GROUP DYNAMICS REVIEWER

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

In Group Dynamics

Submitted by:

Desiree L. Pascual

3B- BA Communication
Introduction to Group Dynamics

1. What is a Group?
- A group consists of “two or more individuals” connected by social relationships.
- Members of a group are linked through “ties” (e.g., strong bonds like family or close
friends).

2. Key Terms:
- “Membership”: Being part of or included within a group.
- “Network”: A set of interconnected individuals/groups linked by relational ties.
- “Social Identity”: Part of self-concept derived from group memberships and
relationships.

3. Group Dynamics:
- “Definition”: Group dynamics refers to the processes and interactions that influence
groups.
- This module explores:
**Types of groups**
- Whether groups are real and dynamic
- The “multilevel perspective” (analyzing groups at multiple levels)
- Practical applications of group dynamics
- Contemporary topics in group dynamics.

4. Focus of Study:
- Understanding how group relationships define who is part of a group.
- Investigating group boundaries and how new members integrate through
connections.
- Exploring the scientific analysis of the forces that shape group behavior.
Introduction to Group Dynamics (Expanded)

1. Types of Groups:
- Primary Groups:
- Small, long-term groups with strong emotional ties, high cohesiveness, and
solidarity.
- Examples: Close friends, families, military squads.
- Social Groups:
- Groups of moderate size and duration, focused on specific goals with moderate
interaction.
- Examples: Co-workers, sports teams, study groups.
- Collectives:
- Temporary gatherings of individuals that form spontaneously and last briefly.
- Examples: Crowds, audiences, bystanders.
- Categories:
- Large aggregations of individuals who share “similar characteristics” such as
gender, ethnicity, or nationality.
- Examples: Citizens, women, religious groups.

2. The Importance of Groups:

- Groups are essential to human life across all cultures and time periods.
- Throughout history, humans have joined together in groups for protection, survival,
and success (e.g., families, tribes, communities).
- Even today, we belong to various groups, from small intimate circles (family, close
friends) to larger social groups (colleagues, classmates) to even broader categories of
shared identity (gender, nationality).

3. Why Study Groups?:

- Groups play a critical role in “shaping human behavior” and experience.
- Studying groups reveals insights into the “human universe”—how we function in
society, build relationships, and thrive in groups.
 - Even those who are isolated or alone remain connected to the larger social fabric
through shared qualities and psychological bonds.

4. Group Dynamics:
- Definition: The influential processes and interactions that take place within groups.
- Group dynamics explores:
- The “reality and dynamics” of groups
- The “multilevel perspective” (analyzing groups at different levels)
- Practical applications in understanding group behavior
- Contemporary issues in group dynamics.

Varieties of Groups

1. Primary Groups (Charles Horton Cooley, 1909)

- Definition: Small, long-term groups with close, intimate relationships.
- Characteristics:
- Frequent interaction
- Strong solidarity and interdependence among members
- High influence on members' attitudes, values, and social outcomes
- Examples: Families, close friends, cliques.

2. Social (Secondary) Groups

- Definition: Larger, more formally organized groups with less intimate interactions.
- Characteristics:
- Membership is often temporary and less emotionally involved
- Members interact over an extended period but in more public settings
- Examples: Workgroups, clubs, congregations.

3. Categories
- Definition: Collections of individuals who share similar characteristics or traits.
- Examples: Communicators' groups, teacher organizations.
4. Group Size and Its Effects
- Impact of Group Size: Larger groups tend to have different structures, processes,
and patterns of interaction than smaller groups.
- Small Groups: More direct connections between members.
- Large Groups: Fewer direct connections, with more complex relationships.
- Jon Krakauer's Everest Expedition (1977): He noted feeling unsettled by the size of
the group, suggesting that larger groups may have unique challenges in cohesion and
connection.

5. Types of Group Interaction (Robert Freed Bales, 1950)

- Task Interaction:
- Definition: Group members' actions related to achieving the group's goals, tasks, or
projects.
- Relationship (Socioemotional) Interaction:
- Definition: Actions that influence emotional and interpersonal bonds within the
group.
- Includes supportive actions (e.g., social support, consideration) and undermining
actions (e.g., criticism, conflict).

6. Interdependence:
- Definition: Mutual dependence where members’ outcomes, actions, thoughts, and
feelings are influenced by others.
- This dynamic creates a “shared responsibility” and “mutual influence” within the
group.

