GROUP DYNAMICS

INTRODUCTION
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is
the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

In today’s explosion of information technology, communication continues to be a

complex process. Group dynamics can be very positive and helpful where team members
support each other and do what is best. It can alternately become destructive if individuals are
allowed to continue with more selfish behaviors such as never helping someone else, making
their personal life and personal problems permeate their work, being negative about everything
that happens or complaining all the time. The nurse manager has an important role in this
situation, because it may be necessary to counsel individuals exhibiting negative behavior to
achieve positive group dynamics.

DEFINITION
GROUP:
 A group may be defined as a number of individuals who join together to achieve a goal.
People join groups to achieve goals that cannot be achieved by them alone.
Johnson & Johnson (2006)
 A collection of people who interact with one another, accept rights and obligations as
members and who share a common identity.
 A group is an association of two or more people in an interdependent relationship with
shared purposes.
GROUP DYNAMICS:
 A branch of social psychology which studies problems involving the structure of a group.
 The interactions that influence the attitudes and behavior of people when they are
grouped with others through either choice or accidental circumstances.

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  A field of social psychology concerned with the nature of human groups, their
development, and their interactions with individuals, other groups, and larger
organizations.
TYPE OF GROUPS
Formal groups: refers to those which are established under the legal or formal authority
with the view to achieve a particular end results. Eg: trade unions.
Informal groups: refers to aggregate of personal contact and interaction and network of
relationship among individual. Eg: friendship group.
Primary groups: are characterized by small size, face to face interaction and intimacy
among members of group. Eg: family, neighbourhood group.
Secondary groups: characterized by large size, individual identification with the values
and beliefs prevailing in them rather than cultural interaction.
Eg: occupational association and ethnic group.
Task groups: are composed of people who work together to perform a task but involve
cross-command relationship. Eg: for finding out who was responsible for causing wrong
medication order would require liaison between ward in charge, senior sister and head
nurse.
Social groups: refers to integrated system of interrelated psychological group formed to
accomplish defined objectives. Eg: political party with its many local political clubs.
friendship group.
Reference groups: one in which they would like to belong.
Membership groups: those where the individual actually belongs.
Command groups: formed by subordinates reporting directly to the particular manager
are determined by formal organizational chart.
Functional groups: the individuals work together daily on similar tasks.
Problem solving groups: it focuses on specific issues in their areas of responsibility,
develops potential solution and often empowered to take action.

OBJECTIVES OF GROUP DYNAMICS

 To identify and analyze the social processes that impact on group development and
performance.
 To acquire the skills necessary to intervene and improve individual and group
performance in an organizational context.
 To build more successful organizations by applying techniques that provide positive
impact on goal achievement.

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PRINCIPLES OF GROUP DYNAMICS

♪ The members of the group must have a strong sense of belonging to the group.
♪ Changes in one part of the group may produce stress in other person, which can be
reduced only by eliminating or allowing the change by bringing about readjustment in the
related parts
♪ The group arises and functions owing to common motives.
♪ Groups survive by placing the members into functional hierarchy and facilitating the
action towards the goals
♪ The intergroup relations, group organization and member participation is essential for
effectiveness of a group.
♪ Information relating to needs for change, plans for change and consequences of changes
must be shared by members of a group.

ELEMENTS OF GROUP DYNAMICS

COMMUNICATION
One of the easiest aspects of group process to observe is the pattern of
communication. The kinds of observations we make give us clues to other important
things which may be going on in the group such as who leads whom or who influences
whom.
♥ Who talks? For how long? How often?
♥ Who do people look at when they talk?
♥ Who talks after whom, or who interrupts whom?
♥ Style of communication used?
♥ How are silent people treated? Is silence due to disagreement, disinterest, fear,
fatigue?

CONTENT VS PROCESS
When we observe what the group is talking about, we are focusing on the content.
When we try to observe how the group is handling its communication, i.e., who talks how
much or who talks to whom, we are talking about group process. In fact, the content of
group discussion often tells us what process issue may be on people's minds.
At a simpler level, looking at process really means to focus on what is going on in
the group and trying to understand it in terms of other things that have gone on in the
group.

DECISION
Many kinds of decisions are made in groups without considering the effects these
decisions have on other members. Some try to impose their own decisions on the group,
while others want all members to participate or share in the decisions that are made.

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 Some decisions are made consciously after much debate and voting. Others are made
silently when no one objects to suggestion.

INFLUENCE
Some people may speak very little, yet they may capture the attention of the
whole group. Others may talk a lot—but other members may pay little attention to them

TASK VS RELATIONSHIPS
The group's task is the job to be done. People who are concerned with the task
tend to:
♥ Make suggestions as to the best way to proceed or deal with a problem
♥ Attempt to summarize what has been covered or what has been going on in the
group
♥ Give or ask for facts, ideas, opinions, feelings, feedback, or search for
alternatives.
Relationships means how well people in the group work together. People who are
concerned with relationships tend to:
♥ Be more concerned with how people feel than how much they know
♥ Help others get into the discussion
♥ Encourage people with friendly remarks and gestures.
ROLES
Behavior in the group can be of 3 types:
♥ TASK ROLES (which helps the group accomplish its task)
 Initiator: proposing tasks or goals; defining a group problem; suggesting ways to
solve a problem.
 Information/opinion seeker: requesting facts; asking for expressions of feeling;
requesting a statement; seeking suggestions and ideas.
 Information or opinion giver: offering facts; providing relevant information;
stating an opinion; giving suggestions and ideas.
 Clarifier and elaborator: interpreting ideas or suggestions; clearing up
confusion; defining terms; indicating alternatives and issues before the group.
 Summarizor: pulling together related ideas; restating suggestions after the group
has discussed them; offering a decision or conclusion for the group to accept or
reject.
 Energizer; who stimulates and prods the group to act and raise the level of their
actions.
 Coordinator: who clarifies and coordinates ideas, suggestions and activities of
the group members.

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 ♥ RELATIONSHIP ROLES (which helps group members get along better)
 Harmonizer: who mediates, harmonizes and resolve conflicts.
 Gate keeper: helping to keep communication channels open; facilitating the
participation of others; suggesting procedures that permit sharing remarks.
 Encourager; being friendly, warm, and responsive to others; indicating by facial
expression or remarks the acceptance of others' contributions.
 Compromiser: when one's own idea or status is involved in a conflict, offering a
compromise which yields status; admitting error.
 Follower: who accepts the group’s ideas and listens to their discussion and
decisions.

♥ SELF-ORIENTED ROLES (which contributes to neither group task nor group

relationship)
 Dominator: interrupts others; launches on long monologues; is over-positive;
tries to lead group and assert authority; is generally autocratic.
 Negativist: rejects ideas suggested by others; takes a negative attitude on issues;
argues frequently and unnecessarily; is pessimistic, refuses to cooperate; pouts.
 Aggressor: tries to achieve importance in group; boasts; criticizes or blames
others; tries to get attention; shows anger or irritation against group or individuals;
deflates importance or position of others in group.
 Playboy: is not interested in the group except as it can help him or her to have a
good time.
 Storyteller: likes to tell long "fishing stories" which are not relevant to the group;
gets off on long tangents.
 Interrupter: talks over others; engages in side conversations; whispers to
neighbour.

MEMBERSHIP
One major concern for group members is the degree of acceptance or inclusion
they feel in the group.
♥ Are there any sub-groupings? Sometimes two or three members may consistently
agree and support each other or consistently disagree and oppose one another.
♥ Do some people seem to be outside the group? Do some members seem to be
"in"? How those “outside” are treated?
♥ Do some members move in and out of the group? Under what conditions do they
move in and out?

FEELINGS
During any group discussion, feelings are frequently generated by the interactions
between members. These feelings, however, are seldom talked about. Observers may

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 have to make guesses based on tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and many other
forms of nonverbal cues.

NORMS
Standard or group rules always develop in a group in order to control the behavior
of members. Norms usually express the beliefs or desires of the majority of the group
members as to what behaviors should or should not take place in the group. These norms
may be clear to all members (explicit), known or sensed by only a few (implicit), or
operating completely below the level of awareness of any group members. Some norms
help group progress and some hinder it.

GROUP ATMOSPHERE
Something about the way a group works creates an atmosphere which in turn is
revealed in a general impression. Insight can be gained into the atmosphere characteristic
of a group by finding words which describe the general impression held by group
members.

GROUP MATURITY
Group maturity is defined as the ability and willingness of group members to set
goals and work toward their accomplishment. Characteristic of mature group:
♥ An increasing ability to be self-directed (not dependent on the leader).
♥ An increased tolerance in accepting that progress takes time.
♥ An increasing sensitivity to their own feelings and those of others.
♥ Improvement in the ability to withstand tension, frustration and disagreement.
♥ An increased ability to change plans and methods as new situations develop.
Assessing group maturity is especially important for a group leader. An immature
group needs direction. Directive leadership is usually best. If a group is very mature,
nondirective leadership is usually best. In between the extremes of very mature and very
immature, democratic leadership will be the best bet depending on the situation.

STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT

I.BRUCE W TUCKMAN is a respected educational psychologist who first described the four
stages of group development in 1965. The four-stage model is called as Tuckman's Stages for a
group. Tuckman's model states that the ideal group decision-making process should occur in four
stages:

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Stage 1: Forming (pretending to get on or get along with others)

Individual behaviour is driven by a desire to be accepted by the others, and

avoid controversy or conflict. Serious issues and feelings are avoided, and
people focus on being busy with routines, such as team organization, who does
what, when to meet, etc. But individuals are also gathering information and
impressions - about each other, and about the scope of the task and how to
approach it. This is a comfortable stage to be in, but the avoidance of conflict
and threat means that not much actually gets done.

Stage 2: Storming (letting down the politeness barrier and trying to get down to the issues even
if tempers flare up)

Individuals in the group can only remain nice to each other for so long, as
important issues start to be addressed. Some people's patience will break early,
and minor confrontations will arise that are quickly dealt with or glossed
over. These may relate to the work of the group itself, or to roles and
responsibilities within the group. Some will observe that it's good to be getting
into the real issues, whilst others will wish to remain in the comfort and
security of stage 1. Depending on the culture of the organization and
individuals, the conflict will be more or less suppressed, but it'll be there, under
the surface. To deal with the conflict, individuals may feel they are winning or
losing battles, and will look for structural clarity and rules to prevent the
conflict persisting.

Stage 3: Norming (getting used to each other and developing trust and productivity)
As Stage 2 evolves, the "rules of engagement" for the group become
established, and the scopes of the group’s tasks or responsibilities are clear and
agreed. Having had their arguments, they now understand each other better,
and can appreciate each other's skills and experience. Individuals listen to each
other, appreciate and support each other, and are prepared to change pre-
conceived views: they feel they're part of a cohesive, effective
group. However, individuals have had to work hard to attain this stage, and
may resist any pressure to change - especially from the outside - for fear that
the group will break up, or revert to a storm.

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Stage 4: Performing (working in a group to a common goal on a highly efficient and cooperative
basis)

Not all groups reach this stage, characterised by a state of interdependence and
flexibility. Everyone knows each other well enough to be able to work
together, and trusts each other enough to allow independent activity. Roles and
responsibilities change according to need in an almost seamless way. Group
identity, loyalty and morale are all high, and everyone is equally task-
orientated and people-orientated. This high degree of comfort means that all
the energy of the group can be directed towards the task(s) in hand.

Ten years after first describing the four stages, Bruce Tuckman revisited his original
work and described another, final, stage in 1977:
Stage 5: Adjourning (mourning the adjournment of the group)

This is about completion and disengagement, both from the tasks and the group
members. Individuals will be proud of having achieved much and glad to have
been part of such an enjoyable group. They need to recognize what they've
done, and consciously move on. Some authors describe stage 5 as "Deforming
and Mourning", recognizing the sense of loss felt by group members.

In the real world, groups are often forming and changing, and each time that happens, they
can move to a different Tuckman Stage. A group might be happily Norming or Performing, but
a new member might force them back into Storming. Seasoned leaders will be ready for this, and
will help the group get back to Performing as quickly as possible. Many work groups live in the
comfort of Norming, and are fearful of moving back into Storming, or forward into Performing.
This will govern their behaviour towards each other, and especially their reaction to change.
II. M. SCOTT PECK developed stages for larger-scale groups (i.e., communities) which are
similar to Tuckman's stages of group development. Peck describes the stages of a community as:
► Pseudo-community
► Chaos
► Emptiness
► True Community

GROUP DYNAMICS PROCESS

A. GROUP FORMATION
A group is able to share experiences, to provide feedback, to pool ideas, to generate
insights, and provide an arena for analysis of experiences. The group provides a measure of
support and reassurance. Moreover, as a group, learners may also plan collectively for
change action. Group discussion is a very effective learning method.

