Chapter 9: Group Cohesion

what isn't a group?

- A statistical grouping - Unorganized collections - Subculture - Organizations - Associations

What is the assumption of strong team cohesion?

- Assumption is that when team cohesion is strong, the group is motivated to perform well and is better able to coordinate activities that will lead to a positive team outcome

The need to affiliate

- fundamental - is manifested in countless situations - influences are thoughts and emotions - affects health if not satisfied - is present in all people - influences behaviour

Environmental Correlates

- group size - specific activity setting

What are characteristics that contribute to group cohesion?

- individual adherence - intention to return - individual effort - social loafing - individual sacrifice - self-handicapping

when do individuals tend to loaf?

- individuals tend to loaf in groups and that the effect occurs consistently across many populations and with many different tasks - increase group cohesion= less social loafing

Conceptual Model of Group Cohesion

- portrays cohesion as a multidimensional 1. individual aspects & group aspects 2. task cohesion & Social Cohesion

Conceptual- 4 Stage Team Building Model

- provides a frame of reference for the participants - In the conceptual model, cohesion within the group is viewed as an output or product of conditions that arise from three different categories of group characteristics

Inputs in conceptual model

Two categories are inputs; the environment of the group and the structure of the group - develop a greater sense of "we"

What are ways to measure group cohesion?

- social and leadership choices - sociograms - sociometry - sport specific questionnaires

Assembly Effect

Variations in group behaviour that are a result of the particular combinations of individuals in the group

Cohesion

Dynamic process which reflects tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfactions of member affective needs

There is a ____________ line between which type of hazing build cohesion who is cross the line to demeaning others in value as a human being

Fine

5. the group is defined by self categorization

a. A group is two or more individuals [who] ... perceive themselves to be members of the same social category b. Turner (1982) c. Groups within a team in the same category i. Defence, forwards,

1. The group defined by common fate

a. A set of individuals who are interdependent-an event that influences one member is likely to affect all c. How you collectively come together and decide fate while building positive environment

What should hazing be replaced with?

Hazing should be replaced with positive team building activities that help to unify the group such as having all players dressed for team functions, attend a team skit night or do community service as a team

Results indicate that the perception of athlete leaders engaging in the behaviours of training and instruction and social support was associated with __________levels above task and social cohesion

Higher

Situational Factors

a. Elements of the specific situation and the environment

Multidimensional

a. Factors that hold groups together are varied and numerous b. Multidimensional in nature.

3. The group is defined by Social Structure

a. Members share norms about something... [including] the roles of the group members b. Newcomb (1951) c. There is hierocracy on teams, being a captain

leadership factors

a. Style of Leadership preferred by the group b. Must put the right views in place to get the right success

T/F. Correlates are bidirectional

T.

T/F. Team success has mixed results regarding group cohesion

T. · It remains that there is some evidence that task and social cohesion are associated with better performance

Why might team building factors differ?

Teambuilding factors may differ across the situations because the importance of fundamental group processes changes across groups

Affective reasons

a. strong emotional ties among group members b. I.e. a curling team may stay together because the members make each other laugh and feel comfortable\

What is hazing?

any activity that a person is expected to do when joining a group that seems to humiliate, degree, abuse organ danger that person

Group aspects

beliefs members hold about the group as a collective

What is the most important small variable?

cohesion

Processes associated with Group Effectiveness

communication decision making group think cohesion

Research has found the more _____________ the leader style, the greater the tendency for cohesion to develop

democratic

what are the 4 cohesion characteristics?

dynamic not stable multidimensional instrument in nature affective reasons

Distinctiveness is a factor in the environment that can be ____________.

manipulated

Specific Activity Setting

o There's a whole group together might change across situations o Specific settings or contacts can affect the perceptions of cohesiveness that develop

The study of cohesion has revealed that enhances levels of cohesion are associated with key _________ for both individual and the team in the sports

outcomes

Sociometry

research technique developed to graphically and mathematically summarize patterns of inter-member relations

Principles underlying team structure

role clarity and acceptance leadership conformity to standards

Starters perceived more _____ Cohesion on their team and non-starters however this occurred only on teams that were less successful

task - On teams that were more successful there were no differences in the levels of perceived cohesion between the stars and nonstarters

Principles underlying team environment

togetherness & distinctiveness

Autocratic Style

· Decision style that involves independent decision making as dresses personal authority on the part of the leader

Psychological Momentum results

Study results revealed that members of highly cohesive teams rated their team as possessing more psychological momentum then did the members of team is perceived as less cohesive

T/F. Cohesion can be an important mechanism explaining other relationships in the sport and exercise settings

T

T/F. Internal sacrifices made by individuals and teammates of the most powerful effect on cohesion

T

What was the GEQ based on?

