1. Chapter 8 Foundations of Group Behavior

2. Groups: Formal & Informal

3. The Five-Stage Model of Group Development
1) Forming -
2) Storming
3) Norming
4) Performing
5) Adjourning

4. 5 Stage Model (continued)

5. The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

6. Group Structure - Roles

7. Group Structure - Roles (cont’d)

8. Roles “Gone Bad” Stanford Prison Study (1973)
Do “normal” people “change” when they are placed in a certain role?
Do we act out the expected roles in a situation?

9. Group Structure - Norms
Classes of Norms:
Performance norms* are key

10. Conformity: Asch Studies
Which line is the same length as “X”?

11. What’s the “best” size of a group?
Smaller groups = faster task completion
Larger groups = better problem solvers
Larger groups may have more “social loafers”
Groups of 5 or 7 (odd #) tend to show to best elements of both small and large groups
Question: Should groups always strive for cohesiveness? What do you think?

12. Performance & Cohesiveness

13. Group vs. Individual Decision Making
Strengths: Group
More complete information
Increased diversity of views
Higher quality of decisions
Increased acceptance of solutions
Weaknesses: Group
More time consuming
Increased pressure to conform
Domination by one or a few members
Ambiguous responsibility

14. Group Think & Group Shift

15. Group Decision Making Techniques
Interacting group = a “typical” group meeting with face to face to discussion and communication
Brainstorming = Idea generation & no criticism
Nominal group technique = restrict discussion and allow pre-written ideas to be voiced
Electronic meeting = communicating anonymously via a “chat room” or “message board” type environment (not very efficient)

16. Summary & Implications for Managers
Performance:
Structural factors show a relationship to performance.
There is a positive relationship between role perception and an employee’s performance evaluation.
Norms control group member behavior by establishing standards of right and wrong.
The impact of size on a group’s performance depends upon the type of task in which the group is engaged.