Group dynamics

GROUP DYNAMICS
Presented by
Radhika .R

DEFINITION
 A Group is defined as two or more individuals interacting and interdependent,
who come together to achieve particular objectives .
 The group dynamics refers to change which takes place within groups and is
concerned with the interaction and forces obtained between group members in
social settings .

 it is study of forces operating within a group . A group doesn’t simply mean
individuals possessing same identical features .( e.g A collection of students or
musicians doesn’t form a group .
 There are two principal types of group interaction, one exists when people are
discussing ideas and is generally called a meeting, and the other exists when
people perform task together and is called a team .

A group can be identified by :
1) Studying the perception group and cognition of each of the
group members to determine as to which other individuals
exist for each of the members psychological .

2) Analysis of the group itself and the itself and the behavior of
each of its members to ascertain as to whether or not a
particular individuals fits in a member .

CLASSIFICATION OF GROUPS
The groups are of many types as :
 PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUP :
It may be defined as one in which the two or more persons who are
interdependent as each members nature influences every other person, members share an
ideology and have common tasks . ( e.g Families , friendship circles )
 SOCIAL GROUP :
It may be defined as integrated system of interrelated psychological groups
formed to accomplish a defined function or objective .( e.g political party )
 FORMAL GROUP :

It refers to those which are established under the legal or formal authority with
the view to achieve a particular end result ( e.g people making up the airline flight crew)
 INFORMAL GROUP :
It refers to the aggregate of the proposal contacts and the interaction and the
network of relationships among the individuals obtained in the formal groups .

 PRIMARY GROUP :
The primary groups are characterized by small size ,face to face
interactions and intimacy among the members .The examples are family groups.
 SECONDARY GROUP :
The secondary group are characterized by large size and
individuals identification with the values and beliefs prevailing in them rather than
actual interactions . ( e.g occupational association and ethnic groups )
 MEMBERSHIP GROUP :
belongs .

The membership group is those where the individual actually

 REFERENCE GROUP :
The reference is one which they would like to belong .

 COMMAND GROUP :

The command group are formed by subordinates reporting directly to the
particular manager and are determined by the formal organizational chart .
(e.g an aasitant regional transport officer and his two transport supervisors form a
command group .
 TASK GROUP :

The task group are composed of people who work together to perform a task
but involve a cross command relationship .
 INTEREST GROUP :
The interest group involves people who come together to accomplish a
particular goal with which they are concerned .( e.g office employees )
 FRIENDSHIP GROUP :
features

The friendship group are formed by people having one or more common

CLASSIFICATION OF INFORMAL GROUPS
MAYO AND LOMBARD CLASSIFY THE INFORMAL GROUPS INTO :
a)

NATURAL GROUPS : It reveals no too little internal structure

b)

FAMILY GROUPS : These possess a core of regulars who exerts marked influence on the
behavior of the members .

c)

ORGANIZED GROUPS : These possess acknowledged leaders who themselves
dedicatedly with intelligence and skill attain group integrity

SAYLES CLASSIFIES INFORMAL GROUPS INTO FOUR CATEGORIES AS :
a)

APATHETIC GROUPS : These groups possess consistently indifferent attitudes
towards informal groups and are characterized by dispersed ,lack of cohesiveness
,internal disunity and conflict

b)

ERRACTIC groups : These groups fluctuate between antagonism and cooperation
marked by the poorly controlled pressure tactics –behavior inconsistency –quick
conversation to good relations with management ,centralized and union formation
activities

c) STRATEGIC GROUPS : There is consistent antagonism ,continuous pressures
high degree of internal unite and usually good production record in long run .
d) CONSERVATIVE GROUPS : These groups are marked by the usual cooperation
,limited pressure for highly specific objectives , moderate internal unity and selfassurance .
DALTON’S ANALYSIS CLASSIFIES INFORMAL GROUPS AS :
a)

HORIZONTAL GROUPS : These are associations of the worker , managers or
any other member of equal ranks engaged in performing more or less similar
works .

b) VERTICAL GROUPS : These are composed of members from varied levels
within a particular department , e.g., workers , foreman , managers .
c)

MIXED GROUPS :Refers to groups composed of members of varied ranks ,
department and physical location .

REASONS FOR GROUP FORMATION
People seek to join groups since the groups give the members a stability and enhances their
achievement capacity . The main reasons propelling individuals to join groups are :
1)

HAVE A SENSE OF SECURITY : The group enables the person to reduce a sense of
insecurity and have a stronger feeling with few self doubts and more resistant treats
when they are a part of the group .

2)

HAVE A STATUS : The persons in a group can be easily recognized and a status is
achieved by them

3)

DEVELOP SELF-ESTEEM : The groups can help a person develop a sense of “ tobelong” . This provides with feeling ,of self-worth and develops confidence in its
members.

4)

AFFLIATION: The groups can fulfill social needs. People enjoy the regular interaction
that comes with the group membership.

5)

POWER: The power is derived on the strength of closeness of the group members with
greater power achieved when in group then if a person is alone or individually .

