CHAPTER 5

FUNDAMENTALS OF GROUP DYNAMICS

GROUP

• Group is defined as two or more persons engaged in a social interaction.

This implies that each member of a group is aware of the other members
and their influence. Some psychologists consider this definition too
general and prefer to limit the use of the term group to a collection of
individuals who find their association with one another rewarding. Others
say that a group exists only when the individual members have developed
status and role relationships with respect to one another.
 Still others insist that the individuals must have a common goal in order
for them to be considered as a group. The existence of any group is assumed
to depend on the participation and satisfaction of the individuals comprising
it.
GROUP DYNAMICS

• The social process by which people interact in a small group and in a face-
to-face manner is called group dynamics. Dynamics comes from the Greek
word dynamics which means "force." Group dynamics then refers to the
study of the forces operating within a group.
FORCES FOUND IN SMALL GROUPS

There are two important historical landmarks in understanding small groups.

These afe the research of Elton Mayo and his associates in the 1920s and
1930s, and the experiments conducted ih the 1930s by Kurt Lewin,
considered as the founder of the group dynamics movement. According to
Mayo, workers tend to establish formal groups that affect job satisfaction
and effectiveness.
Lewin shows that different kinds of leadership attitudes produce different
responses in groups.
A group is composed of individuals who have come together to accomplish a
particular task or goal. Group dynamics refers to the attitudinal and
behavioral characteristics of a group. In a group, the members share
consciousness of membership and interaction. A group is not a mere
collection of individuals but an aggregate of personalities acting and
interacting with one another in the process of living.
To be a member of a group, one must participate in its common life and
activities. Group dynamics form the structure of a group and how its
members function.
CONCEPTS OF SOCIAL GROUP

San Juan and Centeno (2011) present that "psychologically, man is said to
be a rational being; politically, he is a political and power seeking beings
theologically, he is a religious, God-seeking being; and sociologically, man
is a gregarious social being seeking the company of other social beings."
The saying "No man is an island" explains that a person cannot live
satisfactorily by himself/herself alone. His/Her very existence and the
satisfaction of his/her needs and wants, as well as his/her happiness, depends
to a large degree upon his/her association with other people.
SPECIAL PROPERTIES OF GROUPS

• The special properties of groups are illustrated by a simple lesson in

mathematics, as in one plus one equals three. This is a logical error in the
world of mathematics. In the world of group dynamics, however, this is
rational. In a group, there is no such thing as merely a composition of two
people. It is their relationship that makes it three. For instance, salt
(sodium chloride) has different properties from the sodium and the
chlorine elements that form a group to make it (San Juan & Centeno,
2011).
Group types are classified as formal or informal in nature. Formal work
groups are established by an organization to achieve its goals.
TYPES OF GROUPS

Groups are generally classified as follows:

1. The primary group is characterized by intimate face-to-face association
and cooperation among its members. It fundamentally forms the social
nature and ideals of an individual. It involves sympathy and mutual
identification which is a form of natural expression (San Juan & Centeno,
2011).
2. Secondary group consists of members who are aware and cognizant of
personal relationships, but they do not feel that their lives are bound with
one another except in time of social crisis. The members may be separated
from one another by distance or by a lack of personal physical contact.
Nevertheless, they can share their interests through correspondence, press,
radio, telephone, or other means (San Juan & Centeno, 2011).
CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUP

Here are the important characteristics of a group:

1. Interaction is the pattern of mutual influence (physical, verbal, non-verbal,
emotional, etc.).
2. Structure is a stable pattern of relationships. a. Roles deal with the
behavior expected of members in a given position.
 b. Norms are the rules that identify and describe appropriate behavior.
c. Inter-member relations are influenced by authority and communication.
3. Goals are the reason for existence.
4. Perceived groupness is the extent to which members see themselves as one
(common fate, similarity, proximity).!
5. Dynamic interdependency occurs when the members are active, energized,
vibrant, and changing.
6. Motivation focuses on personal needs which-when attained-lead to
satisfaction.
KINDS OF FORMAL GROUPS

Formal groups are divided into the following.

1. Command groups are specified by the organizational chart and often
composed of a leader and the members who directly report to him/her.
Example: An academic department consisting of a chair and faculty
members
2. Task groups consist of people who work together to achieve a common
task. Members are brought together to accomplish a narrow range of goals
within a specified time. Examples: Ad hoc committees, project groups,
standing committees
3. Functional groups are created by an organization to accomplish specific
goals within an unspecified time frame. They continue to function even after
their goals have been achieved. Example: A sales and marketing department.
KINDS OF INFORMAL GROUPS

1. Interest groups usually continue over time and may last longer than general
informal groups. The gaals and objectives. of interest groups are specific to each
group and may not be related to organizational goals and objectives.
Example: Students who come together to form a study group for a specific class.
2. Friendship groups are formed by individuals who enjoy similar social activities,
political beliefs, religious values, or other common bonds. Members enjoy each
other's company.
 Examples: Students who have an exercise group or who meet for a so-
called jamming 3.
3.Reference groups are composed of people who are evaluated for social •
validation and social comparison. Social validation allows individuals to
justify their attitudes and value while social comparison helps individuals
evaluate their own actions by comparing themselves with others.
 Informal groups are formed naturally in response to the common interests
and shared values of individuals. They are created for purposes other than
the accomplishment of organizational goals and do not have a specified time
frame. Informal groups are not designated by an organization and members
can invite others to join from time to time.
• Meeting is convened for different purposes. Some are for information,
advice, decision-making, negotiation, coordination, and creative thinking.
A committee holds a specific type of meeting in which members have been
delegated authority with regard to the problem at hand.
A meeting of five people seems to be preferred for typical situations (Davis
1982).. A smaller group sometimes has difficulty functioning because
conflicts of power develop. If membership rises above seven,
communication tends to become centralized because members do not have
adequate opportunity to communicate with one another (Evangelista 1992).
CONCLUSION

A person cannot live alone; he/she needs the company of others. By nature a
social being who needs to form a group, a person has his/her own community.
Aside from permanent groupings, there are also temporary ones such as the
various organizations in society, which may be religious, economic, or
political in nature. Forming a group is important to every human being
because he/she needs a companion for the rest of his/her life. However,
regulation must be imposed and followed for the smooth existence of any
group.
• THANK YOU!