This document provides an overview of group dynamics and the scientific study of groups. It discusses key topics in the field including group formation, cohesion, influence, leadership, performance, conflict, and applications. The document outlines various types of groups and levels of analysis (micro, meso, macro). It also presents assumptions that guide research on groups, such as groups being real entities that shape society and can be studied scientifically. Major topics covered include inclusion, norms, power, decision-making, teams, intergroup relations, and how groups are impacted by their context and can be agents of change. The objectives are for learners to understand groups, paradigms in the field, topics studied, and participate in group activities.

1. UNDERSTANDING
GROUP DYNAMICS
DONELSON R. FORSYTH

2. Introduction to Group Dynamics
CHAPTER 1

3. Lesson objectives
 At the end of the chapters, the learners must be able
to:
 Understand what is a group and what some of the
common characteristics of groups.
 Identify the different types of groups and appreciate
the assumptions that shape the field’s conceptual
paradigm of group researchers.
 Have an overview on the field of group dynamics and
what topics are included in the scientific study of
group dynamics.
 Be part of a group, get to know each members of the
group and participate to each activity of the lesson.

4. What is a group?
 there must be a shared purpose or goal
 key role must be played by a mutual
dependence
 there must be at least two people
 they have social connection that is
meaningful to them
 By definition, a group is 2 or more
individuals who are connected by and
within social relationships.

5. Two or more individuals
DYADS = 2 members
TRIADS = 3 members
MOBS, CROWDS, AND CONGREGATIONS = very
large collections of people
GROUP SIZE influences its nature

6. Who are connected?
 The members of any given
group are networked
together like a series of
interconnected computers.
 The larger the group, the
more ties are needed to join
members to each other and
to the group.

7. By and within social relationships
 Group relationships link each member to one another
and to the group as a whole and define who is in the
group.
GROUP NETWORKING
Have stable but permeable
boundaries—sometimes
unstated but also sometimes
explicitly defined—that
differentiate between those who
are within the group and those
who are outside of the group.
Busy establishing ties with other
individuals

8. Are online groups real
groups?
Let’s have a debate.

9. Characteristics of Groups
FEATURE DESCRIPTION
INTERACTION Groups create, organize, and sustain relationship and task
interactions among members.
GOALS Groups have instrumental purposes, for they facilitate the
achievement of aims or outcomes sought by the members.
INTERDEPENDENCE Groups members depend on one another, in that each
member influences and is influenced by each other member.
STRUCTURE Groups are organized, with each individual connected to
others in a pattern of relationships, roles, and norms.
UNITY Groups are cohesive social arrangements of individuals that
perceivers, in some cases, consider to be unified wholes.

10. Describing Groups
Interaction Goals Interdependenc
e
Structure Unity
• Relationship
Interaction
• Task
Interaction
• Generating
Type 1: Planning Tasks
Type 2: Creativity Tasks
• Choosing
Type 3: Intellective Tasks
Type 4: Decision-making
Tasks
• Negotiating
Type 5: Cognitive-conflict
Tasks
Type 6: Mixed-motive Tasks
• Executing
Type 7: Competitive Tasks
Type 8: Performance Tasks
• Mutual,
reciprocal
interdependen
ce
• Unilateral
interdependen
ce
• Reciprocal,
unequal
interdependen
ce
• Sequential
interdependen
ce
• Leader-
follower
• Subgroups
• Cohesiveness
• Entitativity
Influenced by:
- Common fate
- Similarity
- Proximity

11. Types of Groups
TYPE OF GROUP CHARACTERISTICS EXAMPLES
PRIMARY GROUPS Small, long-term groups characterized by
face-to-face interaction and high levels of
cohesiveness, solidarity, and member
identification.
Close friends, families, gangs,
military squads
SOCIAL GROUPS Small groups of moderate duration and
permeability characterized by moderate
levels of interaction among the members over
an extended period of time, often in goal-
focused situations.
Coworkers, crews, expeditions,
fraternities, sports teams, study
groups, task forces
COLLECTIVES Aggregations of individuals that form
spontaneously, last only a brief period of time,
and have very permeable boundaries.
Audiences, bystanders, crowds,
mobs, waiting lines (queues)
CATEGORIES Aggregations of individuals who are similar to
one another in some way, such as gender,
ethnicity, religion, or nationality.
Asian Americans, New Yorkers,
Physicians, U.S. Citizens, women

12. Nature of Group Dynamics
 Kurt Lewin
 The groups and individuals act and react to
changing circumstances
Dorwin Cartwright and Alvin Zander
 Field of inquiry dedicated to advancing knowledge
about the nature of groups, the laws of their
development, and their interrelations with
individuals, other groups, and larger institutions.
Thomas Kuhn
 These shared beliefs and unstated assumptions give
them a world view—a way of looking at that part of
the world that they find most interesting.