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 ► Participation
Participation is a fundamental process within a group, because many of the other
processes depend upon participation of the various members. Levels and degrees of
participation vary. Some members are active participants while others are more withdrawn
and passive. In essence, participation means involvement, concern for the task, and direct or
indirect contribution to the group goal. If members do not participate, the group ceases to
exist.
Factors which affect member’s participation are;
◘ The content or task of the group- is it of interest, importance and relevance?
◘ The physical atmosphere - is it comfortable physically, socially and psychologically?
◘ The psychological atmosphere - is it accepting, non-threatening?
◘ Member’s personal preoccupations - are there any distracting thoughts in their mind?
◘ The level of interaction and discussions - is adequate information provided for everyone
to understand? - is it at a level everyone understands?
◘ Familiarity - between group members- do members know each other from before?
► Communication
Communication within a group deals with the spoken and the unspoken, the verbal
and the non-verbal, the explicit and the implied messages that are conveyed and exchanged
relating to information and ideas, and feelings.
Two-way communication implies a situation where not only the two parties talk to each
other, but that they are listening to each other as well. It helps in clarification of doubts,
confusions and misconceptions, both parties understanding each other, receiving and giving
of feedback.
Helpful hints for effective communication
◘ Have a circular seating arrangement so that everyone can see and interact with everyone
else
◘ If there are two facilitators, they should sit apart so that communication flow is not in one
direction
◘ Respect individuals- let everyone call everyone else by name respectfully
◘ Encourage and support the quiet members to voice their opinions
◘ Try and persuade the people who speak too much to give others a chance
◘ Ensure that only one person speaks at a time or no one else will be heard
◘ Discourage sub groups from indulging in side talk
► Problem solving
Most groups find themselves unable to solve problems because they address the
problem at a superficial level. After that they find themselves blocked because they cannot
figure out why the problem occurred and how they can tackle it.
An effective problem solving procedure would be to:
◘ Clearly define the problem: Is it what appears on the surface or are there deep hidden
aspects?

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 ◘ Try to thoroughly explore and understand the causes behind the problem
◘ Collect additional information, from elsewhere if necessary, and analyze it to understand
the problem further
◘ The group should suspend criticism and judgment for a while and try to combine each
other's ideas or add on improvements. The objectives should be to generate as many ideas
and suggestions as possible. This is called "brainstorming" in a group, when individuals
try lateral thinking.
► Leadership
Leadership involves focusing the efforts of the people towards a common goal and to
enable them to work together as one. In general we designate one individual as a leader. This
individual may be chosen from within or appointed from outside. Thus, one member may
provide leadership with respect to achieving the goal while a different individual may be
providing leadership in maintaining the group as a group. These roles can switch and change.

B. DEVELOPMENT OF GROUPS
The developmental process of small groups can be viewed in several ways. Firstly, it is
useful to know the persons who compose a particular small group.
◘ People bring their past experiences
◘ People come with their personalities (their perceptions, attitudes and values)
◘ People also come with a particular set of expectations.
The priorities and expectations of persons comprising a group can influence the manner
in which the group develops over a period of time
Stages
Viewing the group as a whole we observe definite patterns of behavior occurring within a
group. These can be grouped into stages.

► FIRST STAGE
The initial stage in the life of a group is concerned with forming a group. This stage is
characterized by members seeking safety and protection, tentativeness of response, seeking
superficial contact with others, demonstrating dependency on existing authority figures.
Members at this stage either engage in busy type of activity or show apathy.

► SECOND STAGE
The second stage in this group is marked by the formation of dyads and triads.
Members seek out familiar or similar individuals and begin a deeper sharing of self.
Continued attention to the subgroup creates a differentiation in the group and tensions across
the dyads /triads may appear. Pairing is a common phenomenon.

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 ► THIRD STAGE
The third developmental stage is marked by a more serious concern about task
performance. The dyads/triads begin to open up and seek out other members in the group.
Efforts are made to establish various norms for task performance. Members begin to take
greater responsibility for their own group and relationship while the authority figure becomes
relaxed.

► FOURTH STAGE
This is a stage of a fully functional group where members see themselves as a group
and get involved in the task. Each person makes a contribution and the authority figure is
also seen as a part of the group. Group norms are followed and collective pressure is exerted
to ensure the effectiveness of the group. The group redefines its goals in the light of
information from the outside environment and shows an autonomous will to pursue those
goals. The long-term viability of the group is established and nurtured.

C. FACILITATING A GROUP
A group cannot automatically function effectively, it needs to be facilitated. Facilitation
can be described as a conscious process of assisting a group to successfully achieve its task while
functioning as a group. Facilitation can be performed by members themselves, or with the help
of an outsider.
To facilitate effectively the facilitator needs to:
◘ Understand what is happening within the group
◘ Be aware of his/her own personality and
◘ Know how to facilitate
◘
CONCLUSION:
Group dynamics refers to the understanding of the behavior of people in groups, such as task
groups, that are trying to solve a problem or make a decision. Group norms are followed and
collective pressure is exerted to ensure the effectiveness of the group. The group provides a
measure of support and reassurance. Moreover, as a group, learners may also plan collectively
for change action.

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