- 18 questions are divided into four subscales which reflect the two dimensions in the conceptual model - Has generally received good psychometric support across the ride range of teams and situations

Interventions- 4 stage team building model

a. This stage of the coaches and exercise leaders take the team building protocols that they have developed of the workshop and introduce them into their groups b. Duration varies across situations

Introduction- 4 stage team building model

a. With a brief overview of the benefits of cohesion to their specific setting b. Hear about relationships

2. The group is defined by Mutual Benefit

a. individuals b. Bass (1960) c. Before it used to be all about the coach, but now the coach and players must benefit

Athletes Starting Status

o Study found that players that are both high school and college levels who were selected to start came scored higher on measures of task cohesion then players who are not selected to start

What are groups important in terms of?

o Their Number o Their influence on individual behaviour o Their prevalence in sport o Fact that they satisfy a fundamental need

What is cohesiveness?

- The term cohesiveness has long been associated with the amount of 'togetherness' displayed by a team both on and off the field

Task Cohesion

a. The degree to which group members are united in achieving the common goal, such as winning the game

Social Cohesion

a. The degree to which group members like each other & get along with mutual trust

Collective Efficacy results

o It was found that teams in high collective efficacy rate of Task and social cohesion higher than teams lower in collective efficacy

what is social loafing caused by?

- A belief that you effort won't change the result - A perception that others are not trying, so why should you? - A belief that others will cover for your lack of effort - Individual effort not being recognized - Lack of reinforcement from others - Low confidence - Perceived low ability- links to avoidance behaviour - Poor leadership - Negative attitudes

Transformational Leadership

- A method of leadership where the leader builds relationships with followers through inspirational exchanges that serve to increase the motivation, confidence, and satisfaction of followers beyond normal expectations - Leaders who use this type of leadership tend to have higher task cohesion

Training and instruction

- Behaviours by the coach that are geared to improving team members performance - i.e. instruction in skills, techniques and tactics

Positive Feedback

- Behaviours by the coach that reinforce an athlete by recognizing and rewarding strong performance

What isn't adequate in defining a group?

- Common goals - Accidental interaction - Organization

what do group dynamic focus on?

- Focuses on gaining knowledge about the nature of groups and their development and on understanding their interrelationships between groups and individuals, other groups, and larger institutions

Majority rule

- Groups that use majority rule, which is based on the simple principle of equal participation and equal power, tend to make more successful decisions - Sometimes reflects conformity over true personal beliefs

What can coaches do?

- Highlighting individual performances - Monitoring individuals with feedback - Using positive reinforcement when possible - Promoting cohesion within the team - Setting individual goals - Giving specific roles

Indirect Approach to team building activities

- Indirect approaches, the intervention specialist works directly with the team members to provide them with greater insight and greater independence -Team members will become more intrinsically motivated

Social Support

- Involves leader behaviour is characterized by concern for the welfare of the individual athletes, the fostering of a positive group atmosphere, and warm relationships with team members

When is Social Cohesion important?

- Is most important in co-active sports like track and field athletics or fitness groups - Social cohesion involves the formation of personal relationships within the group that provide the individual with support and friendship

When is task cohesion the most important ?

- Is most important in interactive sports and activities such as hockey... team members working with each other to complete a task successfully

What are mediators?

- Mediators are mechanisms that account for the fact of one variable on another variable\ - Team building research

group environment questionnaires

- Most extensively used - Major strength likely stems from the fact that is based on an accepted definition of cohesion as well as an accepted conceptual framework of cohesion

Group Think

- Occurs when concurrent seeking become so dominant in a cohesive group that attends to overshadow realistic appraisals of alternative courses of action

Team Building

- Programs promoting increased sense of team unity and cohesiveness, enabling the team to work together more smoothly - be careful of hazing - team building enhances cohesion

Psychological Momentum

- Refers to perception on the part of team members that the team is progressing toward at school -

What is self-handicapping?

- Strategies to protect one's self-esteem by providing excuses for forthcoming events - This is done by providing explanations were in potential failure can be attributed to external factors rather than internal

Leadership for sports (LSS)

- The LSS contains five leaderships of skills, with three reflecting behaviours (training and instruction, social support and positive feedback) and the two remaining reflecting decision style (autocratic style and democratic style)

Correlates of Group Cohesion

- The use of the term correlate, which simply refers to a factor associated with another factor, is intentional, given the most research in group cohesion is of a correlational, rather than a cause-and-effect, nature

Two be defined as a sport team two or more individuals have:

- a collective identity - common goals and objectives - Common fate - Normative modes of communication - Structured patterns of interactions - Task and personal interdependence - Interpersonal attraction - A belief they are a group

Throughput of conceptual model

- group processes - Within these 3 categories, specific factors are identified that have previously emerged as being associated with enhanced group cohesiveness

what are group dynamics?

- the patterns of interaction between groups and individuals o The social processes operating within the group between individual members o Can apply in several environments o Can be positive or negative

leaders behaviours

- training and instruction - social support - positive feedback - Coaches that engage in these three had teams that had good social and task cohesion

is social loafing dysfunctional behaviour?

