Social sensitivity in the small task-oriented group.

An analysis of variance design is used to investigate the determinants of accuracy in three five-man groups. Analysis is also made of the covariance between accuracy and self-favorability, other-favorability, and similarity of sentiment structure among the Ss. The results show, that estimation of accuracy is a function of (1) characteristics of the estimator, (2) characteristics of the estimatee, (3) the nature of the group and situation, and (4) the particular feelings being estimated. Persons, pairs of persons, and groups whose feelings toward each other are favorable or similar tend to be more accurate in estimating each other's feelings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some effects of varying combinations of group members on group performance measures and leadership behaviors.

This experiment tests whether individuals contribute differently to the group product depending on the other individuals with whom they are assembled. "This assembly effect on the group end-product is clearly distinguished from the contribution attributable to each individual of the group, considered separately." By using the Ball-and-Spiral Apparatus as a group task, this assembly effect was found significant, for the two experimental measures used, at the .05 and .08 levels. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research on assembly effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Participation, information, and control in small groups: An actor-partner interdependence model.

Substantive participation during small group discussion is based on the distribution of information resources within groups. However, those with an information advantage may choose not to contribute to the discussion for a variety of reasons. The authors hypothesized that interpersonal control (defined as the ability, desire, and skill to influence what is talked about and by whom during discussion) moderates the relation between information and participation. One's perceived interpersonal control, however, is relative to that of his or her colleagues; the amount of control one exerts is related to that exerted by others. Participants, in groups of four, collaborated on a psychological profile task. Results indicate a complex relation among information quantity, interpersonal control, and partners' interpersonal control. Discussion addresses participation in competitive and collaborative group contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group interaction and perceived simliarity of members.

The hypothesis being tested was that perceived similarity of other members of a group with oneself was a function of the degree of interaction in the group. An experimental situation (making lists of geographical names with or without the assistance of group members) offered the possibility to vary the degree of group interaction. The findings revealed that assumed (perceived) similarity between Ss was a function of degree of group interaction only when Ss did not know each other beforehand. From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2GE35S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autonomy and job satisfaction in task-oriented groups.

Ss were placed in apparent 3-person communication structures in which written notes were used to create illusions of centrality (or peripherality) and of autonomy (or dependence). A simple task was given requiring coordination of the Ss' activities. Results indicate that "positional autonomy is a major determinant of job satisfaction in task-oriented groups." The relationship between autonomy and job satisfaction seems to be mediated by satisfaction of a need for autonomy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A cross-cultural study of structured groups with unpopular central members.

"This paper reports an experiment on the performance of small social groups with restricted channels of communication." Central members of 2 kinds of group structures, "wheel" and "circle," were selected on the basis of being either popular or unpopular. Groups that are formed on the basis of a "wheel" seem to function better than "circle" groups or wheel groups with unpopular leaders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The newcomer in open and closed groups.

How does the assimulation of a new member in an open group compare with that of a new member in a closed group? Ss were 64 students in 3-person groups using a note-passing device. The relative influence of newcomers and regular members were studied. "The dependent variables included measures of communication direction… group influence, group satisfaction, and the relative ratings of the confederates by the naive group members." The open groups paid the most attention to the tasks. "Tenure and status were found to be positively associated." From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2GE55Z. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leader-member interaction in management committees.

Leader-group interaction was studied to determine the effect of leaders with varying degrees of directiveness. Group activity was observed with individuals high and low in "control," as established by a questionnaire. The results indicate that when a leader exerts effective (frequent but low magnitude of) control, the group moves towards more successful resolutions of problems; that when leaders are low in skillful control, group members begin to vie with one another for leadership. From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2CF60S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of small groups in mediating the effects of propaganda.

The attitude toward wiretapping was measured for a group of students before and after exposure to a speech opposing their attitude. They were then asked to list on a choice questionnaire their first, second, and third choices people present, whose views were made public, whom they would like to listen to or speak with on the issue. The entire group then engaged in free discussion of the issue, after which the opinion questionnaire was again filled out. The results indicated that individuals whose confidence in a belief has been shaken by exposure to opposing propaganda, prefer to hear arguments from their own side to bolster their confidence and tend to listen preferentially with persons who agree with them, with the consequence that their confidence in their opinion soon returns to the original level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A review of the relationships between personality and performance in small groups.

Studies included cover the period from 1900 to October 1957 and do not include those studies wherein children constitute the sample. The review is concerned with 7 personality characteristics (introversion-extraversion, dominance, interpersonal sensitivity, masculinity-feminity, conservatism, intelligence, and adjustment) and their relationship to such group behavior variables as leadership, popularity, conformity, task activity, total activity, and social-emotional activity. Most of the studies yielded low positive relationships, intelligence being the best predictor of individual behavior in the group. Considering the studies as a whole, the author is encouraged by the many clear trends which emerge. 151 refs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting maintenance of membership in small groups.

