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1. CHAPTER 5
FUNDAMENTALS OF GROUP DYNAMICS

2. GROUP
• Group is defined as two or more persons engaged in a social
interaction. This implies that each member of a group is aware
of the other members and their influence. Some psychologists
consider this definition too general and prefer to limit the use
of the term group to a collection of individuals who find their
association with one another rewarding. Others say that a
group exists only when the individual members have developed
status and role relationships with respect to one another.

3. Still others insist that the individuals must have a common
goal in order for them to be considered as a group. The
existence of any group is assumed to depend on the participation
and satisfaction of the individuals comprising it.

4. GROUP DYNAMICS
• The social process by which people interact in a small group and
in a face-to-face manner is called group dynamics. Dynamics
comes from the Greek word dynamics which means "force."
Group dynamics then refers to the study of the forces operating
within a group.

5. FORCES FOUND IN SMALL GROUPS
There are two important historical landmarks in understanding
small groups. These are the research of Elton Mayo and his
associates in the 1920s and 1930s, and the experiments
conducted ih the 1930s by Kurt Lewin, considered as the founder
of the group dynamics movement. According to Mayo, workers
tend to establish formal groups that affect job satisfaction and
effectiveness.

6. Lewin shows that different kinds of leadership attitudes produce
different responses in groups.
A group is composed of individuals who have come together to
accomplish a particular task or goal. Group dynamics refers to
the attitudinal and behavioral characteristics of a group. In a
group, the members share consciousness of membership and
interaction. A group is not a mere collection of individuals but an
aggregate of personalities acting and interacting with one
another in the process of living.

7. To be a member of a group, one must participate in its common
life and activities. Group dynamics form the structure of a group
and how its members function.

8. CONCEPTS OF SOCIAL GROUP
San Juan and Centeno (2011) present that "psychologically, man is said
to be a rational being; politically, he is a political and power seeking
beings theologically, he is a religious, God-seeking being; and
sociologically, man is a gregarious social being seeking the company of
other social beings." The saying "No man is an island" explains that a
person cannot live satisfactorily by himself/herself alone. His/Her very
existence and the satisfaction of his/her needs and wants, as well as
his/her happiness, depends to a large degree upon his/her association
with other people.

9. SPECIAL PROPERTIES OF GROUPS
• The special properties of groups are illustrated by a simple lesson
in mathematics, as in one plus one equals three. This is a logical
error in the world of mathematics. In the world of group dynamics,
however, this is rational. In a group, there is no such thing as
merely a composition of two people. It is their relationship that
makes it three. For instance, salt (sodium chloride) has different
properties from the sodium and the chlorine elements that form a
group to make it (San Juan & Centeno, 2011).

10. Group types are classified as formal or informal in nature. Formal
work groups are established by an organization to achieve its
goals.

11. TYPES OF GROUPS
Groups are generally classified as follows:
1. The primary group is characterized by intimate face-to-face
association and cooperation among its members. It
fundamentally forms the social nature and ideals of an individual.
It involves sympathy and mutual identification which is a form of
natural expression (San Juan & Centeno, 2011).

12. 2. Secondary group consists of members who are aware and
cognizant of personal relationships, but they do not feel that their
lives are bound with one another except in time of social crisis.
The members may be separated from one another by distance or
by a lack of personal physical contact. Nevertheless, they can
share their interests through correspondence, press, radio,
telephone, or other means (San Juan & Centeno, 2011).

13. CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUP
Here are the important characteristics of a group:
1. Interaction is the pattern of mutual influence (physical, verbal,
non-verbal, emotional, etc.).
2. Structure is a stable pattern of relationships.
a. Roles deal with the behavior expected of members in a given
position.

14. b. Norms are the rules that identify and describe appropriate behavior.
c. Inter-member relations are influenced by authority and
communication.
3. Goals are the reason for existence.
4. Perceived groupness is the extent to which members see themselves as
one (common fate, similarity, proximity).!
5. Dynamic interdependency occurs when the members are active,
energized, vibrant, and changing.
6. Motivation focuses on personal needs which-when attained-lead to
satisfaction.

15. KINDS OF FORMAL GROUPS
Formal groups are divided into the following.
1. Command groups are specified by the organizational chart and
often composed of a leader and the members who directly report
to him/her. Example: An academic department consisting of a
chair and faculty members
2. Task groups consist of people who work together to achieve a
common task. Members are brought together to accomplish a
narrow range of goals within a specified time. Examples: Ad hoc
committees, project groups, standing committees

16. 3. Functional groups are created by an organization to
accomplish specific goals within an unspecified time frame. They
continue to function even after their goals have been achieved.
Example: A sales and marketing department.

17. KINDS OF INFORMAL GROUPS
1. Interest groups usually continue over time and may last longer than general
informal groups. The goals and objectives. of interest groups are specific to each
group and may not be related to organizational goals and objectives.
Example: Students who come together to form a study group for a specific class.
2. Friendship groups are formed by individuals who enjoy similar social activities,
political beliefs, religious values, or other common bonds. Members enjoy each
other's company.

18. Examples: Students who have an exercise group or who meet
for a so-called jamming 3.
3.Reference groups are composed of people who are evaluated
for social • validation and social comparison. Social validation
allows individuals to justify their attitudes and value while social
comparison helps individuals evaluate their own actions by
comparing themselves with others.

19. Informal groups are formed naturally in response to the
common interests and shared values of individuals. They are
created for purposes other than the accomplishment of
organizational goals and do not have a specified time frame.
Informal groups are not designated by an organization and
members can invite others to join from time to time.

20. • Meeting is convened for different purposes. Some are for
information, advice, decision-making, negotiation, coordination,
and creative thinking. A committee holds a specific type of
meeting in which members have been delegated authority with
regard to the problem at hand.

21. A meeting of five people seems to be preferred for typical
situations (Davis 1982).. A smaller group sometimes has difficulty
functioning because conflicts of power develop. If membership
rises above seven, communication tends to become centralized
because members do not have adequate opportunity to
communicate with one another (Evangelista 1992).

22. CONCLUSION
A person cannot live alone; he/she needs the company of others. By
nature a social being who needs to form a group, a person has
his/her own community. Aside from permanent groupings, there are
also temporary ones such as the various organizations in society,
which may be religious, economic, or political in nature. Forming a
group is important to every human being because he/she needs a
companion for the rest of his/her life. However, regulation must be
imposed and followed for the smooth existence of any group.

23. • THANK YOU!