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Chapter 8
Communicatingin Groups
• List the characteristics and types of groups and explain how groups develop
• Understand how group size affects communication
• Identify the influence of networks in groups
Chapter Objectives
• Analyze aspects that determine a group’s effectiveness
• Define the roles individuals play in a group
• Identify other issues affecting group communication
Chapter Objectives
Understanding Groups
• A collection of more than two people
• Share some kind of relationship
• Communicate in an interdependent fashion
• Collaborate toward a shared purpose
Characteristics of Groups
• A shared identity• Common goals
–Specific or general–Shared sense of purpose
• Interdependent relationshipsThe behavior of each member
affects the behavior of every other member
Group Types
• Primary groups(Family and friends)
• Support groups• Problem-solving groups• Study groups• Focus groups• Self-directed work
teams
Group Development
• Forming Stage–Who will be in charge–Group’s goals
• Storming Stage–What roles will members play–Conflict may occur
Group Development
• Norming Stage–Establish agreed norms
governing expectationsNorms: Recurring patterns of behavior or thinking that become the “usual” way of doing things in the group
–Roles solidify–Leader emerges
Group Development
• Performing StageMembers work together to
achieve goals and overcome hurdles
• Adjourning Stage–Members reflect on
accomplishments and failures–Determine next steps as a
group
Group Size and Communication
• The larger the group…– Interaction is more formal– Each member has limited
opportunities to contribute– Communication is less intimate– Interactions are more time
consuming– The relationships are more
complex
Group Size and Communication
Size, Cliques, and Coalitions
• The larger the group…–Cliques (Coalitions) emerge
Small subgroups of individuals who have bonded together within a group
–Countercoaltions can developSubgroups that are positioned against each other on issues
Group Size and Social Loafing
• The larger the group…– The more likely social loafing is to
occur• Failing to invest the same level of
effort in the group that you would put in if working alone
• Affects participation and communication in groups
– The more difficult it is to assess individual contributions to the group
Group Networks
• Patterns of interaction governing who speaks with whom in a group and about what
• Two features–Centrality– Isolation
Group Networks
• Types of Networks
Additional Factors Affecting Group Communication
• Interdependence• Cohesion
The degree to which group members have bonded and consider themselves one entity
• Group ClimateGroup temperament
Additional Factors Affecting Group Communication
• Norms• Roles
–Task Roles–Social Roles–Antigroup Roles–Role Conflict
• Clarity of Goals
Additional Factors Affecting Group Communication
• Groupthink and ConflictA situation in which group
members strive to minimize conflict by demonstrating loyalty
• Individual Differences–Cultural factors–Communication apprehension