7. Group Structure:
- Groups are not random; they are organized in predictable patterns.
- These patterns define the “roles”, “status”, and “relationships” among members.
Significant Terms in Group Dynamics

1. Categorization:
- Definition: Two or more individuals who **perceive themselves** as members of the
same social category.

2. Communication:
- Definition: Three or more people who **identify as a group**, are interdependent,
and actively communicate with one another.

3. Influence:
- Definition: Two or more individuals who interact in a way that each person
influence and is influenced by the other(s).

4. Interdependence:
- Definition: A group dynamic where individuals form a “whole” based on
interdependence rather than just similarity.

5. Interrelations:
- Definition: An aggregation of two or more people who are in ‘dynamic interaction”
with each other.

6. Psychological Significance:
- Definition: A psychological group consists of any number of people who “interact”
and are “aware” of one another on a psychological level.

7. Relations:
- Definition: Individuals who are connected through “certain defined relationships” with
each other.
8. Shared Identity:
- Definition: Two or more people who share a “common social identity” and are
recognized as a group by others.

9. Social Unit:
- Definition: Individuals who recognize that they constitute a “meaningful social unit”,
interact based on this, and are committed to the group's unity.

10. Systems:
- Definition: An interactive “social system” with boundaries, interdependence, shared
purposes, and “differentiated member roles”.

Group's Purpose

1. Overview of Group Goals:

- Groups pursue a wide range of goals, which can be classified in various ways:
- Intellectual vs. Judgmental Tasks: Differentiates between tasks focused on thinking
and tasks involving personal judgment.
- Production, Discussion, and Problem-Solving Goal: Another approach emphasizing
the type of outcome the group seeks.
- Joseph McGrath’s Four Basic Group Goals: A widely accepted model categorizing
group objectives.

2. McGrath’s Four Basic Group Goals:

a. Generating:
- Planning Tasks: Groups create strategies to accomplish their goals.
- *Creativity Tasks: Groups generate new ideas and approaches to solve problems.

b. Choosing:
- Intellective Tasks: Groups make decisions about issues that have correct solutions.
 - Decision-Making Tasks: Groups address questions that can have multiple answers
or approaches.

c. Negotiating:
- Cognitive Conflict Tasks: Groups resolve differences of opinion among members
regarding goals or decisions.
- Mixed-Motive Tasks: Groups settle competitive disputes or conflicts of interest
among members.

d. Executing:
- Contest/Battle Competitions: Groups participate in competitions or contests.
- Performance/Psychomotor Tasks: Groups work on creating a product or carrying
out collective actions.

This framework helps understand how groups operate, whether they're brainstorming
ideas, making decisions, resolving conflicts, or executing actions.

Characteristics of Groups

1. Composition:
- Who belongs to the group?
- To understand a group, it's essential to know the “qualities of its members”—their
talents, weaknesses, attitudes, values, and personality traits.
- Example: An Adventure Expedition Team is unique because of the distinct qualities
each member brings to the group.

2. Boundaries:
- Who does not belong?
- Groups have “psychological boundaries” that define membership:
- Members are recognized as part of the group.
- “Outsiders” are excluded from the group.
3. Size:
- How large is the group?
- Group size impacts the number of “social links” and relationships necessary to
connect members.
- Example: Jon Krakauer (1997) noted feeling unsettled by the size of his group during
an expedition on Mt. Everest, reflecting how size can influence group dynamics.

4. Interaction:
- What do members do?
- Groups are settings for various interpersonal actions, such as talking, arguing, and
decision-making.
- Robert Freed Bales (1999) identified two primary types of interaction:
- Task Interaction: Focused on the group's work, projects, and goals.
- Relationship (Socioemotional) Interaction: Supports and strengthens interpersonal
relationships, especially when members need emotional or practical support.

5. Stereotype:
- A socially shared set of qualities and behavioral expectations attributed to a
particular group or category of people.

