Group Dynamics

 

Group Effectiveness: An active group needs to accomplish three main tasks (1) accomplish its goals, (2) maintain good working relationships among its members, and (3) developing and adapting to changing conditions in ways that improve its effectiveness. (Johnson and Johnson, 2000).

Johnson and Johnson (2000) provides a nine-point system for managing group effectiveness:

  1. Group goals must be clearly understood, be relevant to the needs of members, and highlight the positive interdependence of members
  2. Group members must communicate their ideas and feelings in a way that is understood by the group
  3. Participation and leadership need to be distributed among the members
  4. Appropriate decsion-making procedures must be flexible in order to match the situation
  5. Conflicts should be encouraged, but managed so that they promote quality, creativity, and diversity of ideas.
  6. Power and influence need to be approximately equal throughout the group
  7. There needs to be a high level of group cohesion and cooperation
  8. Problem-solving ability and action should be high
  9. The interpersonal effectiveness of members needs to be high

Group Norms:Norms are behavioral rules followed by the members of a group. Norms can be explicitly spelled out for group members, or simply implied through group behavior. What are some norms that your group follows?

Norms can include:
    Written rules: set of standards and guidelines, a constitution, judicial codes, campus rules, and city or state laws

    Nonexplicit/ implied rules: where do people sit, is there a set meeting time or do people trickle in, who generally volunteers for duties, who motions for various votes or ideas?

    Norms beyond awareness: raising your hand to be called on, the order of meetings, a standard meeting place, common activities.

 

Group Development:

According to Tuckman's model of groups development, groups when created go through five steps: