0. Group behavior José Onofre Montesa Andrés
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia
Escuela Superior de Informática Aplicada

1. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Groups
When individuals are in groups, they act differently than do when they are alone.
football,
Parties …
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

2. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Introduction
As we know, people needs social interaction, that can be satisfied in the group context.
Group performance:
2+2 = 3
2+2 = 5
…, it depends on the group.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

3. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Group Definition
Two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives.
People with interpersonal relations as friendship, affection, belongingness or that have similar points of view.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

4. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Classifying Groups
Formal groups.
Those defined by the organization’s structure, with designated work assignments establishing tasks.
Informal groups.
Are alliances that are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined.
Appears in response to the need for social contact.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

5. Formal groups classification
Command group
Subordinates who report directly to a given manager.
Task group
Those working together to complete a job task.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

6. Informal groups classification
Interest group
Thos working together to attain a specific objective with which each is concerned.
Friendship group
Those brought together because they share one or more common characteristics
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

7. Why do people join groups?
Security.
Status.
Self-Esteem.
Affiliation.
Power.
Goal Achievement.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

8. Stages of group development
Five stage model.
The classical: Forming, storming, Norming, performing y adjourning.
The punctuated-equilibrium model.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

9. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Five stage model.
The classical one:
Forming: uncertainty, testing the waters.
Storming: Intragroup conflict, resist the constraints.
Norming: relationship and cohesiveness.
Performing: fully functional.
Adjournment: wrapping up activities.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

10. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Forming
Characteristics:
caution, observation
Diffused group objectives
Low performance,
¿which is mi role? ¿who are the others?
Actions:
Animate to participate
Clarify project objectives, the time table, the roles,..
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

11. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Forming (subgroups)
Characteristics:
Affinity subgroups, comfort.
Objectives clarification
Assigning tasks to subgroups
Performance improvement
Blockage /Group thinking
Actions:
Integrate - disaggregate subgroups
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

12. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Storming
Characteristics:
Conflicts generalization
identification of key points
Cohesion improvement
productivity improvement
Subgroups structure change
Auto-admiration
Actions: conflicts resolution
Constructive confrontation, problem resolution
Identify supra-ordinary objectives
Every body is needed to achieve the objectives.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

13. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Norming
Characteristics:
Formal rules establishment
Evaluation of members because they differences
Good personal relations
Danger if excess or relations and structure
Actions:
Redirect the group toward the objective, remind to people their function
facilitator, advance assessment in accordance with the plan
Know and celebrate the success
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

14. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Performing
Characteristics:
Clarity in the objectives y information share
Individual freedom
Listen to the others, efficacy y performance
collaboration
Interpersonal support
If conflicts they are in tasks
Consensus in the decisions
Actions:
Do nothing, help if needed,...
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

15. The punctuated-equilibrium model.
Phase 1 (50% assigned time)
Transition
Phase 2 (high performance)
Completion
High
Transition
completion
performance
First meeting
Low
Phase 1
Phase 2 A
(A+B)/2 B
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

16. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Sociometry
An analytical technique for studying group interactions
Seeks to find out who people like or dislike and whom they would or would not wish to work with.
Who would you like to associate within the process of carrying out your job?
Name several members with who you would like to spend some of your free time...
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

17. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Sociometry
Social networks: Specific set of linkages among a defined set of individuals.
Clusters: Groups that exist within social networks.
Prescribed clusters: Formal groups like departments, work teams, task forces, or committees.
Emergent clusters: informal, unofficial groups
Coalitions: temporary union with specific purpose.
Cliques: Relatively permanent informal Groups that involve friendship.
Stars: Individuals with the most linkages in a network.
liaisons: Individuals in a social network who connect to two or more clusters but are not members of any cluster.
Bridges: Individuals in a social network who serve as linking pins by belonging to two or more clusters.
Isolates: Individuals who are not connected to a social network
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

18. Why are some group effort more successful than others?
Group task
Group member resources
external Conditions imposed on the group
Performance and satisfaction
Group process
Group structure
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

19. External Conditions imposed on the group
Organization Strategy.
Authority Structures
Formal Regulations
Organizational Resources
Human Resource Selection Process
Performance Evaluation and Reward System
Organizational Culture
Physical work setting
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

20. Group member resources
Abilities
Individuals who hold crucial abilities for attaining the group’s task tend to be
more involved in group activity, generally contribute more ,
more likely to emerge as group leaders,
more satisfied if their talents are effectively utilized by the group.
Personality Characteristics.
Sociability, self-reliance and independence.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

21. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Group structure
Formal Leadership.
Roles
Norms
Status
Size
Composition
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

22. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Roles
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” Shakespeare
All group members are actors, each playing a role.
Definition:
By this term, we mean a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit.
We are required to play a a number of diverse roles, both on and off our jobs.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

23. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Role: identity
Certain attitudes and behaviors consistent with a role.
People have the ability to shift roles rapidly when they recognize that the situation and it’s demands clearly requires a major change.
For instance: Union...
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

24. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Role Perception
An individual’s view of how he or she is supposed to act in a given situation
Where do we these perceptions?
Stimuli all around us:
Friends, films, bocks, news,…
Watch an expert.
(“pasante de abogado” in Spain”)
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

25. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Role Expectations
How others believe a person should act in a given situation.
Example: politicos, priest, polices,…
When we put a role in a person, we do a psychological contract.
An unwritten agreement that sets out what management expects from the employee, an vice versa.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

26. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Role conflict
A situation in which an individual is confronted by divergent role expectations
Different roles expectations can be mutually contradictory
Resolution:
Conciliate, bureaucratic, withdrawal, negotiation, stalling, redefining the facts or the situations to make them appear congruent.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

27. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Norms
Acceptable standards of behavior within a group that are shared by the group’s members.
Influences the behavior of members with a minimum of control.
Can be formal or informal.
Can you fly a paper airplane? …
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

28. Common classes of norms
Performance related processes.
How hard people should work, how to get the job done.
Appropriate communication channels.
Appearance norms
Dress, loyalty, look busy,…
Informal social arrangements
Informal group norms, friendships on job...
Allocation resources
allocation of new tools and equipment, ...
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

29. The “How” and “Why” of norms
Norms develop gradually as group members learn what behaviors are necessary for the group to function effectively.
Develop in the following ways:
Explicit statements made by a member
Critical events in the group history.
Primacy (The first behavior pattern)
Carry-over behaviors from past situations
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

30. What makes a norm important?
If it facilitates the group’s survival.
If it increases the predictability of group members’ behavior.
If it reduces embarrassing interpersonal problems for group members.
If it allows members to express the central value of the group and clarify what is distinctive about the group’s identity
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

31. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Conformity
Si deseas ser aceptado ...
Adjusting one’s behavior to align with the norms of the group.
Reference groups, important groups which individuals belong or hope to belong and with whom’s norms individuals are likely to conform.
Example of cards... ;Politician groups
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

32. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Status.
A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group member by others.
Important factor in motivation
Formal and informal status
titles, amenities
Status and norms.
High-status, more freedom .
Status equity.
You can feel better if promotions are for people with higher level…
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

33. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Size
Depends on what dependent variables you look at.
Problem solving -> Big (12)
Gaining diverse input.
Completing tasks -> Smaller (7)
Faster
Best: Odd number and from 5 to 7 m.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

34. Big groups and social loafing.
The tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

35. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Composition
skills and knowledge < >
Group demography
Degree to which members of a group share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service in the organization
< > better but difficult
Turnover greater if <>
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

36. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
cohesiveness
Degree to which group members are attracted to each other and are motivated to stay in the group.
Determinants
Time spent together
Size (small)
Experience external threats
Cohesiveness is important because is correlated with group productivity
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

37. Relationship: cohesiveness, performance norms and productivity
High
Low
 productivity
 productivity
productivity
Moderate to low productivity
Performance norms
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

38. To encourage group cohesiveness...
Make the group smaller
Agreement with group goals
Increase time spend together
Increase status and difficulty to enter.
Stimulate competition with other groups
Rewards to the group
Isolate the group
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

39. Group Process Synergy Social facilitation effect
Potential Group Effectiveness
Process
Losses
Process Gains
Actual Group Effectiveness + - =
Synergy
Action of two or more substances that results in an effect that is different from the individual summation of the substances.
Social facilitation effect
Tendency for performance to improve or decline in response to the presence of others.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

40. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Group tasks.
Complex tasks: discussion benefits
Novel or non routine
High uncertainty
Information processing
Interdependency
Big groups
Simple tasks:
Routine tasks
Small groups
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

41. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Group decision Making
Groups vs. the individual.
Strengths of group decision making
Weaknesses of group decision making
Effectiveness and efficiency
Groupthink and group shift
Group decision-making techniques.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

42. Strengths of group decision making
More complete information and knowledge
Increased diversity of views
Increased acceptance of a solution.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

43. Weaknesses of group decision making
Time consuming.
Conformity pressures
Dominated by one ore a few members
Ambiguous responsibility
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

44. Effectiveness and efficiency
Effective depends on criteria:
accuracy (Groups).
speed (Individuals)
Creativity (Groups)
Acceptance (Groups)
Efficiency:
Individuals
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

45. Groupthink and group shift
Phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action.
Group shift.
A change in decision risk between the group’s decision and the individual decision that members within the group would make; can be either toward conservatism or greater risk.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

46. Group decision-making techniques.
Interacting groups
Brainstorming
Nominal group technique
Electronic meeting
Comparison
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

47. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Interaction
Typical groups, where members interact with each other face to face
groupthink
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

48. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Brainstorming
An idea generator process that specifically encourages any and all alternatives, while withholding any criticism of those alternatives.
Creativity.
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

49. Nominal group technique
Members meet but before discussion each member independently write ideas (individual)
Each member presents one idea, until all ideas are presented. (all)
Discusses for clarity and evaluate ideas.
Each member rank-order ideas (individual)
The highest agregate ranking determines the final decision
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

50. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Electronic meeting
A meeting where members interact on computers, allowing for anonymity of comments and aggregation of votes
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

51. GpiIC-2A Group behavior
Effectiveness criteria
Interacting
Brainstorm
Nominal
Electronic
Number of ideas K C J
Quality of ideas
Social pressure
Money costs
speed
Task orientation
Potential interpersonal conflict
Feelings of accomplishment
J K
Commitment to solution N
Develops group cohesiveness
GpiIC-2A Group behavior

52. Desempeño y Satisfacción
Alcanzan los objetivos
Lo visto
Satisfacción
objetivos
Niveles de jerarquia
Grupos pequeños
GpiIC-2A Group behavior