6. Social Network:
- A set of interconnected individuals or groups linked by social relationships.

This set of characteristics—composition, boundaries, size, interaction, stereotypes, and

social networks—offers a comprehensive understanding of how groups form, function,
and sustain themselves.
Inclusion and Identity

1. Introduction to Group Dynamics as a Field of Study:

- This module explores how group dynamics emerged as a field of study, focusing on
the scientific methods used to investigate groups:
- Measurement
- Hypothesis Testing
- Theorizing

2. Key Questions in Group Dynamics Research:

- Research Assumptions: What assumptions do researchers make when studying
groups?
- Measurement: How do researchers measure individual and group processes?
- Study Types: What are the characteristics and differences between case studies,
correlational studies, and experimental studies of group processes?
- Strengths and Weaknesses: What are the strengths and weaknesses of these
methods?

3. Scientific Study of Groups:

- Group Dynamics: The field dedicated to the scientific study of group processes and
their influence on individual and group behavior.
- Group Processes: These processes shaped the field’s “paradigm” (shared
assumptions and research procedures).
- Thomas S. Kuhn (1970): Described how scientists share assumptions and methods
that shape how they approach research.

4. The Individual and the Group:

- Sociologists: Examined how groups influence society’s religious, political, economic,
and educational systems.
- Anthropologists: Investigated cultural similarities and differences in small-scale
societies.
 - Political Scientists: Studied how small, closely networked groups influence voting,
public engagement, and political parties.
- Gustave Le Bon (1895): In his book Psychology of Crowds, concluded that
individuals are transformed when they join a group.
- Wilhelm Wundt (1916): Introduced folk psychology, exploring how group membership
affects members' cognitive and perceptual processes.

5. Level of Analysis:
- Refers to the focus of study (individual vs. group level):
- Individual Level: Studying individual behavior within the group.
- Group Level: Studying the group as a whole.
- Floyd Allport: Warned of the group fallacy, where social phenomena are explained
at the group level rather than based on individual-level processes.

6. The Group Mind (Collective Consciousness):

- The idea that groups develop a shared mind, where members act together based on
shared views, attitudes, and intentions.
- This concept brought the individual and group-level perspectives into opposition.

7. The Reality of Groups:

- Allport’s Caution: Allport rejected the idea of a group mind and ensured the scientific
rigor of group dynamics.
- No Evidence for Group Mind: Researchers have not found evidence that group
members are psychically connected to form a single mind.
Joining Groups

1. Introduction:
- Not everyone who joins a group is a natural joiner, and preferring independence
does not make someone a loner.
- Group participation is influenced by personality, motivations, and past experiences.

2. Personality:
- Defined as the set of traits and dispositional characteristics that shape how
individuals behave, think, and interact.

3. The Big Five Personality Traits:

- A model that describes the primary dimensions underlying individual personality
differences:
- Extraversion: Tendency to seek out social interactions.
- Agreeableness: How cooperative and compassionate one is toward others.
- Conscientiousness: Level of organization, dependability, and discipline.
- Neuroticism: Tendency toward emotional instability and negative emotions.
- Openness to Experience: Willingness to try new things and engage in creative,
imaginative pursuits.

4. Extraversion and Group Participation:

- Extraverts are more likely to seek out groups because social interactions are
stimulating for them.
- Their preference for group activities is partly based on assertiveness, making them
more influential and active group members compared to introverts.
Stages of Group Development

1. Tuckman's Five Stages (1965):

- Tuckman identified five stages of group development:
- Forming (orientation)
- Storming (conflict)
- Norming (structure development)
- Performing (work)
- Adjourning (dissolution)

2. Forming (Orientation Stage):

- Group members are cautious and avoid embarrassing themselves. They are
tentative in expressing personal opinions.
- Members become familiar with each other, addressing dependency and inclusion
issues, and focus on accepting the leader and reaching consensus.
- Communication is polite and tentative, with concern for ambiguity and clarity of the
group’s goals. The leader is active, and members are compliant.

3. Storming (Conflict Stage):

- Marked by personal and procedural conflicts, as members discover they might not
get along or disagree on group goals and procedures.
- There is competition for leadership and prestigious roles.
- Characteristics include disagreement, tension, and hostility. Members may criticize
ideas, show dissatisfaction, and form coalitions.

4. Norming (Structure Stage):

- The group becomes more unified and organized. Trust and mutual support increase,
and cooperation among members grows.
- Members try to make decisions through consensus, leading to greater group
cohesion.
 - The group experiences growth in cohesiveness, establishment of roles, and
increased communication. A "we feeling" develops.

