FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR
TYPES OF GROUPS
DEFINITION
2 or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives
Types of groups
Formal groups: defined by organization's structure
Informal groups: alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined
Social identity theory: considers when and why individuals consider themselves members of groups
Relational identification
Collective identification
Ingroup
Outgroups
ROLE REQUIREMENTS CHANGE
ROLE: set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit
ROLE PERCEPTION: one's perception of how to act in a given situation
ROLE EXPECTATIONS: how others believe one should act in a given situation
Psychological contract
ROLE CONFLICT: divergent role expectations
Interrole conflict: when the expectations of our different, separate groups are in opposition
HOW NORMS EXERT INFLUENCE ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR
NORMS
Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group's members
NORMS AND EMOTIONS
Norms can dictate the experience of emotions for the individuals and for the groups (peope grow to interpret their shared emotions in the same way)
NORMS AND BEHAVIOR
Hawthorne studies
POSITIVE NORMS AND GROUP OUTCOMES
NORMS AND CULTURE
HOW STATUS AND SIZE DIFFERENCES AFFECT GROUP PERFORMANCE
STATUS: a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others
Status characteristics theory
The power a person wields over others
A person's ability to contribute to a group's goals
An individual's personal characteristics
Status and norms
High status individuals often have more freedom to deviate from norms
Status and group interaction
High status people are often more assertive
Status inequity
Perceived inequity creates disequilibrium and can lead to resentment and corrective behavior
Group size affects the group's overall behavior
Large groups are good for gaining diverse input
Smaller groups are better doing something with input
Social loafing
The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than alone
COHESION AND GROUP EFFECTIVENESS
GROUP DECISION MAKING
Strengths of group decision making
More complete information and knowledge
Increased diversity of views
Increases acceptance of solutions
Weaknesses of group decision making
Time consuming
Conformity pressures
Dominance of a few members
Ambiguous reponsibility
Effectiveness and efficiency of group decisions
Accuracy
Speed
Creativity
Acceptance
Groupthink
Group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views
Groupshift
A change between a group's decision and an individual decision that a member within the group would make
Interacting groups
Members meet face-to-face and rely on both verbal and nonverbal interaction to communicate with each other
BRAINSTORMING
Group leader states the problem
Members then "free-wheel" as many alternatives as they can
No critism is allowed
One idea stimulates other, and group members are encouraged to "think the unusual"
NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE