1. GROUP DEVELOPMENT THEORY

2. OVERVIEW IDENTIFY THE WORKING DEFINITION OF A GROUP
IDENTIFY FORMAL AND INFORMAL GROUPS
IDENTIFY THE REASONS PEOPLE JOIN GROUPS
DESCRIBE THE FOUR STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
IDENTIFY GROUP TASK AND MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS

3. THE FORMATION OF GROUPS
A group is more than two persons who interact with each other in such a manner that the behavior or performance of one is influenced by the behavior of the others

4. Primary and Secondary Groups
One way of characterizing the distinction is to distinguish between primary and secondary groups.

5. Primary groups A fairly typical definition is given by Schein (1980),
any number of people who interact with one another
are psychologically aware of one another
perceive themselves to be a group
tend to
involve regular contact between members of the group, including direct face-to-face interaction
fairly small (maybe up to 20 or so members)
involving co-operation
sharing some common goals
knowing who all the members of the group are
having a rough idea of what other people's roles are in the group

6. Secondary Groups and Reference Groups
The larger, more impersonal groups. (all people in library; college; on bus; in hotel)
Reference Group
Definition
People whose attitudes, behaviour, beliefs, opinions, preferences, and values are used by an individual as the basis for his or her judgment. One does not have to be (or even aspire to be) a member of a reference group to be negatively or positively influenced by its characteristics.

7. Reference Grouping family group group of friends neighbours
group of lecturers teaching a particular subject.
Meet infrequently, don't know all their names or what they teach;
trade union - member of group dispersed across whole country, - never met, have little in common.
group of middle-aged people
group of English
Interest groups Tories, Roman Catholics. Muslims

8. reference groups What are your reference groups?
Think of a student and try to work out his/her reference groups

9. TWO TYPES OF GROUPS FORMAL GROUPS (TASK ORIENTED)
INFORMAL GROUPS (SOCIAL ORIENTED)
Make two lists
1. informal groups you belong to
2. formal groups you belong to

10. Group Membership
Formal or Informal
Group
members
Purpose
Role

11. How much time do you spend?
Group
F/I
Purpose
Frequency
time
Time per month

12. The value of groups What do we get from being in groups?
Why do we join groups?

13. REASONS FOR GROUP FORMATION
security
social
esteem
proximity
attraction
ordered to

14. Group functioning Group must have Purpose and Outcome
Organisation and structure
Process
Defined (formal/informal) Roles

15. Productive and Nonproductive
In Productive Groups
In Less Productive Groups
 1. People listen and pay attention to one another.
 1. People do not listen and many tend to talk at the same time.
 2. People discuss the subject at hand.
 2. The discussion jumps from one idea to another.
 3. Everyone’s ideas and suggestions are welcomed.
 3. Some member’s ideas don’t seem "to count," so these people do not act as if they belong to the group.
 4. Everyone has a chance to state his or her view.
 4. One or two people do all the talking.
 5. The group uses its agenda as a guide for discussion.
 5. The agenda is not clear and there is no written guide for discussion.
 6. One or two members are appointed to summarize the discussion and to see that everyone has had a chance to speak.
 6. No one summarizes or checks to see if everyone who wants to speak has actually spoken. Discussions go on and on until people get tired.
 7. Members know and use problem-solving steps.
 7. No order is followed for identifying and solving problems.
 8. Members are clear about group decisions and committed to them.
 8. Decision making is muddy and people are not committed to the group’s plans.

16. Some individual needs may be met:
affiliation needs: the need to have close contact with others and be accepted by them
social needs: in part affiliation needs, +confirmation through contact with others + sharing their views that the world is the way we believe it to be
self-esteem needs: need to have a positive opinion of ourselves, arising in part from being accepted by others and evidence they share our views &values
control needs & need for achievement: the need to realise objectives which we, as individuals, cannot achieve
safety needs: reduce sense of powerlessness and anxiety experienced in ambiguous or threatening situations
SSee Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs )

17. THE FIVE STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT
FORM STAGE
STORM STAGE
NORM STAGE
PERFORM STAGE
ADJOURN STAGE

18. The initial group meeting
In what ways do people respond? What formal activities are carried out? What informal activities occur?

