Psychology of Student Organizations

The extent to which the members of a group remain consistent over time.

Groups with stable membership tend to perform better than groups with high turnover.

Groups with members who have worked together before are more likely to perform well.

Groups with high turnover are less cohesive and perform worse than groups with long-lasting members.

Groups that are highly diverse in terms of traits or perspectives can perform better overall.

The individual who stands out as different in a group (e.g., only woman, only minority) may feel less satisfied.

Employees who are statistically a minority in a workplace are more likely to leave the organization.

Stability of membership contributes to group cohesiveness and ultimately, performance.

Shared interests or a common goal that motivates individuals to join and participate in groups.

Joining a club based on common interests like geology, fraternity for socializing, or service clubs for helping people.

Groups formed based on shared academic interests, such as psychology or Latin, tend to be smaller and less active.

Social needs are often stronger than academic interests, leading to more active participation in social clubs.

Companies like Genecor understand the value of employee engagement through activities addressing shared interests, such as yoga, cooking, and skiing.

When individuals join political parties, they are motivated by a common goal of electing specific candidates or parties.

The importance of shared interests and common goals for group formation and success.

The concept that people tend to join groups because they share common interests or a common goal.

The tendency for a group to become more cohesive when its members are physically isolated from other groups.

The amount of pressure placed on a group by individuals who are not members of the group.

The phenomenon that occurs when people react against attempts to influence them, often by doing the opposite of what is desired.

Groups that are pressured by outside forces tend to become more cohesive. This reaction can be explained by the principle of psychological reactance.

The stability of a group's membership, often determined by factors like member commitment and involvement.

Greek organizations tend to have more stable memberships than professional clubs or honorary societies due to factors like early involvement and social bonding.

Joining organizations, particularly later in one's academic career, is sometimes seen as a way to improve one's resume.

The tendency for students to join Greek organizations early in their academic career, professional clubs in their junior year, and honorary societies in their senior year.

The group's performance is equal to the sum of each member's individual performance. Each member's contribution is important, making larger groups potentially more effective.

The group's performance depends on the least effective member. Think of a chain - it's only as strong as its weakest link.

Groups with approximately 5 members tend to show the highest performance and member satisfaction.

Large groups often struggle with coordination, morale, and cohesiveness, and may be less effective than smaller groups.

Breaking down a large organization into smaller groups and committees can improve communication, efficiency, and satisfaction.

Large groups may be more efficient for additive tasks where individual contributions add up.

Smaller groups are generally best for conjunctive tasks where performance hinges on the weakest member.

Maintaining a group size of around five members can be a good strategy to maximize performance and satisfaction within an organization.

A phenomenon where a group's cohesiveness increases when faced with external pressure or opposition, especially from a fabricated opponent.

The number of people in a group.

Unintentional actions or behaviors that can trigger negative reactions from others, leading to stressful situations.

When someone honks their horn in a parking spot situation, it significantly increases the time it takes for the parked driver to leave.

The tendency for drivers to leave their parking spot faster when there is no one waiting for it compared to when another driver is waiting.

Company management and unions often engage in criticism and disagreement during labor negotiations, which can sometimes backfire and strengthen the opposing group.

The way members of a group communicate with each other. This can impact a group's performance, with different communication networks having advantages and disadvantages.

The network used by groups to interact with each other. Various networks exist with different benefits and drawbacks depending on the group's objectives.

A communication network in which all members communicate directly with each other and there's no central figure controlling the flow of information.

A communication network where communication primarily goes through one person, who acts as a central hub.

A communication network suited for groups aiming to solve a problem quickly, where a central figure gathers information and directs tasks.

A communication network suitable for groups focused on fostering connections among members, with open communication and no central control.

A good leader chooses the communication network that best fits the group goals.

The genetic predisposition for an individual to effectively contribute and cooperate within a group.