Chapter 5

Group cohesion

the strength of the bonds linking members to a group. Cohesiveness is an indication of the health of the group and is related to a variety of other group processes.

Orientation (forming) stage

Members experience tentative interactions, tension, concern over ambiguity, growing interdependence, and attempts to identify the nature of the situation.

Conflict (storming) stage

Members express dissatisfaction with the group, respond emotionally, criticize one another, and form coalitions.

Structure (norming) stage

Unity increases, membership stabilizes, members report increased satisfaction, and the group's internal dynamics intensify.

Wheelan's Group Development Questionnaire

measures group development.

How does cohesion develop over time?

1. Cohesion is, in most cases, the consequence of a period of group development—a pattern of growth and change beginning with initial formation and ending, in most cases, with dissolution. 2. As Hill notes, many theories have been developed to explain group development. Most, however, are consistent with Tuckman's five-stage model.

What are the positive and negative consequences of cohesion?

1. In most instances, cohesion is associated with increases in member satisfaction and decreases in turnover and stress. Roy's analysis of "banana time" in work groups illustrates how groups maintain cohesiveness through ritual and social interaction. 2. Cohesion intensifies group processes. Cohesive groups can be so psychologically demanding that they cause emotional problems for members (e.g., the old sergeant's syndrome). Dependence, pressure to conform, and acceptance of influence are greater in cohesive groups, and can result in the mistaken decisions identified by Janis in his theory of groupthink. 3. Cohesion and performance are linked, both because success increases a group's cohesion and because cohesive groups tend to outperform less cohesive groups. Meta-analytic studies by Mullen, Copper, and other researchers suggest that each component of cohesion contributes to task proficiency.

Stability, size, and structure

As defined by Ziller, open groups display less cohesion than closed groups. Smaller groups tend to be more cohesive than larger groups, as do groups with particular structural features 141 (such as the absence of subgroups, less hierarchy, etc.).

A number of factors combine to determine a group's level of cohesiveness, including

Attraction Stability, size, and structure Initiations

Group cohesiveness and productivity

Even though cohesive groups tend to outperform less cohesive groups, this relationship is strongest when members are committed to the group's tasks. If group norms do not encourage high productivity, then cohesiveness and productivity are negatively related.

Initiations

Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance explains why initiations can increase commitment to a group, and Aronson and Mills confirmed that people who go through some kind of initiation to join a group tend to like that group more. However, when an initiation is severe, such as some extreme hazing practices, it does not increase cohesiveness.

Social cohesion

Lewin and Festinger, taking a social psychological approach to cohesion, emphasized the impact of attraction (in both individuals and groups) on cohesion. Hogg's concept of social attraction stresses a specific form of group-level attraction based on social identity processes.

How to define/measure cohesion

Researchers have developed a number of operational definitions of cohesion, using observation, structured observation, and self-report methods.Cohesion, as a multilevel concept, can also be measured at multiple levels.

Attraction

Sherif and Sherif, using a unique field-study method in a boys' summer camp, found that the same sorts of variables that influence liking and group formation also influence the cohesiveness of the group that is formed.

A multicomponent, multilevel approach to group cohesion assumes cohesion has a variety of indicators, including:

Social cohesion Task cohesion Emotional cohesion Perceived cohesion

Emotional cohesion

The affective intensity of the group, often described as élan, morale, esprit de corps, or positive affective tone. Group-level, consensual emotions are distinct from an individual-level emotions.

Perceived cohesion

The extent to which the group members feel as though they belong in the group (individual-level) and the overall entitativity of the group (group-level).

Dissolution (adjourning) stage

The group disbands. A group's entry into the dissolution stage can be either planned or spontaneous, but even planned dissolution can create problems for members as they work to reduce their dependence on the group.

Work (performing) stage

The group's focus shifts to the performance of tasks and goal attainment. Not all groups reach this stage, for even highly cohesive groups are not necessarily productive.

Task cohesion

The strength of the group's focus on a task, and the degree of (a) teamwork displayed by group members as they coordinate their efforts and (b) the group's level of collective efficacy.

Tuckman's model of group development

a successive-stage theory—it specifies the usual order of the phases of group development. Cyclical models, such as Bales's equilibrium model, maintain that groups cycle through various stages repeatedly. Punctuated equilibrium models suggest that groups sometimes move through periods of accelerated change.

Tuckman's five-stage model

▪ Orientation (forming) stage ▪ Conflict (storming) stage ▪ Structure (norming) stage ▪ Work (performing) stage ▪ Dissolution (adjourning) stage