Group Dynamics

1. Group Dynamics

2. Group Development • Bruce Tuckman is credited with creating one of the most studied model of group development in 1965 • He broke the formation of groups into 4 basic stages

3. Forming • Group is just coming together • Characterised by shyness, uncertainty and diffidence among members • Members test the boundaries of the group

4. Storming • Period of jockeying for position, authority and influence • Disagreements appear or manufactured and roles allocated • Initial leaders may not survive this period • Uncomfortable feelings

5. Norming • Having sorted out internal structure begin to look at what group stands for • From group identity • Have more cohesiveness and new standards and new roles

6. Performing • Relatively stable structure • Roles become flexible and functional • Group energy is channeled into tasks

7. Later Stage • A later stage was introduced by Tuckman in 1977

8. Adjourning • Also labeled “mourning” • Involves dissolution • Termination of roles, completion of tasks • Members sometimes feel “loss”

9. Roles in Groups • Leader • Recorder (note taker) • Facilitator • Members

10. Questions of How Groups Work • What forces bind members to their groups • Primarily types of cohesion • Task and social cohesion • Vertical and horizontal cohesion • Belongingness and morale • Personal versus social attraction

11. Questions continued • Who will lead and who will follow? • Personality traits form early leaders • Prior expectations • Bias (female) • Cultural differences

12. Questions continued • How do groups influence their members? • Social influence and persuasion • Social identity • Attitude changes

13. Questions continued • Do groups influence their members’ self-conceptions? • Groups make people behave and think about themselves and others characteristically common to group • Social identity theory

14. Questions continued • How can relationships between groups be improved? • Reducing intergroup conflict • Decategorize, recategorize, mutual group differentiation processes • Facilitate each other’s importance

15. Questions continued • How can groups be used to enhance psychological adjustment and well-being? • Member to member • Leader to member • Member to leader

16. Brainstorming • An important part of group dynamics is brainstorming • Brainstorming is a conference technique by which a group attempts to find a solution for a specific problem by amassing all the ideas spontaneously by its members (Osborn)

17. Brainstorming Rules • Postpone and withhold judgment of ideas • Encourage wild and exaggerated ideas • Quantity counts at this stage, not quality • Build on the ides put forward by others • Every person and every idea has equal worth

18. Participant Rules • Follow general brainstorming rules • Suggest ideas which wil work as solutions • Suggest ideas which will stimulate solutions in others

19. Process • Know why you want to run a brainstorming session • Should be used to generate lots of new ideas and solutions • NOT used for analysis or for decision making • Targeted to specific topic

20. Process continued • Decide how you will run the session and who will take part • Who will lead – facilitator • Introduce the session • Keeps an eye on time • Makes sure rules are obeyed • Decide group members – large/small

21. Process continued • Prepare the room and materials • For group of approximately 12 people • Arrange people in circle with no head • Have flip charts for writing down ideas • Each person pad and paper • Select a secretary to write down ideas

22. Process continued • Prepare the participants and issue invites • Send out invites by post or email with time and place and how long • Remind people right before meeting

23. Process continued • After brainstorming meeting send out information to everyone • Share ideas and brainstorming solutions, etc. with members • Thank everyone for participating • Talk about next steps