CHAPTERS 9 and 10

Groups

GROUPSWhat are they good for?

Advantages DisadvantagesDisadvantages• Risky shift phenomena• Many viewpoints• Challenging ideas before

they are put into place• Greater commitment to

the decision reached

• Time-consuming• Individuality sacrificed• Groupthink• Social loafing

Types of groups

• Work teams• Study Groups• Support Groups• Committees• Media conferences• Focus groups• Families• Public meetings• Town meetings

Group operations

What motivated you to choose your group

members?

Group operations

• Group comes together to accomplish a task

What conflicts arose as the group decided what to draw and how / who

would draw it?

Group operations

• Causes of conflict• Power struggle• Personal problems with

the rules of operation• Personality conflicts

• If storming doesn’t happen make sure it’s not because of groupthink

• Power– Expert– Referent– Reward– Coercive– Legitimate

Group Leadership

How did you resolve conflicts?

Group operations

• Group norms are established

Group operations

• Members feel commitment to the group

Once you started drawing, who made suggestions? Who

actually did the drawing?

Group operations

• Action stage

• Group works towards goals and makes decisions

• Decision-making is influenced by the task and maintenance dimensions

Communicative Roles

 Communicative maintenance roles

• Treat others with respect• Maintain a positive attitude• Encourage others• Pay attention to nonverbal

messages• Assume an active role

Communicative task roles

Initiating ideasEncouraging ideasUsing reasoned thoughtStaying open-mindedBeing aware of hidden

agendasBeing attentive to

nonverbal cuesBeing cognizant of time

constraints

How / why did the group disperse?

Group operations

• All groups need closure

More on group participants

The Group Participant

• Enthusiastic• Intelligent• Self-reliant• Communicates with other

members• Actively engages in the work

of the group• Critically assesses group

decisions• Contributes creative ideas

Shared Responsibilites

• All members should be knowledgeable

• Dominators can destroy the group

• It’s your right NOT to participate. But you agree to give up your responsibilities and your privileges if you don’t

• Participants should recognize that rejection of their ideas is not a rejection of them as people

• Prejudices and beliefs may need to be set aside, but not by peer pressure

Dealing with Difficult Group Members

• Impossible members run the risk of being expelled or ignored

• Don’t try to appease them

• Resist the temptation to react reciprocally

• Don’t give them a soapbox

• Try to convert the disruption into

a contribution

• Confront the person directly

• Separate yourself from the person