- yes it prevents effective teamwork - Notice the link between cause of social loafing, low self-confidence, negative attribution and avoidance behaviour

Strategies to enhance communication in teams

-provide opportunities to socialize to increase comfort levels among players, - arranging the dressing room so that players are close enough to talk to each other easily - encouraging players to modify any dissenting ideas - promoting cooperation and reducing rivalry by focusing on group goals

Four Cohesion Factors in sports group?

1. Individual attraction to the group-task 2. Individual attraction to the group-social 3. Group integration-task 4. Group Integration-social

what is the framework for defining a group?

1. group defined by common fate 2. the group is defined by mutual benefit 3. the group is defined by social structure 4. the group is defined by interaction 5. the group is defined by self-categorization

What are the 4 stages team building model?

1. introduction 2. Conceptual 3. Practical 4. Interventions

What are factors affecting team cohesion?

1. situational factors 2. individual factors 3. leadership factors 4. Team Factors

individual Adherence

A greater sense of group cohesiveness (primarily task) was associated with improved adherence of behaviour across both structured exercise settings (i.e. class as you sign up for such a spin class) and unstructured exercise settings (no sign-up required)

Group Cohesion as a Mediator

A study revealed task cohesion mediated the relationship between exercise leaders' behaviours (i.e. availability, motivation and enthusiasm) and both attendance and perceived exertion in order exercisers

Interaction

An action or reaction between two factors or people

Democratic Style

Decision style that allows participation by team members in joints decision-making with the leader

Sociograms

Diagrams of the relationships among group members

T/F. 4 categories of correlates are independent ?

F. Are not intended to be independent; that is factors within different categories may be related

T/F. Cohesion is not a complex construct

F. It is complex - Another study found that cohesion was perceived to be a complex construct that unfolded over the course of the season

A __________ relationship between communication and group cohesion also has been demonstrated within exercise groups

Positive

Individual Effort

Prapavessis and Carron found work output (measured by percentage of maximum oxygen consumption) who is greater for athletes who held higher perceptions of the task cohesiveness of their team

Intention to Return

Results from three studies suggest that previous research indicating a relationship between cohesion and in-group adherence may be extended to the longer-term measure of intention to participate further with the team in both male and female team sport settings

Results of Individual sacrifices regarding team cohesion?

Results supported the conclusion that reports of individual sacrifice intimate sacrifice contributed to team task and social cohesion

What are the two dimensions of Individual Sacrifices?

Study assessed sacrifice along two dimensions: internal vs external sacrifices and individual social sacrifice vs. teammate social sacrifice

T/F. Players who said team has high social cohesion are usually the hardest working

T

Team Cohesion

Team cohesion is commonly defined as a dynamic process that is reflected in the tendency to remain united in the pursuit of its goals and objectives

Group Cohesion

The tendency of a group or team to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its goals or objectives

Instrumental in Nature

a. All groups form for a reason b. This characteristic reflects the most basic facts, namely, that all groups form for reason c. What is that reason?

Individual Aspects

a. Beliefs group members hold about personal benefits

Individual Factors

a. Characteristics of team members b. Ppl get sick, have bad days

Team Factors

a. Collective team goals, communication, shared success b. Are team goals visible? To be reaffirmed c. Can get a good identity out of a team buy just observing

4. The group is defined by Interaction

a. For a collection of individuals to be considered a group, there must be interaction b. Hare (1976) c. Want interactions to be positive or else can be detrimental

Practical- 4 stage team building model

a. Main purpose of the stages of the coaches and exercise leaders become active agents in developing practical strategies that they will using their own group settings b. Brain storming specific techniques, procedures in place for team building

Dynamic not static

a. Reasons for cohesion can change over time b. An examination of the development of cohesion within exercise groups revealed that cohesion develop differently, with social cohesion changing over time, but task cohesion remaining relatively stable

Results of team building interventions in exercise classes?

a. Results revealed her teambuilding interventions significantly enhance the members cohesion in exercise classes

Cohesion has been defined in various ways, including ________ to the group, level of ___________ evidenced by group members, and ____________ of group members

attraction motivation coordination

Group Size

o An inverse relationship has emerged between cohesion and group size, both generally and specifically within sport and exercise o The smaller the group the greater the level of cohesion

what are the 4 categories of correlates?

environmental, leadership, personal and team factors

Collective Efficacy

o A group's shared perception of the groups capabilities to succeed at a given task - found only in elite teams

What is social loafing?

reduction in individual effort when individuals were collectively compared to when they're alone

Principles underlying team processes

sacrifices, goals and objectives, cooperation

Team correlates of group cohesion

team success collective efficacy psychological momentum athletes starting status

Leader's decision style

the degree to which a leader allows participation by sub ordinance in decision-making - autocratic and democratic