Groups and Group Dynamics Overview

Groups and Group Dynamics

• Groups are composed of two or more individuals working towards a shared objective, which can be formal or informal.
• Formal groups work towards organizational goals, guided by organizational expectations.
• Informal groups form due to social needs, influencing members' behaviour and performance.
• Social Identity Theory explains emotional responses to group success/failure, as seen in sports fans.
• Ingroup favoritism is the tendency for group members to view their own group more positively than other groups.
• Outgroup refers to a group perceived as opposite or antagonistic to the ingroup.
• Social identity threat is the belief that one will be judged negatively based on their group affiliation.

Group Models and Processes

• Punctuated-equilibrium model describes a group's progression through phases of inertia and activity, leading to transitions.
• Roles are sets of behaviours associated with social positions (e.g., husband, specific job role).
• Role perception is the individual's understanding of what is expected of them in a specific role.
• Role expectation is the perception of others regarding the behaviours expected of a specific role.
• Psychological contract is an unwritten agreement between employees and employers defining expectations.

Organizational Behaviour and Group Issues

• Role conflict arises when individuals face differing expectations for different roles they hold.
• Norms are shared expectations regarding acceptable behaviour within a group.
• Deviant workplace behaviour is voluntary behaviour violating organizational norms (e.g., working slowly).
• Social loafing is the tendency to exert less effort when working in a group.
• Group cohesiveness is the degree to which members feel connected and trust each other.
• Groupthink is a phenomenon where the desire for group consensus overrides critical evaluation.
• Groupshift refers to the tendency for group decisions to be more extreme than individual decisions.