Group Behaviors

Summary

This script explores the dynamics of group behavior, defining formal and informal groups, and their impact on individual identity and performance. It delves into social identity theory, in-group favoritism, and the punctuated equilibrium model of group development. The script also examines group properties like roles, norms, status, size, cohesiveness, and diversity, and their effects on productivity and decision-making. It concludes with insights on groupthink and the nominal group technique for effective group decisions.

Takeaways

• 😀 A group is defined as two or more individuals who interact and interdependently work together to achieve objectives.
• 🏢 Formal groups are structured within an organization with designated roles and tasks, while informal groups are not formally structured and are driven by social needs.
• 💡 Social identity theory suggests that our perception of events and investment in group accomplishments are tied to our social identities.
• 👥 In-group favoritism and out-group homogeneity are common phenomena that can lead to social identity threats, similar to stereotype threats.
• 🔄 The punctuated equilibrium model describes how temporary groups go through a sequence of stages, including inertia and transition, to achieve their goals.
• 📈 The midpoint of a group's project often acts as a catalyst for increased activity and reassessment of direction, regardless of the project's duration.
• 🎭 Roles in a group are sets of expected behaviors for a given position, and role conflict can arise when different role expectations contradict each other.
• 📜 Norms are shared standards of behavior within a group that can exert strong pressure on members to conform, influencing attitudes and behaviors.
• 🏆 Status within a group is a significant motivator and can affect behavior, especially when there is a perceived disparity between an individual's status and others' perceptions.
• 🔍 Social loafing is the tendency to exert less effort when working in a group, often due to a belief that others are not contributing fairly.
• 🤝 Cohesiveness in a group, the degree to which members are attracted to each other, can significantly impact productivity, especially when coupled with high performance norms.
• 🌈 Group diversity can lead to both conflict and creativity, with the potential for increased productivity if differences are managed effectively.

Q & A

What is the definition of a group according to the script?

A group is defined as two or more individuals who interact and interdependently come together to achieve objectives.

How is a formal group distinguished from an informal group?

A formal group is defined by an organization's structure with designated work assignments and established tasks, while an informal group is neither formally structured nor organizationally determined.

What are the key characteristics of a formal group?

Formal groups have defined structures, roles, and responsibilities, and are established to achieve specific organizational goals.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Understanding Groups and Their Dynamics

This paragraph introduces the concept of groups, distinguishing between formal and informal groups, and their purpose to achieve objectives. It delves into social identity theory, explaining how group affiliations shape our perception and identity. The paragraph also touches on in-group favoritism, out-group homogeneity, and the punctuated equilibrium model, which outlines the stages of group development, including inertia and transition phases. It highlights the importance of group dynamics in shaping member behavior and performance.

05:00

😨 Group Behaviors and Their Impact

The second paragraph explores various aspects of group behavior, including roles, norms, status, and their influence on individual actions within a group. It discusses role conflict, the psychological contract between employees and employers, deviant workplace behavior, and the impact of status on conformity to group norms. The paragraph also addresses the concept of social loafing, the effects of status hierarchy on group performance, and the challenges of managing group dynamics in diverse cultural contexts.

10:02

🤔 The Role of Cohesiveness and Diversity in Group Performance

This paragraph examines the impact of cohesiveness and diversity on group productivity. It explains how cohesive groups can be more productive when they have high performance-related norms, while low cohesiveness with high norms can also boost productivity. The paragraph discusses the potential for group conflict due to diversity, especially in the early stages, and how overcoming these differences can lead to increased creativity and problem-solving capabilities. It also mentions the concept of fault lines and how they can be strategically used to improve group performance.

15:02

📊 Group Decision-Making: Processes and Challenges

The final paragraph focuses on group decision-making, comparing it to individual decision-making and discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. It covers the completeness of information generated by groups, the increased acceptance of group decisions, and the potential for ambiguous responsibility. The paragraph also addresses groupthink and group shift, which can hinder objective appraisal of alternatives. It introduces the nominal group technique as a method to overcome conformity pressures and improve decision-making effectiveness, concluding with a comparison of the nominal group technique to brainstorming.

Keywords

💡Group

A 'group' in the context of the video refers to a collective of two or more individuals who interact and depend on each other to achieve common objectives. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses various aspects of group dynamics and behaviors. The script differentiates between formal and informal groups, highlighting how formal groups are structured within an organization, while informal groups emerge naturally without organizational determination.

💡Formal Group

A 'formal group' is defined by the video as a group that is part of an organization's structure, with clear work assignments and tasks directed towards organizational goals. It is a key concept as the video contrasts formal groups with informal ones, emphasizing the planned and structured nature of formal groups in achieving objectives.

