Group Dynamics and Sporting Performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2WBCTzOfjA

What is a group? People behave differently individually than when they are in a group. What is a group?

What makes a successful team? 2000 Men's Coxless Four 2003 England Rugby World Cup 2008 England Football Team 2008 Men's Coxless Four 2012 Cycling Team

What is a Group? The key to a group is that the members must be interacting in some way. “Groups are those social aggregates that involve mutual awareness and potential interaction” (J.E.MacGrath, 1984) “A groups is… two or more people who are interacting with one another in such a manner that each person influences and is influenced by each other person.” (M.E. Shaw, 1976)

The sum is greater than the parts FA cup finals Ryder cup Can you think of an example from your sport?

Bootcamp It takes people from all backgrounds, and from different parts of the country who may have nothing in common. They are given the same appearance, which identifies them as the same. The instructor gives them a shared negative experience that will give them something in common. In one quick experience they become a group.

Distinguish a group from a collection of individuals Collective identity Shared norms/values Shared sense of purpose/common goals Interaction between members/efforts of one affect the other Hierarchy of communication Task cohesion- working together Social cohesion Independence from others http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2WBCTzOfjA

Groups- Teams Groups of individuals are not necessarily a team. Teams need in depth interaction in order to share common goals. A coach will take a long time to build a good team and maximise performance. Very strong group

The Research Tuckman (1965) suggested that all groups go through the same progressive stages of development to create a team. Stage1- Forming Stage 2-Storming Stage 3-Norming Stage 4- Performing

Stage 1- Forming Familiarisation Assess strengths and weaknesses Find roles within the group Do they belong? Can they accept and identify with perceived and expected roles and relationships?

Stage 1- Forming Get to know each other Find out about the task of objective Show respect for each other (but not working together) Coach tells them what to do

Stage 2- Storming Individuals or cliques within start to question structure Leader challenged Open hostility – Compete for power Coach needs to reduce effects, usually by open, objective communication

Stage 2- Storming Team members compete with each other May be power struggles Different types of leader emerge Less experienced members will not compromise Team may fail Coach must help them through this stage (Even elite teams can go back to this stage)

Stage 3- Norming Instability disappears Displays of cohesion Needs for common goal recognised Respect for each others contributions Satisfaction from achievement

Stage 3- Norming Team members agree how to work together, rules develop Development of trust, ability to accept criticism Leaders emerge Coach becomes more of a consultant

Stage 4 - Performing Members identify with the team Aware of each others roles Feel they all contribute to success Psychological security Energies channelled to achieve group success

Stage 4 - Performing Team works as a unit, high levels of motivation and interdependence Experienced members of the team make decisions independently Consultation is expected and leadership devolved, but authority and directed are accepted in times of stress. Evaluation of performance

Mourning Occurs after a team breaks up because the task has been completed 2003 World Cup team

Activity Imagine you are a coach of a newly formed team. What strategies might you employ to try to reduce the effects encountered in the storming stage?

Structures & Roles in a Group In the forming stage the structure of the group will begin to develop Begin to adopt roles both informally and formally A role is ‘the specific behaviour expected of a person occupying a certain position in the groups structure’

Types of Roles Formal Roles Teacher, coach, captain Formal task/performance roles Goalkeeper, Penalty taker, Goal kicker Informal roles Team diplomat, joker, team hard man

Roles within a team… Only have meaning within the group Can be expected, perceived and acted out Are assessed and evaluated against expected behaviour Level of status attached Lead to role conflict (Too many hats)

Roles within a team… Players need to be aware of their role and accept it Members adopt certain patterns of behaviour/beliefs- group norms E.g. Way of celebrating, dress, style of play

The Coaches Role Coaches have different ways to enforce the beliefs and ensure members conform to the norm Formal- fines, suspensions Informal- made fun of Clear expectations needed

Activity How would you distinguish a group from a collection of individuals? (4) Name and explain the stages that lead to group formation (4)

Team Success Success of a team (Actual Productivity) is equal to the best it can do (Potential Productivity) minus Faulty Processes (When things go pear shaped!)

Steiner’s Model ACTUAL = POTENTIAL - LOSSES DUE TO PRODUCTIVITY PRODUCTIVITY FAULTY PROCESSES (AP) (PP) (FP) The maximum capability of the group when cohesiveness is strongest Factors that go wrong in team performance which impede/ prevent group cohesion e.g. co-ordination losses & motivational losses The team performance at any given time (due to successful interaction) GROUP COHESION IS THE FORCE THAT BINDS A GROUP TOGETHER, HELPING TO PREVENT FAULTY PROCESSES.

Faulty Processes Co-ordination Losses Motivation Losses These occur when the ‘operational effectiveness’ of the group cannot be sustained for the whole match. Planned strategies/tactics may go wrong due to positional error or bad timing, e.g. Line out in rugby. Motivation Losses This may occur if the task is too difficult. Also an individual might suffer loss of motivation causing them to withdraw effort and coast through that part of the game. A motivation loss that leads to a reduction in effort is called SOCIAL LOAFING. This is called when an individuals efforts go unnoticed or when someone feels like the others on their team are not trying hard enough. People with low SC tend to be loafers. A co-ordination loss that leads to a breakdown in team work is called the RINGLEMANN EFFECT. Problems with team co-ordination are more likely to increase as the number of team members increase.

The Ringlemann Effect & social Loafing Group performance decreases with group size. Ringlemann studied rope pulling & found that a group of 8 did not pull their rope 8 times as hard as 1 person. There is less effort exerted when working with others. Some individuals performed only at 50% effort when in a group.

Social loafing Social loafing is the tendency of individuals to drop their effort & hide within the group. It is an individual motivation loss due to lack of performance identification.

Social loafing Social loafing is 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 recognised

Causes of social loafing cont… Lack of reinforcement from others Low confidence Perceived low ability Low arousal/motivation Poor leadership Negative attitudes

Preventing Social loafing (Reducing motivational losses) To stop the players feeling a lack of motivation towards the team, the coach should try: Highlighting individual performances Monitoring individuals with feedback Using positive reinforcement when possible Rewards Promoting task cohesion within the team Setting individual goals Effective captain