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OUTCOME TEST 5 COVERAGE:CHAPTER 13 :Group Behavior, Teams, and Conflictreference / IO Psych by AamodtGROUP DYNAMICSDefinition of a Group- a group as two or more people who perceive themselves as a group and interact in some way. Other definitions require that a group must involve some degree of stru...

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OUTCOME TEST 5 COVERAGE: CHAPTER 13 : Group Behavior, Teams, and Conflict reference / IO Psych by Aamodt

GROUP DYNAMICS Definition of a Groupa group as two or more people who perceive themselves as a group and interact in some way. Other definitions require that a group must involve some degree of structure and permanency. Definition used by Gordon (2001), who believes that for a collection of people to be called a group, the following four criteria must be met: (a) The members of the group must see themselves as a unit; (b) the group must provide rewards to its members; (c) anything that happens to one member of the group affects every other member; and (d) the members of the group must share a common goal. Multiple Members Who Perceive Themselves as a Unit Obviously, one person does not constitute a group (even if he is a multiple personality). Therefore, at least two people are necessary to form a group. Usually we refer to two people as a dyad, to 3 people as a triad, and to 4 to 20 people as a small group. Corresponding Effects - an event that affects one group member should affect all group members. That is, if something significant happens to one person and does not affect any of the other people gathered with her, then the collection of people cannot be considered a group. Common goal - An aim or purpose shared by members of a group.

2. Physical Proximity - That is, people tend to form groups with people who either live or work nearby. For example, think of the intramural teams on your campus. Most teams consist of students who live in the same residence halls or have classes together. At work, employees tend to form groups that consist of those who work in the same general area. 3. Affiliation - involves our need to be with other people. Thus, one reason people join groups is to be near and talk to other people. Research has demonstrated that our need for affiliation is very strong, Mayo (1946). 4. Identification - Another reason we join groups is our desire for identification with some group or cause. There are many examples of this need to identify with others. 5. Emotional Support - We also join groups to obtain emotional support. Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and Weight Watchers are good examples of groups that provide emotional support for their members. 6. Assistance or Help - People often join groups to obtain assistance or help. For example, students having problems with an algebra class might form a study group. 7. Common Interests - People often join groups because they share a common interest. At school, students joining a geology club share an interest in geology, students joining a fraternity share an interest in socializing. 8. Common Goals - People who join political parties exemplify being in pursuit of a common goal. These people may also share common interests, but their primary purpose is to get a particular person or members of a particular party elected to office.

(8) Reasons for Joining Groups 1. Assignment - the most common reason for joining groups is that employees are assigned to them.

Group cohesiveness - is the extent to which group members like and trust one another, are committed to accomplishing a team goal, and share a feeling of group pride.

Group Homogeneity CERTAIN TYPES OF TASKS Homogeneous group - contains members who are similar in some or most ways. Heterogeneous group - contains members who are more different than alike. Slightly Heterogeneous groups - somewhere between completely homogeneous and completely heterogeneous. Stability of Membership The greater the stability of the group, the greater the cohesiveness. Thus, groups in which members remain for long periods of time are more cohesive and perform better than groups that have high turnover. Isolation Physical isolation is another variable that tends to increase a group’s cohesiveness. Groups that are isolated or located away from other groups tend to be highly cohesive. Outside Pressure Groups that are pressured by outside forces also tend to become highly cohesive. To some degree, this response to outside pressure can be explained by the phenomenon of psychological reactance. psychological reactance. - When we believe that someone is trying to intentionally influence us to take some particular action, we often react by doing the opposite. Group Size Groups are most cohesive and perform best when group size is small. Studies have shown that large groups have lower productivity, less coordination, and lower morale. In fact, research suggests that groups perform best and have greatest member satisfaction when they consist of approximately five members.

Additive tasks - are those for which the group’s performance is equal to the sum of the performances by each group member. Examples of groups performing additive tasks include bowling teams and typing pools. Conjunctive tasks - are those for which the group’s performance depends on the least effective group member (a chain is only as strong as its weakest link). Examples of conjunctive tasks include an assembly line and friends going hiking (you can walk only as fast as the slowest hiker). Because success on a conjunctive task is limited by the least effective member, smaller groups are usually best. Disjunctive tasks - are those for which the group’s performance is based on the most talented group member. Examples of disjunctive tasks include problem solving, brainstorming, and a captain’s choice golf tournament (each person plays the best shot of the four golfers). Social Impact Theory - States that the addition of a group member has the greatest effect on group behavior when the size of the group is small. [If the group is stable and cohesive, adding a fifth person may be disruptive. But in a factory of 3,000 employees, hiring one new employee is not likely to change the complexion of the company. That is why sports experts have observed that a single great player can turn around a poor basketball team.] Group Status - The esteem in which the group is held by people not in the group. [The higher the group’s status, the greater its cohesiveness. This is an important point: A group can be made more cohesive by increasing group status. The group does not actually have to have high status, but it is important that its members believe they have high status.] Communication structure - The manner in which members of a group communicate with one another.