"The hypothesis that maintenance or severance of membership in small 'task' organizations of college students is directly related to personal involvement in the group and to sociometric status within the group was supported by data from 23 such organizations. Of 293 members initially studied, 170 had involuntarily severed membership (graduation, military service, etc.) six months later; for the remainder, moderate predictability of maintenance or severance of membership was achieved by the use of two measures in a linear discriminant function." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality and acceptance of problem solutions by members of homogeneous and heterogeneous groups.

Though previous work by Hoffman (see 34: 954) had demonstrated that higher quality solutions to problems were produced by heterogeneous groupings of people (in terms of personality) than homogeneous, the present research was prompted by the question as to the generalizability of the findings. This study attempts to find where the results relate to situations which enhance group differences in terms of value or attitude held. Even on problems designed to produce emotional conflict, the heterogeneous groups proved to be more effective in problem solving. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4GE01H. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do inclusive leaders help to reduce turnover in diverse groups? The moderating role of leader–member exchange in the diversity to turnover relationship.

This research examines leader–member exchange (LMX) at the group level as a moderator of the relationships between demographic (i.e., race, age, gender) and tenure diversity and group turnover. Drawing primarily from LMX, social categorization, and expectation states theories, we hypothesized that through the pattern of LMX relationships that they develop with followers, group managers influence inclusion and status differentials within groups such that the positive relationship between diversity and group turnover will be weaker when the group mean on LMX is high or when group differentiation on LMX is low. Results from a sample of supermarket departments (N = 348) yielded general support for the study hypotheses. We also found evidence for a 3-way interaction involving demographic diversity, LMX mean, and LMX differentiation such that the interaction between demographic diversity and LMX differentiation was only significant when LMX mean was high. These findings highlight the important role that leaders play in influencing the relationship between diversity and turnover through the patterns of inclusion that they create in their units. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment, group attraction and self-other agreement in interpersonal circumplex problems and perceptions of group members.

Graduate students (N=76) fulfilling a class requirement for interpersonal group participation completed measures of interpersonal problems and adult attachment at pretest. At the midpoint and at termination they completed measures of interpersonal problems and group attraction and provided interpersonal circumplex ratings of each fellow group member. As predicted, selected attachment insecurities were significantly correlated with interpersonal problems and group attraction. Attachment anxiety and avoidance, also as hypothesized, were associated with discrepancies in self-other perceptions. Whereas members with attachment avoidance tended to overestimate hostile and hostile-submissive problems, members with attachment anxiety were likely to overestimate interpersonal problems in the "friendly" half of the circumplex. Implications for the conceptualization of attachment-based distortions and interpersonal learning in group therapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The statistical analysis of data from small groups.

The authors elaborate the complications and the opportunities inherent in the statistical analysis of small-group data. They begin by discussing nonindependence of group members' scores and then consider standard methods for the analysis of small-group data and determine that these methods do not take into account this nonindependence. A new method is proposed that uses multilevel modeling and allows for negative nonindependence and mutual influence. Finally, the complications of interactions, different group sizes, and differential effects are considered. The authors strongly urge that the analysis model of data from small-group studies should mirror the psychological processes that generate those data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leader's contribution to task performance in cohesive and uncohesive groups.

Army tank crews, B-29 bomber crews, antiaircraft artillery crews, and creative discussion groups provided data which were analyzed to determine the relationship between the leader's intelligence and group performance. Each sample was divided into cohesive and uncohesive groups, and the correlation between the leader's intelligence and group performance was computed. The results indicated consistently that the leader's intelligence predicts group performance in cohesive groups, but not in uncohesive groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leader training and practices in groups for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Little is known about the actual practices of group leaders of childhood sexual abuse groups. A survey of 60 group leaders of CSA groups for children, adolescents, and adults found that most are adhering to ethical and training guidelines. The groups range from psychoeducational and support to counseling and therapy groups. Many of the groups are co-led, especially children and adolescent groups. The article discusses the screening, group structure, and interventions that leaders are using and suggests multiple areas for further research, as well as tips for practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The use of personal pronouns as categories for studying small group interaction.

Observations were made of the use of personal pronouns in the meetings of 2 groups, a VA therapy session and a VA staff meeting. The assumption was made that the individual's pronoun choice reflects his orientation toward persons, ideas, feelings, and objects. Under conditions of group interaction, patterns of pronominal preference may be expected to express characteristics of the group relationships. The method is described, and judgments of its effectiveness in expressing group characteristics are made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)