💡Informal Group

An 'informal group' is a social collective that arises naturally without formal structure or organizational determination. The video explains that these groups meet the need for social interaction and are important for understanding the social dynamics within a workplace, as they can influence a member's sense of belonging and identity.

💡Social Identity Theory

The 'Social Identity Theory' is discussed in the video as a psychological concept that explains how individuals define themselves in relation to the groups they belong to. It is integral to the video's narrative as it helps to understand the strong emotional ties individuals have with their groups and the favoritism they show towards their in-group members.

💡In-Group Favoritism

'In-Group Favoritism' is the tendency to perceive members of one's own group as superior to those outside the group. The video uses this concept to illustrate how group members may develop a bias towards their own group, which is a direct result of their social identity.

💡Out-Group

An 'out-group' is any group that is not the one an individual belongs to. The video mentions out-groups in the context of in-group favoritism, explaining that the existence of an in-group necessitates the presence of an out-group, which can lead to social identity threat and stereotype threat.

💡Punctuated Equilibrium Model

The 'Punctuated Equilibrium Model' is a sequence of actions that temporary groups pass through, as described in the video. It is a significant concept as it outlines the stages of group development, including the establishment of purpose, a period of inertia, a transition phase, and a final burst of activity to complete the group's work.

💡Cohesiveness

'Cohesiveness' refers to the degree to which group members are attracted to one another. The video discusses how cohesiveness can impact group productivity, suggesting that a balance between cohesiveness and performance-related norms is crucial for a group's effectiveness.

💡Diversity

'Diversity' in the context of the video pertains to the variation in group membership, including differences in race, gender, and other characteristics. The script explores both the benefits and costs of diversity, noting that while it can lead to conflict, it can also enhance creativity and problem-solving within a group.

💡Groupthink

'Groupthink' is a phenomenon where group pressures for conformity lead to a suppression of dissenting opinions. The video explains how groupthink can hinder a group's ability to critically evaluate alternatives and make effective decisions.

💡Group Shift

'Group Shift' is the tendency for group members to move towards a more extreme view of their initial position during discussions. The video describes this as a potential consequence of group polarization, where the group's decision may become more extreme than the individual members' original views.

💡Nominal Group Technique

The 'Nominal Group Technique' is a decision-making process mentioned in the video that allows group members to operate independently while still meeting formally. It is presented as a method that can overcome the pressures for conformity found in traditional group brainstorming sessions, leading to more effective decision-making.

Highlights

A group is defined as two or more individuals interacting and interdependent to achieve objectives.

Formal groups are structured by an organization with designated work assignments, while informal groups are not formally structured.

Social identity theory explains the personal investment in group accomplishments and the perception of in-group favoritism.

In-group and out-group dynamics can lead to social identity threat, similar to stereotype threat.

Punctuated equilibrium model describes the unique sequence of actions in temporary groups, including a period of inertia and a transition phase.

Groups experience a transition phase halfway between the first meeting and the deadline, which sets a revised direction for the group's work.

Group roles are sets of expected behaviors attributed to a position in a social unit, influencing role perception and expectations.

Role conflict can occur when compliance with one role requirement makes it difficult to comply with another.

Group norms are shared standards of behavior that can exert strong pressures on individual members to conform.

Deviant workplace behavior violates significant organizational norms and threatens the well-being of the organization or its members.

Status is a significant motivator with major behavioral consequences, affecting conformity to group norms and pressures.

Social loafing is the tendency to expend less effort when working collectively, challenging the productivity assumption of group work.

Cohesiveness affects group productivity, with a relationship dependent on the group's performance-related norms.

Group diversity can increase conflict but also provide opportunities for unique problem-solving and creativity.

Group decision-making can be more effective than individual decisions but may suffer from ambiguous responsibility and conformity pressures.

Groupthink occurs when group pressures for conformity deter critical appraisal of unusual or unpopular views.

Group shift describes the tendency for group members to exaggerate their initial positions during discussions to arrive at a solution.

The nominal group technique allows for independent thinking while formally meeting, outperforming brainstorming groups in decision-making.

