CRW Chapter 13: small group communication

social loafing

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable; they contribute less to the group than other members or than they would if working alone

relational-oriented groups

are formed to promote interpersonal connections and are more focused on quality interactions that contribute to the well-being of group members

task oriented groups

are formed to solve a problem, promote a cause, or generate ideas or information

secondary groups

characterized by less frequent face-to-face interactions, less emotional and relational communication, and more task-related communication than primary groups

storming stage

conflict emerges as people begin to perform their various roles, have their ideas heard, and negotiate where they fit in the group's structure

teams

task-oriented groups in which members are especially loyal and dedicated to the task of other group members

small group communication

refers to interactions among three or more people who are connected through a common purpose, mutual influence, and a shared identity

social cohesion

refers to the attraction and liking among group members.

task cohesion

refers to the commitment of group members to the purpose and activities of the group

group cohesion

refers to the commitment of members to the purpose of the group and the degree of attraction among individuals within the group

synergy

refers to the potential for gains in performance or heightened quality of interactions when complementary members or member characteristics are added to existing ones

group socialization

refers to the process of teaching and learning the norms, rules, and expectations associated with group interaction and group member behaviors

group climate

refers to the relatively enduring tone and quality of group interaction that is experienced similarly by group members

symbolic convergence

refers to the sense of community or group consciousness that develops in a group through non-task-related communication such as stories and jokes.

interdependence

small groups exhibit interdependence, meaning they share a common purpose and common fate

virtual groups

take advantage of new technologies and meet exclusively or primarily online to achieve their purpose or goal

norming stage

the practices and expectations of the group are solidified, which leads to more stability, productivity, and cohesion within the group

key takeaways: the five stages of group development include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning

1. During the forming stage, group members engage in socially polite exchanges to help reduce uncertainty and gain familiarity with new members. Even though their early interactions may seem unproductive, they lay the groundwork for cohesion and other group dynamics that will play out more prominently in later stages. 2. During the storming stage, conflict emerges as group members begin to perform their various roles, have their ideas heard, and negotiate where they fit in the group's structure. Conflict is inevitable and important as a part of group development and can be productive if it is managed properly. 3. During the norming stage, the practices and expectations (norms and rules) of the group are solidified, which leads to more stability, productivity, and cohesion within the group. 4. During the performing stage, group members work relatively smoothly toward the completion of a task or the achievement of their purpose, ideally capitalizing on the synergy that comes from the diverse experiences group members bring to the decision-making process. 5. During the adjourning stage, a group dissolves because its purpose has been met, because membership has declined or the group has lost support, or due to some other internal or external cause. It is important that groups reflect on the life of the group to learn any relevant lessons and celebrate accomplishments.

key takeaways

Advantages of group communication include shared decision making, shared resources, synergy, and exposure to diversity. Disadvantages of group communication include unnecessary group formation (when the task would be better performed by one person), difficulty coordinating schedules, and difficulty with accountability and social loafing.

to avoid groupthink, groups should

Divvy up responsibilities between group members so decision-making power isn't in the hands of a few • Track contributions of group members in such a way that each person's input and output is recorded so that it can be discussed • Encourage and reward the expression of minority or dissenting opinions • Allow members to submit ideas prior to a discussion so that opinions aren't swayed by members who propose ideas early in a discussion • Question each major decision regarding its weaknesses and potential negative consequences relative to competing decisions (encourage members to play "devil's advocate") • Have decisions reviewed by an outside party that wasn't involved in the decision-making process • Have a "reflection period" after a decision is made and before it is implemented during which group

key takeaways

Getting integrated: Small group communication refers to interactions among three or more people who are connected through a common purpose, mutual influence, and a shared identity. Small groups are important communication units in academic, professional, civic, and personal contexts.

key takeaways: small groups serve several functions as they meet instrumental, interpersonal, and identity needs

Groups meet instrumental needs, as they allow us to pool resources and provide access to information to better help us survive and succeed. ◦ Groups meet interpersonal needs, as they provide a sense of belonging (inclusion), an opportunity to participate in decision making and influence others (control), and emotional support. ◦ Groups meet identity needs, as they offer us a chance to affiliate ourselves with others whom we perceive to be like us or whom we admire and would like to be associated with.

key takeaways: groups experience different kinds of conflict

Procedural conflict emerges from disagreements or trouble with the mechanics of group operations and deal with questions about "how" a group should do something. A leader may be able to resolve this conflict by changing or explaining a procedure or taking, from group members, proposals for or votes on procedural revisions. ◦ Substantive conflict focuses on group members' differing beliefs, attitudes, values, or ideas related to the purpose or task of the group. Leaders and other group members should avoid closing off this type of conflict before people have had a chance to be heard, as a lack of substantive conflict can lead to groupthink. Instead, listen to all viewpoints, try to find common ground, and then weigh and evaluate the information as a group. ◦ Interpersonal conflict emerges from personal conflict between individual members of a group. Manage interpersonal conflict by getting to the root cause of the conflict. In some cases, interpersonal conflict may be disguised as procedural or substantive conflict, or it may develop as a result of poorly managed procedural or substantive conflict. Leaders, group members not directly involved in the conflict, or even outside third parties may also be able to effectively mediate interpersonal conflict