6)

GOAL ACHIEVEMENT : The goal can be achieved more easily when a group effort is
present as “ UNITED WE STAND,DIVIDED WE FALL”

FUNCTIONS OF GROUP
1.

FORMAL OR ORGANISATIONAL GROUP :

These relates to basic mission attainment by the organization. The
group completes the work , creates ideas and embraces all activities for which they
we are accountable .

2. PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSONAL FUNCTION :
The group formation facilitates psychological functioning,
satisfaction of the needs, outlet for affiliation and helps in getting stability and
enhancing the achievements .

3. MIXED OR MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS :
The formal as well as informal both kinds of roles are taken up by
the members of the group . The formal group can try to fulfill various psychological
roles and leading to increased loyalty , commitment and energy for effective
attainment of the administrative and organizational goals .

GROUP DECISION MAKING
 (Also known as collaborative decision making) is a situation faced when
individuals collectively make a choice from other alternatives before them .
 This decision is no longer attributable to any single individual who is a member of
the group . This is because all the individuals and social groups processes such a
social influence contribute to the outcome .

 The decisions made by groups are often different from those made by
individuals.
 Group polarization is one clear example : groups tend to make decisions that are
more extreme than those of its individual members , in the direction of the
individual inclinations

THEORIES OF GROUP FORMATION
1)

PROPINQUITY is a latin word , which means “nearness”, it is one of the main factors
leading to interpersonal attraction . Most basic theory is of propinquity which asserts
that people tend to affiliate with others because of spatial and geograpichal closeness.

2)

The other theory of importance is “SOCIAL SYSTEM THEORY ” given HOMANS . The
theory corporates the interrelatedness of elements of activities , interaction ,
sentiments and the people usually interact to solve problems ,reduce tension ,attain
goals and achieve balance .

3)

The BALANCE THEORY given by NEWCOMB says that the groups get formed when
the individuals are attracted to each another because of their identical attitude towards
the common objects or goals.

4) The EXCHANGE THEORY is based on reward and its cost . The interaction between
members is taken as reward and it any relationship which is not rewarding may be
costly enough to cause tensions .

STAGES OF GROUP FORMATION
Group development is a dynamic process ,and probably never reach a state of
complete stability . There is strong evidence that groups pass through the standard
sequence of the following stages :
1)

FORMING : This is characterized by the great deal of uncertainty about groups
purpose structure and the leadership . The stage is completed when the
members have begun to think that they are the parts of the group .

2)

STORMING : The members accept the existence of the group but they are still
resisting the constraints the group poses on them . There is conflict as to who
will control the group . When this stage completes there does a relatively clear
hierarchy exist in the group .

3) NORMING : This is the one in which there is close relationship between the
members and the group demonstrates cohesiveness . There is sense of group
identify and this stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the
group has assimilated a common set of expectations defining the behavior .

4) PERFORMING : The structure at this point is fully functional and accepted .The
group energy is has moved from getting to know and understand each other to
performing a task at hand . For permanent work groups this is the last stage . But
for temporary committees , team , task forces and similar groups the adjourning
stage is the last .
5) ADJOURNING : The groups prepare to disband . The high task performance is no
longer the required goal . The attention is towards the wrapping up of activities and
responses of the group members . The responses of the group members vary in this
stage .Some are upbeat , basking in the groups accomplishment .Some are
depressed over the loss of colleagues and friends made during the course .

PRINCIPLES OF GROUP DYNAMICS
1)

The members of the group must have a strong sense of belonging to the group.

2) The more attraction a group member is to its members, the greater influence it
would exercise on its members .
3)

The successful efforts to change individuals sub parts of the group would result
in making them confirm to the norms of the group .

4)

Information relating to the need for change , plans for change and the
consequences of the changes must be shared by the members of the group .

5) The changes in one pact of the groups may produce stress in the other parts ,
which can be reduced only by eliminating the change or by bringing about
readjustments in the related parts .
6) The groups arise and function owing to common motives .
7) The intergroup relations , group organization , member participation is
essential for effectiveness of a group .

GROUP COHESIVENESS
Cohesion in a group develops if the needs , hopes and expectations of members are
realized . Group Cohesiveness is an important indicator of how influence the group
as a whole exerts over the individual members.
FEATURES OF COHESIVE GROUPS : Groups in high cohesion are likely to exhibit
the following characteristics :
 They have relatively few members .
 Members have similar interests and backgrounds .
 They enjoy a high degree of status within the organization .
 Leader of such groups rewards co-operative behavior .
 They are pressured or threatened by some common outside force .
 They enjoy a history of past success .

CONCLUSION
The groups operate on a common tasks and common attitudes. The group
dynamics is concerned with the interaction between the group members in social
situation .This is concerned with the gaining in the knowledge of the group , how
they develop and their effect on the individual members and the organization in
which they function .
The group dynamics is essential to study since it helps to find how the relationships
are made within a group and how the forces act within the group members in a
social setting . This helps to recognize the formation of the group and how a group
should be organized , lead and promoted .

Group dynamics

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