Transcripts

[Music]

let's take a look at defining and

classifying groups

a group is two or more individuals

interacting and interdependent who come

together to achieve objectives

a formal group is defined by an

organization's structure with designated

work assignments and in established

tasks informal groups behaviors that

team members should engage in are

stipulated and directed towards

organizational goals

in contrast an informal group is neither

formally structured nor organizationally

determined informal groups in the work

environment meet the need for the social

contract

people often feel strongly about their

groups partly because shared experiences

amplify our perception of events our

tendency to personally invest in the

accomplishments of a group is the

territory of social identity theory

our social identities help us to

understand who we are and where we fit

with other people

in-group favoritism occurs when we see

members of our group is better than

other people and when people not in our

group is all the same whenever there is

in group there is by necessity an out

group

in groups and out groups pave the way

for social identity threat which is

similar to stereotype threat

temporary groups pass through a unique

sequence of actions called punctuated

equilibrium model

at the first meeting the group's general

purpose and direction is established and

then a framework of behavioral patterns

and assumptions through which the group

will approach its project emerges

sometimes in a few seconds

once set the group's direction is

unlikely to be re-examined throughout

the first half of its life this is a

period of inertia the group tends to

become locked into a fixed course of

action even if it gains new insights

that challenge initial patterns

one of the most interesting discoveries

in studies was that groups experienced a

transition precisely halfway between the

first meeting in the official deadline

whether members spent an hour on their

project or six months

the midpoint appears to the work like an

alarm clock heightening a member's

awareness that they need to get moving

the transition sets a revised direction

for phase two in which the group

executes plans created during the

transition

the group's last meaning is

characterized by a final burst of

activity to finish its work this is not

only the model of group stages but it is

a dominant theory with strong support

this model doesn't apply to all groups

but is suited to the finite quality of

the temporary task group

work groups shape members behavior and

they also help explain the performance

of the group itself

some defining group priorities are roles

norms status size cohesiveness and

diversity let's begin with the first

priority roles

a role is a set of expected behavior

patterns attributed to someone occupying

a given position in a social unit

different groups impose different role

requirements on individuals

our view of how we're supposed to act in

a given situation is role perception

role expect expectations are the ways

others believe you should act in a given

context

in the workplace we look at role

expectations through the perspective of

the psychological contract an unwritten

agreement that exists between employees

and employers this agreement sets out

mutual expectations

management is expected to treat

employees justly provide acceptable

working conditions clearly communicate

and give feedback employees expect to

demonstrate a good attitude follow

directions show loyalty to the

organization

when compliance with one role

requirement may make it difficult to

comply with another the result is role

conflict at the extreme two or more role

expectations may be contradictory

similarly we can experience inner role

conflict when the expectations of our

different separate groups are in

opposition

the degree to which we comply with our

role perceptions and expectations can be

surprising

norms are the acceptable standards of

behavior within a group that are shared

by the group's members

as a member of a group you desire

acceptance by the group thus you're

susceptible to conforming to group norms

considerable evidence suggests that

groups can place strong pressures on

individual members to change their

attitudes and behaviors to match the

group's standard

people conform to their reference groups

in which a person is aware of other

members defines themselves as a member

and feels group members are significant

to them

one goal of every organization with

corporate social responsibility

initiatives is for the organization's

values to hold normative sway over

employees

deviant workplace behavior is voluntary

behavior that violates significant

organizational norms and in so doing

threatens the well-being of

organizations or its members

people in collectivist cultures have

different norms than people in

individualist cultures

but our orientation may be changed even

after years of living in one society

status a socially defined position given

to group members by others permeates

every society

status is a significant motivator and

has major behavioral consequences when

individuals perceive a disparity between

what they believe their status is and

what others perceive it to be

status has some interesting effects on

the power of norms and pressures to

conform high status individuals may be

very likely to deviate from norms when

they have low identification with the

group

people tend to become more assertive

when they seek to attain higher statuses

in a group lower status members tend to

participate less actively in group

discussion

but that doesn't mean that a group of

only high status individuals would be

preferable group performance suffers

when too many high status people are in

the mix

it's important for group members to

believe the status hierarchy is

equitable large differences in statuses

within groups are also associated with

poorer individual performance

groups generally agree with themselves

on status criteria hence there's usually

a high core lens of group rankings of

individuals factors like size of budget

managed or seniority may be determinants

of status

although it's not clear that your own

status affects the way people perceive

you the status of people with whom

you're affiliated can also affect others

views of you

this stigma by association effect can

result in negative opinions and

evaluations of the person affiliated

with the stigmata individual even if the

association is brief and purely

coincidental

early in life we acquire an us and them

mentality

culturally sometimes in groups represent

the dominant forces in a society and are

given high status

social loafing is the tendency for

individuals to expend less effort when

working collectively

social loafing directly challenges the

assumption that the productivity of the

group as a whole should at least equal

the sum of the productivity of the

