Group Dynamics: Structure
Summary
TLDRThis transcript explores the structure of groups, emphasizing the role of norms, roles, and social networks in shaping group dynamics. It explains how norms regulate behavior, roles assign expected behaviors, and networks influence communication and status. The summary also touches on the challenges of role ambiguity and conflict, and how social structures can be measured through social network analysis. It concludes by discussing the impact of status and attraction networks on group participation and communication.
Takeaways
- 🧠 Group structure is not a random collection of individuals but an organized system of interactions and relationships, regulated by norms, roles, and networks.
- 📜 Norms are implicit, self-generating, and stable standards for group behavior, including prescriptive, descriptive, and injunctive norms.
- 🕴️ Roles in a group specify expected behaviors for individuals in certain positions, influencing how members interact and contribute to group goals.
- 🤔 Role ambiguity and conflict arise when role expectations are unclear or when they demand incompatible behaviors.
- 🔍 Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a method to measure the social structure of a group using indexes like density, centrality, and closeness.
- 🏆 Status networks reflect the hierarchy of authority and power within a group, often leading to competition and a dominance order.
- 🤝 Attraction networks are formed based on social metric differentiation, favoring individuals with socially attractive qualities or a good fit with group values.
- 📡 Communication networks define who communicates with whom within a group, influencing group outcomes like performance and satisfaction.
- 📊 Centralized networks are efficient but can lead to lower satisfaction due to information saturation and a lack of balanced communication.
- 🌐 Systematic Multiple Level Observation of Groups (SYMLOG) is a model that assesses group structure based on dominance, friendliness, acceptance of authority, and task orientation.
Q & A
What is group structure?
-Group structure refers to the organized systems of interactions and relationships within a group, regulated by norms, roles, and networks of connections among the members.
Why do norms develop to regulate group behavior?
-Norms develop to regulate group behavior as they are implicit, self-generating, and stable standards that guide expected conduct within the group.
What are the different types of norms?
-There are prescriptive norms, descriptive norms, and injunctive norms. Prescriptive norms identify behaviors that should be performed, descriptive norms define what most people do, and injunctive norms differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable actions.
How do norms influence group members?
-Norms influence group members by aligning their actions with those displayed by others, often through a process of internalization of consensual standards.
What are roles in a group and how do they influence members?
-Roles in a group specify the types of behaviors expected of individuals in particular positions. They influence members by creating patterns of role differentiation related to task goals and relationship rules.
What is role ambiguity and how does it occur?
-Role ambiguity occurs when the behaviors associated with a role are poorly defined, leading to confusion about what is expected of an individual in that role.
What is role conflict and how does it manifest?
-Role conflict occurs when group members occupy two or more roles that call for incompatible behaviors, or when the demands of a single role are contradictory.
How can the social structure of a group be measured?
-The social structure of a group can be measured using social network analysis (SNA), which includes indexes such as density, degree centrality, betweenness, and closeness.
What is a status network and how does it develop?
-A status network is a stable pattern of variations in authority and power within a group. It develops through a status differentiation process where people compete for status, resulting in a hierarchy that determines dominance and submission.
What is an attraction network and how does it form?
-An attraction network forms through social metric differentiation, ordering group members from least to most attractive. Attraction relations tend to be reciprocal and transitive, often forming clusters or coalitions within the group.
How does a communication network affect group dynamics?
-A communication network influences group dynamics by structuring who speaks to whom and how frequently. Centralized networks can be efficient but may lead to lower member satisfaction due to information saturation and hierarchical information flow.
What is the Systematic Multiple Level Observation of Groups (SYMLOG) and how does it model group interaction?
-SYMLOG is a model of interaction and structure that assumes structure is based on three dimensions: dominance and submissiveness, friendliness and unfriendliness, and acceptance or non-acceptance of task orientation of authority.