Key takeaways: There are various types of groups, including task-oriented, relational-oriented, primary, and secondary groups, as well as teams

Task-oriented groups are formed to solve a problem, promote a cause, or generate ideas or information, while relational-oriented groups are formed to promote interpersonal connections. While there are elements of both in every group, the overall purpose of a group can usually be categorized as primarily task or relational oriented. ◦ Primary groups are long-lasting groups that are formed based on interpersonal relationships and include family and friendship groups, and secondary groups are characterized by less frequent interaction and less emotional and relational communication than in primary groups. Our communication in primary groups is more frequently other oriented than our communication in secondary groups, which is often self-oriented. ◦ Teams are similar to task-oriented groups, but they are characterized by a high degree of loyalty and dedication to the group's task and to other group members.

group fantasies

Verbalized references to events outside the "here and now" of the group, including references to the group's past, predictions for the future, or other communication about people or events outside the group.

groupthink

a negative group phenomenon characterized by a lack of critical evaluation of proposed ideas or courses of action that results from high levels of cohesion and/or high conformity pressures

secondary tension

emerges after groups have passed the forming stage of group development and begin to have conflict over member roles, differing ideas, and personality conflicts

interpersonal conflict

emerges from conflict between individual members of the group

procedural conflict

emerges from disagreements or trouble with the mechanics of group operations

substantive conflict

focuses on group members' differing beliefs, attitudes, values, or ideas related to the purpose or task of the group

forming stage

group members begin to reduce uncertainty associated with new relationships and/or new tasks through initial interactions that lay the foundation for later group dynamics

performing stage

group members work relatively smoothly toward the completion of a task or achievement of a purpose

primary groups

long-lasting groups that are formed based on relationships and include SO's

adjourning stage

occurs when a group dissolves because it has completed its purpose or goal, membership is declining and support for the group no longer exists, or it is dissolved because of some other internal or external cause.

qualities that contribute to a positive group climate and morale:

participation messages feedback equity clear and accepted roles motivation

primary tension

which is tension based on uncertainty that is a natural part of initial interactions.

key takeaways

• Small groups have to start somewhere, but their course of development varies after forming based on many factors. Some groups go through each stage of development in a progressive and linear fashion, while other groups may get stuck in a stage, skip a stage, or experience a stage multiple times.

key takeaways

• Task cohesion refers to the degree of commitment of group members to the purpose and activities of the group, and social cohesion refers to the degree of attraction and liking among group members. Group climate refers to the relatively enduring tone and quality of group interaction that is experienced similarly by group members. The degree of each type of cohesion affects the group's climate. Groups can be very close socially but not perform well if they do not have an appropriate level of task cohesion. Groups that are too focused on the task can experience interpersonal conflict or a lack of motivation if the social cohesion, which helps enhance the feeling of interdependence, is lacking. • Group socialization refers to the process of teaching and learning the norms, rules, and expectations associated with group interaction and group member behaviors. Group members are socialized by receiving technical and social information. Cohesion plays a role in socialization, as groups that have high levels of task and social cohesion are more likely to buy into the norms of the group. Socialization continues after a member has joined, as members are officially or unofficially rewarded or punished for adhering to or deviating from the group's norms. • Conformity pressures are an important force behind group socialization. Internal pressures such as an internal drive to be seen as part of the group or to avoid feeling ashamed or guilty for deviating from the group influence behavior and communication. Likewise, external pressures such as group policies and the potential for reward or punishment also play into group dynamics. The pressures toward conformity can manifest in groupthink, which is characterized by a lack of critical evaluation of proposed ideas, a high level of agreement, and a fear of argument.

key takeaways: several characteristics influence small groups, including size, structure, interdependence, and shared identity

◦ In terms of size, small groups must consist of at least three people, but there is no set upper limit on the number of group members. The ideal number of group members is the smallest number needed to competently complete the group's task or achieve the group's purpose. ◦ Internal influences such as member characteristics and external factors such as the group's size, task, and access to resources affect a group's structure. A group's structure also affects how group members communicate, as some structures are more centralized and hierarchical and other structures are more decentralized and equal. ◦ Groups are interdependent in that they have a shared purpose and a shared fate, meaning that each group member's actions affect every other group member. ◦ Groups develop a shared identity based on their task or purpose, previous accomplishments, future goals, and an identity that sets their members apart from other groups.