GROUP ROLES For a group to be successful, its members’ roles must fall into one of two categories: task oriented and social oriented (Stewart, Fulmer, & Barrick, 2005). Task-oriented roles - involve behaviors such as offering new ideas, coordinating activities, and finding new information. Social-oriented roles involve cohesiveness and participation.

encouraging

A third category— the Individual role —includes blocking group activities, calling attention to oneself, and avoiding group interaction. Individual roles seldom result in higher group productivity. Presence of Others: Social Facilitation and Inhibition Since that first study, psychologists have studied what we now call social facilitation and social inhibition. Social facilitation - involves the positive effects of the presence of others on an individual’s behavior. Social inhibition - involves the negative effects of others’ presence. Social facilitation and social inhibition can be further delineated by audience effects and coaction.

The phenomenon of Audience Effects takes place when a group of people passively watch an individual. An example would be a sporting event held in an arena. The effect on behavior when two or more people are performing the same task in the presence of one another is called Coaction. Mere Presence - A Theory stating that the very fact that others happen to be present naturally produces arousal and thus may affect performance.

Comparison - The effect when an individual working on a task compares his or her performance with that of another person performing the same task. Evaluation Apprehension - The idea that a person performing a task becomes aroused because he or she is concerned that others are evaluating his or her performance. Distracting - The idea that social inhibition occurs because the presence of others provides a distraction that interferes with concentration. Social Loafing - The fact that individuals in a group often exert less individual effort than they would if they were not in a group. Free-rider Theory - postulates that when things are going well, a group member realizes that his effort is not necessary and thus does not work as hard as he would if he were alone. Sucker Effect - hypothesizes that social loafing occurs when a group member notices that other group members are not working hard and thus are “playing him for a sucker.” To avoid this situation, the individual lowers his work performance to match those of the other members. This theory, however, does not explain the loafing of other members. Individual Dominance - When one member of a group dominates the group. [If the leader or group member has an accurate solution to a problem the group is trying to solve, the group will probably perform at a high level. But if the leader or group member has an inaccurate solution, he will lead the group astray, and it will perform poorly.]

Groupthink - a term coined by Janis (1972) (after studying the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961), A state of mind in which a group is so concerned about its own cohesiveness that it ignores important information. 

Devil's Advocate - A group member who intentionally provides an opposing opinion to that expressed by the leader or the majority of the group.

Individual Versus Group Performance Nominal Group - When several people individually work on a problem but do not interact. Interacting Group - When several individuals interact to solve a problem. Brainstorming - A technique in which ideas are generated by people in a group setting. [group members are encouraged to say aloud any and all ideas that come to mind and are not allowed to comment on the ideas until all have been given.]

Social Distance - The extent to which team members treat each other in a friendly, informal manner. [members try to decrease social distance by being casual, using nicknames, and expressing liking, empathy, and common views.] Conflict Management Tactics - Team members respond to conflict by collaborating, whereas non-team members respond by forcing and accommodating. Negotiation Process - In teams, members negotiate in a win-win style in which the goal is for every person to come out ahead. In nonteams, members negotiate so that they win and the other members lose.

TEAMS Now that you have a good understanding of group dynamics, let’s focus on a specific type of group behavior that occurs in work teams. The concept of employee work teams has been around for decades (they were often called “quality circles” in the 1970s), Work Teams - Groups of employees who manage themselves, assign jobs, plan and schedule work, make work-related decisions, and solve work-related problems. Identification - the extent to which group members identify with the team rather than with other groups. For example, suppose a committee was created composed of one representative from each of five different departments (e.g., accounting, engineering, human resources). [The need to associate ourselves with the image projected by other people, groups, or objects.]

Interdependence - The extent to which team members need and rely on other team members. [members need and desire the assistance, expertise, and opinions of the other members. If a team member can perform her job without the assistance of others, the team would not meet the definition of a group.]

Power Differentiation - The extent to which team members have the same level of power and respect. [members try to decrease power differentiation by treating others as equals and taking steps to ensure equality.]

TEAMS DIFFER IN TWO WAYS Permanency - some teams are designed to work together permanently, whereas others are formed to solve a particular problem and then are expected to dissolve. Proximity - members of teams may be located across several cities, states, or countries. Because of the expense of bringing such teams to the same location. [Physical distance between people.] Virtual Teams - whose members carry out their team functions through email, teleconferencing, and computer-based videoconferencing. [Teams that communicate through email rather than face-to-face.] TYPE OF TEAMS Work teams - consist of groups of employees who manage themselves, assign jobs, plan and schedule work, make work-related decisions, and solve workrelated problems (Kirkman & Shapiro, 2001). They are typically formed to produce goods, provide service, or increase the quality and cost-effectiveness of a product or system. Parallel teams - also called cross-functional teams, consist of representatives from various departments (functions) within an organization (Keller, 2001).

