GROUP
What Is Group?
• In social psychology, a group can be defined as two
or more humans who interact with one another,
accept expectations and obligations as members
of the group, and share a common identity.
• By this definition, society can be viewed as a large
group, though most social groups are considerably
smaller.
Types of Group
Types of Group
Formal Group
A formal group is deliberately created by an
organization to achieve an objective. This group has
defined criteria for members to join. It has structure,
an operating procedure, and is led by a leader. A
formal group is also known as a planned group.
Informal Group
Informal groups are groups that are formed by
individuals when they communicate with one another.
These groups are not created by organizations and
work democratically
Types of Group
Temporary Group: These groups are created for the
short term. Once they achieve the objective, they
cease to exist.
Permanent Group: These groups are permanent and
operate for a long time
Primary Group: In primary groups, members direct
interact and influence each other. There is no outside
interaction. The size of the group is small, and
members share a close relationship. These groups are
common among close friends and family
Types of Group
Secondary Group: Secondary groups are larger than
primary groups, and they don’t have close
relationships like primary groups. These are usually
formal groups created to achieve specific objectives.
These groups are objective-driven.
Accidental Group: These groups are formed
accidentally, with no purpose or objective. These
groups can be temporary or permanent.
Types of Group
Organized Group
When people from the same department or a group of
individuals come together to achieve a certain
well-defined objective, the group is called an
organized group.
Unorganized Group
These groups are randomly created with no specific
objective. Things are not planned in a proper way.
These groups are temporary, and members have no
connection with each other
Types of Group
Open Group: In an open group, anyone can join and
exit anytime.
Closed Group: In a closed group, admission is
restricted, and members fulfilling a particular
criterion are allowed to join the group.
Purposive Group
These groups are created to achieve a particular task.
Why people join Group?
• Security
• Status
• Self-esteem
• Affiliation
• Power
• Goal achievement
Group Formation
• Forming:
1 • Uncertainty about purpose, structure, and leadership
• Storming:
2 • Intragroup conflict as members resist constraints
• Norming:
3 • Group is cohesive with strong group identity
• Performing:
4 • Group fully functional and working toward goals
• Adjourning:
5 • For temporary groups: breaking up
Group Solidarity
The sense of fellowship and community displayed by
members of a collective who are united by shared
purposes, responsibilities and interests.
Group Behavior
A group is defined as two or more people who
interact and share a common identity, belief, purpose,
or morals. Group behavior refers to the actions,
thoughts, or feelings of a collection of people or
individuals within a group.
There are many advantages of group behavior in
organizations. Let’s look at some of the benefits of
effective group work.
Group Behavior
Productivity
When you see others around you work hard, you’re
motivated to push your boundaries. Your productivity
is enhanced because you want to match their
performance standards.
Attendance
When you have people to talk to and collaborate with,
it makes work more interesting and engaging. You
also start looking forward to your workday. This
improves your attendance.
Group Behavior
Job Satisfaction
Many modern organizations strive to make their
employees feel like they’re a part of one big family.
When a workplace culture is employee-driven, you
feel more engaged and are happy about your
contributions.
Attitude
At the workplace, we usually monitor our behavior by
taking inspiration from our managers and leaders. We
foster positive attitudes when organizational group
behavior is constructive and supportive.
Group Behavior
Well-Being
Working in groups impacts our social relationships,
allowing more opportunities to share stories and
emotions. Being part of a group provides a
heightened sense of belonging. Increased social
interactions lead to better mental and physical
well-being.
Learnings
When you work in groups, you’re exposed to
different perspectives. Every person has something
unique to contribute, which enhances the knowledge
of other people in the group.
Group Properties
Role
The set of expected behavior patterns that are
attributed to occupying a given position in a social
unit
• Role Identity – role’s associated attitudes and
behaviors
• Role Perception – our view of how we’re supposed
to act in a given situation
• Role Expectations – how others believe you should
act in a given situation
• Role Conflict – conflict experienced when multiple
roles are incompatible
Norms
Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that
are shared by the group’s members
Common classes of norms:
1. Performance norms : Level of acceptable work
how hard they should work, how to get the job done, their level of output,
appropriate levels of tardiness,
2. Appearance norms
• include things like appropriate dress, loyalty to the work group or
organization, when to look busy.
3. Social arrangement norms
• come from informal work groups and primarily regulate social interactions
within the group.
4. Allocation of resources norms
• Distribution and assignments of jobs
Status
A socially defined position or rank given to groups or
group members by others
Determined by:
• The power a person wields over others
• A person’s ability to contribute to a group’s goals
• An individual’s personal characteristics
Size
Smaller groups are faster at completing tasks –
members perform better
Large groups are consistently better at problem solving
Social Loafing - tendency to expend less effort
working in a group than as an individual
Size
Prevention for Social Loafing:
• Set group goals
• Increase inter-group competition
• Engage in peer evaluation
• Distribute group rewards based on members’
individual contributions
Cohesiveness
The degree to which members of the group are
attracted to each other and motivated to stay in the
group
• Performance-related norms are the moderating
variable for productivity and cohesiveness
• High cohesiveness with high norms gives higher
productivity
Group Cohesiveness to
Productivity
Hawthorne Studies.
• Experiments conducted between 1924 and 1932 by Elton
Mayo at Western Electric at the company’s Hawthorne
Works in Chicago.
• Studies conclude that a worker’s behavior and sentiments
were closely related
• Group influences were significant in affecting individual
behavior
• Group standards were highly effective in establishing
individual worker output
• Money was less a factor in determining worker output
Lessons from
the Hawthorne Studies
• Productivity increased because groups were paid
attention to by the observers – not because of
changes in environment
• Workers in groups do not maximize individual
rewards
• Group standards are set and enforced by the group
itself