5. Performing (Work Stage):

- The group shifts its focus to goal achievement and performance. There is high task
orientation and an emphasis on productivity.
- Members are engaged in decision making, problem solving, and mutual cooperation
to meet group objectives.

6. Adjourning (Dissolution Stage):

- This stage occurs when the group disbands, either because they have achieved their
goals or exhausted their resources.
- There is a termination of roles, completion of tasks, and a reduction of dependency
on the group.
- Members experience disintegration, withdrawal, and possible emotional regret as the
group dissolves.
 5 Activities for Group Dynamics (Concept)

1. Group Project Simulation

Objective: To experience the five stages of group development: forming, storming,

norming, performing, and adjourning.

Instructions:
- Divide the class into small groups of 4-6 members.
- Assign each group a collaborative project, such as designing a community service
plan or creating a presentation on a specific topic.
- Over the course of a few sessions, guide the groups through each stage:
- Forming: Members introduce themselves and discuss their strengths and
weaknesses.
- Storming: Encourage groups to identify and express any conflicts or differing opinions
about their project.
- Norming: Groups should establish roles and responsibilities, aiming for consensus on
how to proceed.
- Performing: Members collaborate actively to complete the project, focusing on task
completion.
- Adjourning: Once the project is completed, groups present their findings and reflect
on their experience.

Debrief: After the presentations, hold a class discussion on how each group navigated
the stages. Ask questions such as:
- What challenges did you face during the storming stage?
- How did your group establish norms and trust?
- What insights did you gain about group dynamics?
2. Personality and Group Roles Activity

Objective: To explore how individual personalities influence group roles and dynamics.

Instructions:
- Distribute a brief personality assessment based on the Big Five traits (extraversion,
agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience).
- Once students complete the assessment, organize them into groups based on their
dominant personality traits (e.g., extraverts in one group, introverts in another).
- Assign each group a task to plan a fictional event (e.g., a school fair or a community
service project).
- Groups will need to identify roles based on their personalities and collaborate to
develop their event plan.

Debrief: After the activity, facilitate a discussion with prompts such as:
- How did your personality type influence your role in the group?
- Were there any conflicts that arose from differing personalities?
- What strategies did you use to work together effectively?

3. Group Decision-Making Exercise

Objective: To practice group tasks involving generating ideas, choosing solutions,

negotiating, and executing decisions.

Instructions:
- Present a scenario to the class that requires group decision-making (e.g., deciding
how to allocate limited resources for a humanitarian mission).
- Divide the class into small groups and assign them the following tasks:
- Generating: Brainstorm at least three potential solutions to the problem.
- Choosing: Discuss the options and decide on the best solution through a vote or
consensus.
 - Negotiating: Resolve any differences of opinion among members about the chosen
solution.
- Executing: Prepare a brief presentation to share their solution with the class.

Debrief: After each group presents, discuss the decision-making process. Ask questions
like:
- How did you approach the generation of ideas?
- What challenges did you face during the negotiation process?
- How did you ensure that everyone’s voice was heard?

4. Identity and Inclusion Role-Playing

Objective: To explore group membership, inclusion, and exclusion dynamics.

Instructions:
- Create different scenarios that illustrate issues of inclusion and exclusion (e.g., a
newcomer trying to join a well-established group, or a member being ostracized).
- Assign students to small groups and provide them with a scenario to role-play. Each
group will act out the scenario, ensuring to highlight the feelings and reactions of both
included and excluded individuals.
- After the role-play, allow groups to discuss their thoughts and feelings about the
situation.

Debrief: Facilitate a class discussion with prompts such as:

- How did it feel to be included or excluded in your scenario?
- What factors contributed to the group identity?
- How can groups foster an inclusive environment?

5. Conflict Resolution Workshop

Objective: To learn how to manage conflict and build effective group structures.
Instructions:
- Present a conflict scenario to the class (e.g., disagreement over leadership roles in a
project).
- Divide students into small groups and assign them roles based on the scenario. Each
group must work together to resolve the conflict.
- Encourage them to use strategies such as compromise, consensus-building, and open
communication.
- After the discussion, each group should outline their resolution process and how they
reached an agreement.

Debrief: After the groups present their resolutions, discuss with the class:
- What strategies were most effective in resolving the conflict?
- How did the group's structure impact the resolution process?
- What would you do differently if faced with a similar conflict in the future?