For example, a team formed to reduce the time to ship a product might include members from the sales, shipping, production, and customer service departments. For cross-functional teams to be successful, it is important that they have a clear purpose, receive support from each functional area, and take steps to increase the trust levels of committee members. Project teams - are formed to produce one-time outputs such as creating a new product, installing a new software system, or hiring a new employee. Once the team’s goal has been accomplished, the team is dismantled. The temporary nature of project teams is what distinguishes them from parallel and work teams. Management teams - they coordinate, manage, advice, and direct employees and teams. Whereas work, parallel, and project teams are responsible for directly accomplishing a particular goal, management teams are responsible for providing general direction and assistance to those teams. HOW TEAMS ARE DEVELOP In an influential theory of team development, Bruce Tuckman (1965) proposed that teams typically go through four (4) developmental phases: forming, storming, norming, and performing. In the forming stage, team members get to know each other and decide what roles each member will play. During the early part of this stage, team members are on their best behavior as they try to impress and get along with the other team members. During the storming stage, the good behavior disappears. On an individual level, team members often become frustrated with their roles, show the stress of balancing their previous duties with their new team responsibilities, and question whether they have the ability to accomplish the goals set in the forming stage.

During the norming stage, the team works toward easing the tension from the storming stage. Team members begin to acknowledge the reality of the team by accepting the team leader and working directly with other team members to solve difficulties. In the performing stage, the team begins to accomplish its goals. Group members make innovative suggestions, challenge one another without defensive responses, and participate at high levels.

An alternate theory, called... Punctuated Equilibrium - suggests that rather than forming in stages, teams develop direction and strategy in the first meeting, follow this direction for a period of time, and then drastically revise their strategy about half way through the life of the team (Gersick, 1988).

GROUP CONFLICT Conflict - is the psychological and behavioral reaction to a perception that another person is either keeping you from reaching a goal, taking away your right to behave in a particular way, or violating the expectancies of a relationship. It is important to note that one of the key components to conflict is perception. [For example, two people may share the same goals, but if one person perceives that their goals are different, the possibility of conflict increases. Thus, conflict is often the result of one person’s misperception of another’s goals, intentions, or behavior.]

LEVEL OF CONFLICT Dysfunctional Conflict - keeps people from working together, lessens productivity, spreads to other areas, and increases turnover. Dysfunctional conflict usually occurs when one or both parties feel a loss of control due to the actions of the other party and has its greatest effect on team performance when the task being performed is complex. Functional Conflict - a moderate degree of conflict can result in better performance. [This moderate levels of conflict can stimulate new ideas, increase friendly competition, and increase team effectiveness.]

TYPES OF CONFLICT

e.

Interpersonal conflict – between two individuals Individual-group Conflict – occurs when the individual’s needs are different from the group’s needs, goals or norms Group-group Conflict – occurs annually as departments fight for budget allocations and space. CAUSES OF CONFLICT 1. Competition for resources 2. Task interdependence – when the performance of some group members depends on the performance of other group members. 3. Jurisdictional Ambiguity – found when geographical boundaries or lines of authority are unclear. 4. Communication barriers – can be physical, cultural, psychological 5. Beliefs – belief systems of individuals or groups 6. Personality – often the result of people with incompatible personalities who must work together. a.

Sniper – controls people by using sarcasm

b.

Know it all – controls others by dominating conversations, not listening to other’s ideas

c.

Tank – gets things done quickly by giving orders, being pushy, yelling & aggressive Whiner – constantly complain No person – believes nothing will ever work & thus disagree w/ every suggestions Nothing person – responds to difficult situations & doing & saying nothing- giving up

d. e. f.

g. h. i. j.

Yes person – agrees to everything Maybe person – won’t commit or make decision Grenade person – throws tantrums Friendly sniper – uses jokes to pick on people

k.

Think they know it all – exaggerates, lies, gives advice

7. Conflict styles a.

b.

c.

d.

Avoiding style – ignore the conflict and hope it will resolve itself. Withdrawal. Triangling occurs when an employee discusses the conflict with a third party Accommodating style - when a person is so intent on settling a conflict that he gives in and risks hurting himself Forcing style – win-lose fashion and does what it takes to win with little regard for the person i. Winning at all costs – when a person regards his side as correct and the other person is regarded as the enemy whose side is incorrect Collaborating style – wants to win but also wants to see other person win

Compromising style – adopts give and take tactics i. Negotiation and bargaining ii. Acceptable compromise

Resolving conflict: Third party invention: mediation, arbitration 

THIRD PARTY INVENTION – When a neutral party is asked to help resolve a conflict.



MEDIATION – A method of resolving conflict in which a neutral third party is asked to help the two parties reach an agreement.

ARBITRATION – A method of resolving conflicts in which a neutral third party is asked to choose which side is correct....