Chp 18: Small Group Communication

BOOK: pgs. 271-287

PDF: pgs. 281-297

What you need to Know

• A small group consists of how many people? 3 or more people

• What is the magic number of people to work well together in a small group?

• 5 stages of group development (which stage is where most of the work is done?); Challenges of working groups: group think, group hate, social loafing, domination, irresponsibility)

• Benefits of working in groups

• Positive traits for working in groups (dialogue in groups at end of chapter)

Group Development

Tuckman’s (1965) 5-Stage Model of Group Development: a five-stage theory of group development proposed by Bruce Tuckman consisting of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning; Tuckman suggests not all groups will move through each stage depending on their tasks or goals

• Forming

  • Team acquaints and establishes ground rules.

  • Formalities are preserved and members are treated as strangers.

• Storming

  • Members start to communicate their feelings but still view themselves as individuals rather than part of the team.

  • They resist control by group leaders and show hostility.

• Norming

  • People feel part of the team and realize that they can achieve work if they accept other viewpoints.

• Performing (where most of the work is done)

  • The team works in an open and trusting atmosphere where flexibility is the key and hierarchy is of little importance.

• Adjourning

  • The team conducts an assessment of the year and implements a plan for transitioning roles and recognizing members’ contributions.

Challenges of Group Work

• Groupthink - Avoid this

• Grouphate - when people have strong negative feelings about the prospect of working in a group

• Social loafing and a reduction in effort

• Nonparticipation

• Domination

• Irresponsible members

Key Terms

1. Fantasies - creative interpretations of shared events that help define a group’s identity

2. Symbolic convergence - occurs when groups create a unique meaning for a term, experience, or event in the group’s life that serves to further strengthen the bond between group members

3. Task roles - related to accomplishing work together as a group

4. Maintenance roles - related to the development and maintenance of the relationships within the group

5. Groupthink - the willful seeking of unanimity despite individuals who harbor doubts

6. Social loafing - “a reduction in motivation and effort when individuals work collectively compared to when they work individually”

Rewards of Group Work

• Efficiency

• Opportunity to learn from others - get ideas from one another

• Pool of a variety of resources

• Exposure to diverse people

Dialogue in Groups

1. Allow for non-task talk (phatic communication to get to know one another)

2. Paraphrase contributions to ensure understanding

3. Exercise in turn-taking

4. Take good notes

5. Be flexible

6. Engage in constructive conflict

7. Focus on the goal (not what others are or are not doing)