Outlines
📚 Group Structure and Norms
This paragraph delves into the concept of group structure, emphasizing that groups are organized systems of interactions and relationships, not mere collections of individuals. It introduces three key elements of group structure: norms, roles, and networks. Norms are described as implicit, self-generating, and stable standards that regulate group behavior. The paragraph differentiates between prescriptive, descriptive, and injunctive norms, explaining their functions within a group. It also discusses how norms develop over time as members align their actions with those of others, internalizing these standards. The auto kinetic effect is mentioned to illustrate how group members internalize these norms.
🎭 Roles and Social Structure in Groups
The second paragraph focuses on roles within groups, explaining that roles define expected behaviors for individuals in specific positions. It discusses role differentiation and the socialization process, which can lead to stress and tension due to role ambiguity and conflict. The concept of status networks is introduced, highlighting how groups develop patterns of authority and power. The paragraph also touches on status characteristics and the potential for unfair status allocation, particularly for minority group members. It concludes with a discussion of attraction networks, which order group members based on social metrics, and communication networks, which influence group outcomes such as performance and satisfaction. The paragraph also mentions how centralized networks can impact member satisfaction and the flow of information within a group.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Group Structure
💡Norms
💡Roles
💡Role Conflict
💡Social Network Analysis (SNA)
💡Status Networks
💡Attraction Networks
💡Communication Networks
💡Role Differentiation
💡Status Generalization
Highlights
Group processes are shaped by unobservable but influential group structures.
Groups develop written and unwritten norms that dictate conduct.
Group norms include expectations about members, rules, and networks of connections.
Group structure consists of norms, roles, and networks of connections among members.
Norms are implicit, self-generating, and stable standards for group behavior.
Types of norms include prescriptive, descriptive, and injunctive norms.
Prescriptive norms identify behaviors that should be performed; descriptive norms define what most people do.
Injunctive norms differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable actions.
Norms develop gradually as members align their actions with those displayed by others.
Roles specify behaviors expected of individuals in particular positions within the group.
Role differentiation and socialization processes can create stress and tension.
Role ambiguity occurs when role behaviors are poorly defined; role conflict arises from incompatible role demands.
Social network analysis (SNA) measures group structure through indexes like density and centrality.
Status networks develop through status differentiation, determining dominance and submissiveness within the group.
Status allocation can be influenced by specific and diffuse status characteristics.
Attraction networks develop through social metric differentiation, ordering members by attractiveness.
Communication networks define who speaks to whom most frequently within a group.
Centralized communication networks are efficient but can lead to lower member satisfaction.
Systematic multiple level observation of groups (SYMLOG) is a model based on dominance, friendliness, and task orientation.
Transcripts
group processes are shaped by
unobservable but influential group
structures all but the most primarily
groups develop written and unwritten
norms that dictate conduct in the group
expectations about the members rules and
the networks of connections among the
members
in this chapter we will learn about the
group's structure we also ask why do
norms both formal and informal develop
to regulate group behavior or we also
want to know what kinds of roles are
common in groups and how do they
influence members how can the social
structure of a group be measured and
what are the status attraction and
communication
networks now let us answer the question
what is group structure
groups are not unorganized collection of
individuals
rather they are organized systems of
interactions and relationships regulated
by group structure
three important elements of group
structure are norms
roles and networks of connections among
the members
now let us proceed with the next
question
why do norms both formal and informal
developed to regulate group behavior
it is important for us to know that
norms are implicit
self-generating and stable standards for
group behavior we have different types
of norms we have prescriptive norms
prescriptive norms descriptive norms and
injunctive norms let us know the
difference between such norms
prescriptive norms are the set of the
standards for expected behavior whereas
prescriptive norms identify behaviors
that should not be performed the
scripted norms define what most people
do
feel or think in the group injunctive
norms differentiate between the
cyberpunk and undesirable actions we
also have to be aware that norms develop
gradually over time as members align
their actions with those displayed by
others according to sheriff work using
the auto kinetic effect indicates that
group members do not merely imitate