13. Assumptions About Groups
 Groups are real
 Groups are more than the sum of their parts
 Group Processes are real
 Groups are influential
 Groups shape society
 Groups are living systems
 Groups can be studies on several levels
 The field of group dynamics is an interdisciplinary one

14. Multilevel Perspective
 MICRO-LEVEL FACTORS
 Include the qualities, characteristics, and actions
of the individual members.
 MESO-LEVEL FACTORS
 Are group-level qualities of the group themselves,
such as their cohesiveness, their size, their
composition, and their structure.
 MACRO-LEVEL FACTORS
 Are the qualities and processes of the larger
collectives that enfold the groups, such as
communities, organizations, or societies.

16. ARE GROUPS GOOD OR BAD?
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

17. Major topics in the field of group dynamics
CHAPTER AND TOPIC ISSUES
FOUNDATIONS
1. Introduction to
Group Dynamics
What are the groups and what are their key features? What do we want to know about
groups and their dynamics? What assumptions guide researchers in their studies of groups
and the processes within groups?
2. Studying Groups How do researchers measure the way groups, and the individuals in those groups, feel, think,
and behave? How do researchers search for and test their hypotheses about groups?
FORMATION AND
DEVELOPMENT
3. Inclusion and
Identity
Do humans, as a species, prefer inclusion to exclusion and group membership to isolation?
What demands does a shift from individuality to collectivity make on people?
4. Formation Who joins groups and who remains apart? When and why do people seek out others? Why
do people deliberately create groups or join existing groups?
5. Cohesion and
Development
What factors promote the increasing solidarity of a group over time? What is cohesion? As
groups become more unified, do they develop a share climate and culture? How do groups
develop over time?
6. Structure What are the norms, and how do they structure interactions in groups? What are roles?
Which roles occur most frequently in groups? How and why do status networks develop in
groups?

18. Major topics in the field of group dynamics
CHAPTER AND TOPIC ISSUES
INFLUENCE AND
INTERACTION
7. Influence When will people conform to a group’s standards, and when will they remain independent?
How do norms develop, and why do people obey them? Do nonconformists ever succeed in
influencing the rest of the group?
8. Power Why are some members of groups more powerful than others? What types of power tactics are
most effective in influencing others? Does power corrupt? Why do people obey authorities?
9. Leadership What is leadership? If a group without a leader forms, which person will eventually step forward
to become the leader? Should a leader be task focused or relationship focused? Democratic
or autocratic?
WORKING IN GROUPS
10. Group
Performance
Do people perform tasks more effectively in groups or when they are alone? Why do people
sometimes expend so little effort when they are in groups? When does a group outperform an
individual? Are groups creative?
11. Decision-Making What steps do groups take when making decisions? Why do some highly cohesive groups
make disastrous decisions? Why do groups sometimes make riskier decisions than individuals?
12. Teams What is the difference between a group and a team? What types of teams are currently in
use? Does team building improve team work? How can leaders intervene to improve the
performance of their teams?

19. Major topics in the field of group dynamics
CHAPTER AND TOPIC ISSUES
CONFLICT
13. Conflict in groups What causes disputes between group members? When will a small disagreement escalate
into a conflict? Why do groups sometimes splinter into subgroups? How can disputes in
groups be resolved?
14. Intergroup
relations
What causes disputes between groups? What changes take place as a consequence of
intergroup conflict? What facts exacerbate conflict? How can intergroup conflict be
resolved?
CONTEXTS AND
APPLICATIONS
15. Groups in context What impact does the social and physical setting have on an interacting group? Are groups
territorial? What happens when groups are overcrowded? How do groups cope with severe
environments?
16. Groups and
change
How can groups be used to improve personal adjustment and health? What is the
difference between a therapy group and a support group? Are group approaches to
treatment effective? Why do they work?
17. Crowds and
collective behavior
What types of crowds are common? Why do crowds and collectives form? Do people lose
their sense of self when they join crowds? When is a crowd likely to become unruly?

20. Activity
The teacher will group you into four or five.
You will ask each members of the group these 3 questions:
1. What are your Top 3 Greatest Fears? Why?
2. What do you want to be when you finish college?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
You will be given 10 minutes to get to know each member and
you will be asked about a random member of your group.