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Short Summary & Definition Group Dynamics, Tilburg University
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Short summary of the lectures of Group Dynamics, given by Dong Ren at Tilburg University 2019/2020.
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Short summary, definitions andquestions Group Dynamics
By Lizzy Scheltus
, Lecture 1 – Intro: introduction
Definition/ question Answer
O-train experiment A role play which demonstrates the impact of
ostracism. Participants exclude the person in the
middle (side seat condition) or being excluded
(middle seat condition).
Typical social 1) Do you feel accepted and included? 2) How do we
psychologist questions influence each other? Do groups make good
decisions? 3) How to identify team players? How to
build an effective team? And 4) Who makes an
effective leader? How do we interact with outgroups?
Statement: true or 1) People become more helpful after being excluded
false? (= true, but can also become nice, aggressive or
move away from social interactions), 2) students
become more group-seeking when under stress (=
true, they want emotional/ material support), 3) a
group factory workers with strong ties are more
productive (= true and false, it depends on the norms
and context), 4) people perform better in simple tasks
when others are watching (= true and false, depends
on the task; if well learned than better), 5) within-
group conflict improves performance (= true and
false, depends on type of conflict; task related than
better), 6) negative views of outgroup members will
fade if people interact more with those members (=
true and false, but you need collaborative
environment, norms that promote collaboration,
leader and equal status).
(!) Group Two or more people who are connected and are inter-
dependent (= socially meaningful) in the sense that
their needs and goals cause them to influence each
other.
How to describe You can describe a group by 1) type of interaction, 2)
groups? how members are interdependent, 3) structure and 4)
unity.
#1 Type of There can be relational interaction or task interaction.
interaction
Relational interaction Emotional or personal bonds.
Task interaction General ideas, choosing solutions, negotiating
solutions, executing tasks.
#2 Interdependent This can be unilateral, unequal, sequential, mutual
reciprocal, unequal sequential, unequal sequential
reciprocal.
Unilateral Layered with one person above who gives orders.
Unequal reciprocal Layered with one person above who gives orders, but
the orders can also come back from the lower ones.
Sequential Same level, but in one direction.
Mutual reciprocal Same level, going back and forward.
Unequal sequential Layered, going from the top to the bottom.
Unequal sequential Layered, but going back and forward – complicated.
reciprocal
#3 Structure This can be described by roles and norms.
1
,Roles Coherent set of behaviours expected of people who
occupy specific positions.
Norms Explicit or implicit standards on how we have to
behave.
#4 Unity This can be described by cohesiveness and
entitativity.
Cohesiveness Qualities of a group that binds members together.
How do you feel connected to each other?
Entitativity How the outsider perceives the group. The extent to
which assemblage of individuals are perceived to be a
group.
How are groups We can categorize them in 1) planned groups and 2)
originated? emergent groups.
Planned groups Goal, organized, clear boundaries (i.e. football team).
Emergent groups Spontaneous, unwritten norms, unclear boundaries
(i.e. random snow fight).
(!) Characteristics of We can describe a group as 1) primary, 2) secondary,
groups 3) collectives and 4) categories.
#1 Primary Small, long-term group (i.e. you interact with them for
years, family or closest friends).
#2 Secondary/ social Small group interacting over extended period of time
(i.e. the group that will last for some time, but not as
long as the primary group – workgroups during a
course).
#3 Collectives Large group displaying similarities in actions and
outlook (i.e. a large group of people come together
but they don’t have to last for a long time; snow fight
or a concert you are doing together).
#4 Categories Large group sharing common attribute or otherwise
related (i.e. gender identity with no connections).
Chapter 1 – Introduction to Group Dynamics
Question Answer
What are groups? Two or more individuals who are connected by and
within social relationships. Groups vary in size from
dyads (= two members) and triads (= tree members)
to very large aggregations. The relations that connect
members vary in type, strength, and duration.
Four basic types of There are 1) primary groups, 2) social groups, 3)
groups collectives and 4) categories.
#1 Primary groups Relatively small, personally meaningful groups that
are highly unified. For example: families, close
friends, small combat squads (fireteams).
#2 Social (secondary) A relatively small number of individuals who interact
groups with one another over an extended period of time.
Such groups are a key source of members’ social
capital. For example: co-workers, teams, crews, study
groups, task forces.
Social capital The degree to which individuals, groups, or larger
aggregates of people are linked in social relationships
that yield positive, productive benefits.
#3 Collectives A relatively large aggregation or group of individuals
2
, who display similarities in actions and outlook. For
example: audiences, queues, mobs, crowds, social
movements.
#4 Categories Share some common attribute or are related in some
way. Social categories often influence members’
social identity and perceiver’s stereotypes. For
example: men, Asian, Americans, New Yorkers.
Social identity An individual’s sense of self derived from
relationships and memberships in groups.
Wat distinguishes 1) Composition, 2) boundaries, 3) size, 4) interaction,
one group from 5) interdependence, 6) structure, 7) goals, 8) origin,
another? 9) unity and 10) entitativity.
#1 Composition The qualities of the individuals who are members of
the group. Each person who belongs to a group
defines, in part, the nature of the group.
#2 Boundaries Groups boundaries define who is a member and who
is not. Open groups and social networks are more
permeable than closed groups.
#3 Size The number of possible relations in a group. You can
calculate the maximum number of ties within a group
in which everyone is linked to everyone with:
N(n-1)/2. Hereby is N the number of people in the
group.
#4 Interaction There can be a task interaction and relationship
interaction.
Task interaction All group behaviour that is focused principally on the
group’s work, projects, plans, and goals.
Relationship Also called: socioemotional interaction. Actions of
interaction group members that relate to or influence the nature
and strength of the emotional and interpersonal
bonds within the group, including both sustaining
(social support) and undermining actions (conflict).
#5 Interdependence Mutual dependence, as when one’s outcomes,
actions, thoughts, feelings, and experiences are
influenced, to some degree, by other people. For
example: symmetric interdependence with
reciprocity, hierarchical interdependence without
reciprocity, hierarchical interdependence with
(unequal) reciprocity or sequential interdependence
without reciprocity.
#6 Structure The organization of a group, including the members,
their relations, and their interactions.
Roles Specify the general behaviours expected of people
who occupy in different positions within the group.
Norms Describes what behaviours should and should not be
performed in a given context.
#7 Goals Groups seek a variety of goals, such as those
specified by McGrath.
McGrath circumplex Distinction between four basic group goals:
model of group tasks generating (ideas or plans), choosing (a solution),
negotiating (a solution to a conflict), or executing (a
task). He also makes a distinction between
conceptual-behavioural tasks (= information
exchange to product things or perform services) and
3
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