19. Four Key Stages Forming - polite but untrusting
Storming - testing others
Norming - valuing other types
Performing - flexibility from trust
Adjourning – ending the process

20. Notes:
Forming - formalities are preserved and members are treated as strangers.
Storming - members start to communicate their feelings but probably still view themselves as part of their parent department rather than part of the team. They attack others insular attitudes while guarding their own.
Norming - people feel part of the team and realise that they can achieve work if they accept other viewpoints.
Performing - the team works in an open and trusting atmosphere where flexibility is the key and hierarchy is of little importance.

21. FORM STAGE
FIRST STAGE - THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GROUP MEMBERS CAN BE DESCRIBED AS:
DEPENDENT ON DIRECTION
MEMBERS ARE POLITE
INTRODUCTION AND SHARING OF INFORMATION
STEROTYPING INDIVIDUALS BASED ON FIRST IMPRESSIONS
CONVERSATIONS ARE ABOUT SAFE ACCEPTABLE TOPICS
AVOID DISCLOSURE, FEEDBACK, AND INTERPRETING NON-VERBALS

22. STORM STAGE
Second Stage - The Behaviour Of The Group Can Be Characterised As:
counter-dependent: each group member strongly feels the need to take care of himself/herself during this stage
bid for power unexpressed individual needs
Competitive creativity suppressed
Rationalization try to reach resolution by vote,
close-minded compromise, or arbitration
conflict/hostility
cliques are formed

23. NORM STAGE
Third Stage - The Behaviour Of The Members Of The Group Can Be Characterized As:
independent and constructive
real listening takes place
attempts to gain and maintain control lessen
progress toward objectives
creativity begins
roles identified
the leader may become somewhat less identifiable or necessary to the group

24. PERFORM STAGE fourth stage - the group’s behavior can be defined as:
independent
high group morale and esprit
intense group loyalty
individual creativity is encouraged
disagreement is ok
no cliques
group adopts an identification symbol

25. ADJOURN STAGE
fifth stage - the behavior of the group can be characterized as:
less task ability
regression to less productive behavior
separation, grieving behaviors
re-definition
termination or mini-death

26. THE TASK AND MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS
task functions
information seeking or giving
opinion seeking or giving
initiating activity
clarifying/elaborating
coordinating
summarizing
consensus testing

27. TASK AND MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS… CONTINUED
Gate keeping
climate making and encouraging
harmonizing
compromising
expressing personal feelings
expressing group feelings
standard setting

28. SUMMARY identify the working definition of a group
identify formal and informal groups
identify the reasons people join groups
describe the four stages of group development
identify group task and maintenance functions

29. focus on group work 1 Task functions relate to the work
Recognizing and practicing them will help to make sure that project is completed:
Initiating activity – suggesting new ways to approach the work and encouraging others to do the same
Opinion/Information giving – putting forward one’s views/information
Opinion/Information seeking – asking for others’ views/information
Clarifying – asking for, or offering, clear explanations
Elaborating – developing ideas and making sure that they are fully explored; giving examples
Coordinating – drawing out the relationships between ideas
Summarising – bringing together the discussion points, briefly 29

30. focus on group work 2
Consensus taking – asking what agreement there is
Recording – noting suggestions and decisions
Orienting – making sure the work is directed accurately towards its goals
Maintenance functions relate to the group’s unity
Recognizing and practicing them will help to strengthen the group:
Encouraging – giving confidence to group members to make contributions; giving opportunities for them to do so
Harmonizing/compromising – dealing with disagreement, possibly by suggesting a compromise
Standard setting – expressing standards for the group to work to, and making sure that it does so
Analyzing the group’s effectiveness – reviewing progress regularly and acting on the review 30

31. Bales’ Interaction Process Analysis31