individuals in it no matter what the

group size

what causes social loafing it may be a

belief that others in the group are not

carrying their fair share if you see

others as lazy or inept you can

re-establish equity by reducing your

effort

because group results cannot be

attributed to any single person the

relationship between an individual's

input and the group's output is clouded

individuals may be tempted to become

free riders and coast on the group's

efforts

the implications for organizational

behavior are significant when managers

use collective work situations they must

also be able to identify individual

effort

social loafing appears to be consistent

with individualist cultures that are

dominated by self-interest

it's not consistent with collectivist

societies in which individuals are

motivated by group goals

groups differ in their cohesiveness the

degree to which members are attracted to

each other

some work groups are cohesive because

the members have spent a great deal of

time together the group's small size or

purpose facilitates high interaction or

external threats have brought members

close together

cohesiveness affects group productivity

studies consistently show that the

relationship between cohesiveness and

productivity depends on the group's

performance related norms

if norms for quality output and

cooperation with outsiders are high a

cohesive group will be more productive

than a less cohesive group but if

cohesiveness is high and performance

norms are low productivity will be low

if cohesiveness is low and performance

norms are high productivity increases

but less than in the high

cohesiveness high norms type situation

when cohesiveness and performance

related norms are both low productivity

tends to fall

the final property of groups that we

consider is diversity in the group's

membership

overall studies identify both costs and

benefits from group diversity

diversity appears to increase group

conflict especially in the early stages

of the group's tenure this often lowers

group morale and raises dropout rates

surface level diversity in observable

characteristics such as national origin

race and gender alerts people to

possible deep level diversity in

understanding attitudes values and

opinions

surface level diversity may

subconsciously cue team members to be

more open-minded in their view

although differences can lead to

conflict they also provide an

opportunity to solve problems in unique

ways if members can weather their

differences over time diversity may help

them to be more open-minded and creative

to perform better

one possible side effect in diverse

teams is fault lines or perceived

divisions that split groups into two or

more subgroups based on individual

differences such as sex race age work

experience and education

recent work indicates that they can be

strategically employed to improve

performance

many decisions and organizations are

made by groups teams or committees

decision-making groups may be widely

used in organizations but are group

decisions preferable to those made by an

individual alone the answer depends on a

number of factors

groups generate more complete

information and knowledge this opens up

the opportunity to consider more

approaches and alternatives

groups also lead to increased acceptance

of a solution group members who

participate in making the decision are

more likely to support it

enthusiastically and to encourage others

to accept it later

group decisions also suffer from

ambiguous responsibility in a group

decision it's less clear who is

accountable for the final outcome

group decisions are generally more

accurate than the decisions of an

average individual in a group but

they're less accurate than the judgments

of most of an accurate person

if creativity is important group tends

to be more effective and if

effectiveness means the degree of

acceptance of achievable solutions the

not again goes to the group

with few exceptions group decision

making consumes and takes longer than an

individual to tackle the same problem

managers must assess whether increases

in effectiveness are enough to offset

reductions in efficiency

groupthink and group shift can affect a

group's ability to appraise alternatives

objectively

groupthink relates to norms and

describes situations in which group

pressures for conformity deter the group

from critically appraising unusual

minority or unpopular views

group shift describes the way group

members tend to exaggerate their initial

positions when discussing a given set of

alternatives to arrive at a

solution individuals who hold the

position different from that of the

dominant majority are under pressure to

suppress withhold or modify their true

feelings and beliefs even if disruption

would improve effectiveness

groups that are more focused on

performance than learning are especially

likely to fall victim to groupthink and

to suppress the opinions of those who do

not agree with the majority

there are differences between group

decisions and individual decisions of

group members in groups discussion leads

members towards a more extreme view of

the position they already had

conservatives become more cautious and

more aggressive types take on more risk

we can view this group polarization as a

special case of groupthink

the group's decision reflects the

dominant decision-making norm that

develops during discussion

the most common form of group

making takes place in interacting groups

members meet face to face and rely on

both verbal and non-verbal interaction

to communicate but interacting groups

often censor themselves and pressure

individual members towards conformity of

opinion

brainstorming can overcome the pressures

for conformity that dampen creativity by

encouraging any and all alternatives

while withholding criticism

the normal group technique may be more

effective this technique restricts

discussion and interpersonal

communication during the decision making

process

group members are all physically present

as in a traditional meeting but they

operate independently specifically a

problem is presented in the group takes

the following steps

before any discussion takes place each

member independently writes down ideas

about the problem

after this silent period each member

presents one id to the group no

discussion takes place until all ideas

have been presented and recorded

the group discusses the ideas for

clarity and evaluates them

each group member silently and

independently rank orders the ideas the

idea with the highest aggregate ranking

determines the final decision

the chief advantage of the nominal group

technique is that it permits a group to

meet formally does not restrict the

independent thinking of individuals

research generally shows nominal groups

outperform brainstorming groups

[Music]

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