others rather they often internalize
these consensual standards because norms
are transmitted to other group members
they tend to be consensual implicit
self-generating and stable
now let us answer the next question
what kinds of roles are common in groups
and how do they influence members
roles specify the types of behaviors
expected of individuals who occupy
particular positions within the group as
members interact with one another their
role related activities become pattern
or role differentiation with
number one past goals this is pertaining
to the work of the group and
relationship rules which pertain to
maintaining relations among members
the same person rarely holds both the
task rule and the relationship role in
the group
moreland and levin's theory
of group socialization describes the
ways rules are allocated to individuals
in the ways in which members transition
through the roles of prospective member
new member
full member
marginal member and former member
the role differentiation and
socialization processes often create
stress and tension for groups and group
members let us describe these things we
have role ambiguity this occurs when the
behaviors associated with a role are
poorly defined
role conflict on the other hand occurs
when group members occupy two
or more
rows that call for incompatible
behaviors or what we call the inter-role
conflict or when the demands of a single
role are contradictory this is what we
call intra-roll conflict when roll fit
is low members do not feel that they
match the demands of their roles now let
us answer the next question how can the
social structure of a group be measured
first we have social network analysis or
sna this offers researchers the means to
describe a group structure
both visually and quantitatively common
indexes used in sna
include density
degree centrality in degree of degree
betweenness and closeness
pakistan and moody's
study of southern sorority suggested
that those members with high centrality
indexes for a click within the overall
group were less committed to the
sorority as a whole
next let us ask what are status networks
most groups develop a stable pattern of
variations in authority and power such
as status networks chains of command
through a status differentiation process
in some instances people compete with
one another for status in groups the
resulting packing order determines who
is dominant and who is submissive group
members perceptions of one another is
also determined the status
burgers expectations states theory
argues that group members allocate
status by considering specific status
characteristics and diffuse status
characteristics when status
generalization occurs group members
unfairly allow irrelevant
characteristics such as race
age or ethnic background to influence
the allocation of prestige status
allocations are particularly unfair when
individuals who are members of
stereotype minority societal groups are
also underrepresented
in the group itself
with the most extreme case being solid
status or being the individual of that
category in that group
in many online groups the effects of
status on participation are muted
resulting in a participation
equalization effect now let us answer
the question what are attraction
networks
a group's attraction network or in
moreno's terms social metrics structure
develops through a social metric
differentiation a process that orders
group members from this light to most
light
attraction relations tend to be
reciprocal and transitive and clusters
or coalitions often exist within the
group that are higher in homophily than
the group as a whole
as headers balance theory suggests
social metric structures also tend to
reach a state of equilibrium in which
likes and dislikes are balanced within
the group social metric differentiation
generally favors individuals who possess
socially attractive qualities such as
cooperativeness or physical appeal but
social standing also depends on the
degree to which the individual's
attributes
match the qualities valued by the group
the person
group fit now let us ask the question
what are communication networks
a group's communication network may
parallel formally establish paths
but most groups also have an informal
network that defines who speaks to whom
most frequently
centralized networks are most efficient
but according to shaw his concept of
information saturation suggests network
tasks are too complex and require high
levels of information exchange
a group's network in addition to
structuring communication influences a
variety group and individual outcomes
including performance effectiveness and
members level of satisfaction
individuals who occupy more central
positions in communication networks are
often more influential than those
located at the periphery
because centralized networks have lower
levels of closeness
the overall level of member satisfaction
in such groups
tends to be lower
more information generally flows
downward in hierarchical networks than
flows upward and the information that is
sent upward is often unrealistically
positive
bills systematic multiple level
observation of groups or syn log
it is a model of interaction and
structure assumes that structure is
based on three dimension
dominance and submissiveness
friendliness and unfriendliness
and acceptance to task orientation of
authority
or non-acceptance of task orientation of
authority
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