Groups
a. Group purpose
- education
- support
- socialization
- therapy
b. Group goals (achievable and measurable)
c. Group size (dictated by purpose)
- 6-8 ideal for therapeutic
- 10 for educational
d. Group member composition
- functional similarity of participants
e. Group norms
- unwritten rules of conduct
- universal norms vs group-specific norms
Group Dynamics
Communication processes and behaviours occurring during the life of the group
- combination of individual and group characteristics
- influence success of reaching goal and member satisfaction
Group Behaviours (functions)
- Task-related function
- goal-oriented and instrumental - Group maintenance function
- interpersonal and interactive
Group Cohesiveness
Sense of unity or togetherness, sense of pride in membership, emotional commitment or sense of loyalty
Allows groups to weather internal conflicts
*risk of groupthink
Phases of Group Development
- Forming
- Storming
- Norming
- Performing
- Mourning
Group Leader
In a position of authority over the group, exerts a varying degree of control over both the content and process of a group
Group Facilitator
Self-reflective, process-person who has a variety of human, process, technical skills and knowledge
Assists group to journey together to reach goal
Facilitator Roles
- design an appropriate process to achieve outcome
- observe what is happening and not happening
- identify and raise problems that hold group back
- challenge inappropriate behaviour
- pose new approaches for problem solving
- mobilizing intervention to improve functioning
Groupthink
Desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome
cohesion > goal
Characteristics of an Ineffective Group
a. goals are vague or imposed without discussion
b. communication is guarded and feelings are not always given attention
c. power is not shared, resides with leader
d. decision-making occurs with no consultation
e. controversy and open conflict are not tolerated
f. one-sided focus
g. individual resources not used
h. problem solving abilities low
Guidelines for Solution-focused Interventions
a. assess what is happening
b. identify problem
c. review evidence for intervention
d. identify expected outcomes (specific, achievable and measurable)
e. evaluation and reassess
Group Member Roles that help
Task roles (initiator, information seeker, summarizer, orienter, reality tester) Maintenance roles (harmonizer, encourager, standard setter, compromiser)
