Group dynamics is concerned with the interactions between group members and the forces that exist within a group. It was founded to study how groups function and make decisions. A group is defined as two or more people who see themselves as members and interact with a shared purpose or goal. Group dynamics examines how norms, roles, status, and cohesiveness impact a group's structure and performance.

1. It was founded by Kurt Lewin to study group decision, group productivity, group
interaction, group cohesiveness and group communication. The underlying
assumption was that the laws of the group behavior can be established
independently of the goals or specific activities of group irrespective of the
structure of the group.
Group dynamics contains two terms: group and dynamics.
Group is basically a collectivity of two or more persons. Dynamics comes from
Greek word meaning FORCE.
Thus, “Group dynamics is concerned with the interactions of forces among
group members in a social situation.”

2. Two or more people
Shared goals
People see themselves
As members
There is interaction
Among members
Group

3. Group
Formal Informal
Task
Command Interest
Friendship

4. The people often join groups since the groups give the members a stability and
enhances their achievement capacity. The main reasons to join a group are:
 Have a sense of security
 Have a status
 Develop Self-esteem
 Power
 Goal achievement

5. Four different aspects of group structure are:
 Norms
 Roles
 Status
 Cohesiveness

6. Set of beliefs, feelings, and attitudes commonly shared by
group members. These are also referred to as rules or
standards of behavior that apply to group members. Norms
serve three functions namely
Predictive- basis for understanding
the behaviour of others
Relational- some norms
define relationships
Control- regulate the
behavior of others

7. -various parts played by group members.
There are two elements that define this role identity-
 Role Perception-An individual is expected to behave
according to his own perception in the group.
 Role Expectation-It is defined as how others believe one
should behave in a given situation.

8.  A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group
members by others.
 Group members get status based on their authority and performance.
 High status members of the group have more freedom to deviate from the
norms. This facility enables them to have the discriminatory powers in
decision making. Low status members of the group should not have
freedom to deviate from the norms as it leads to status inequality.

9. COHESION
SOCIAL TASK
the bonds of interpersonal
attraction that link
group members
the way in which skills and
abilities of the group
members mesh to allow
optimal performance

10. Who won, and why?
Did your group act like this… … Or like this?
Groups with High Cohesiveness Get Better Results!

11. Low
Cohesiveness
- Negative Feelings
- More Problems
- Less Productive
 High Cohesiveness
- Unity
- Interactive
- Positive Feelings
- Ability to Cope with Problems
- More Productive