Types of Groups and Social Identity Theory

Types of Groups

• A group is defined as two or more individuals interacting and interdependent to achieve specific objectives.
• Formal groups are defined by the organization's structure.
• Informal groups are alliances that are not formally structured or organizationally determined.
• Social identity theory considers when and why individuals see themselves as group members.
• People have emotional reactions to group failures/successes because their self-esteem is tied to the group's performance.
• Relational identification refers to identification based on connections with other group members.
• Collective identification refers to identification based on the group's overall achievements and reputation.
• Social categorization processes can lead people to consider those sharing their social identity as the "ingroup". People from different groups are the "outgroups".

Punctuated-Equilibrium Model

• The Punctuated-Equilibrium Model describes how groups with deadlines do not display a linear progression.
• Phase 1: the first meeting sets the group's direction and defines the framework of behavioral patterns and assumptions.
• A period of inertia follows until halfway between the first meeting and the deadline.
• A transition initiates major changes.
• Phase 2: a second period of inertia follows.
• The group's last meeting is characterized by markedly accelerated activity to complete the task.

Role Requirements

• A role is a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit.
• Role Perception is one's view of how to behave in a situation.
• Role Expectations describe how others believe one should act in a given situation.
• A psychological contract is an unwritten agreement setting out what management expects from an employee and vice versa.
• Role conflict is a situation where an individual faces divergent role expectations.
• Interrole conflict occurs when expectations of different, separate groups are in opposition.

Influence of Norms

• Norms are acceptable standards of behavior shared by a group's members.
• Norms and emotions dictate the experience of emotions for individuals and groups, leading people to interpret shared emotions similarly.
• A recent study found that, in a task group, the individual's emotions influenced the group's and vice versa. These are the Hawthorne Studies.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) attempts to align employees' values with organizational values.
• Positive norms can become stronger if employees align their thinking with them, increasing the probability of positive impact.
• Deviant workplace behavior can be categorized into the categories of Production, Property, Political, and Personal Aggression

Status and Size

• Status is a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others.
• Status characteristics theory says that status is derived from the power a person wields over others, a person's ability to contribute to a group's goals, and an individual's personal characteristics
• High-status individuals often have more freedom to deviate from norms.
• High-status people can be more assertive.
• Perceived status inequity creates disequilibrium and can lead to resentment and corrective behavior.
• Group size affects behavior. Large groups are good for diverse input. Small groups are better for action.
• Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than when alone.

Cohesion

• Cohesion is related to group effectiveness.
• High performing norms with high cohesion leads to High productivity.
• Low performing norms with high cohesion leads to Low productivity.
• High performing norms with low cohesion leads to Moderate productivity.
• Low performing norms with low cohesion leads to Moderate to low productivity.

Group Decision Making

• Strengths of group decision making include increased information, diversity of views, and acceptance of solutions.
• Weaknesses include time consumption, conformity pressures, domination by a few members, and ambiguous responsibility.
• Group decisions can bring increased accuracy, speed, creativity, and acceptance.
• Groupthink occurs when the pressure for conformity deters the group from critically appraising unusual or unpopular views.
• Groupshift occurs when a member shifts their individual idea in a group based on what other members are doing.
• Interacting groups censor themselves and pressure individual members to conform.
• Brainstorming can overcome conformity pressures, where the group leader states the problem, members "free-wheel" alternatives without criticism, and one idea stimulates others.
• The Nominal group technique restricts interpersonal communication during the decision-making process.
• Group members that use the Nominal group technique are physically present but operate independently.
• Nominal groups outperform brainstorming groups.
• A nominal group includes the following steps: each member independently writes their ideas; each member presents one idea to the group; ideas are discussed; each member individually ranks the ideas; the idea with the highest aggregate ranking determines final decision.