what to look for in groups

In all human interaction there are two major ingredients – content and process. The first deals with the subject matter or the task upon which the group is working. In most interactions, the focus of attention of all persons is on the content. The second ingredient, process, is concerned with what is happening between and to group members while the group is working.

Group process, or dynamics, deals with such items as morale, feeling
tone, atmosphere, influence, participation, styles of influence, leadership struggles, conflict, competition, cooperation, etc. In most interactions, very little attention is paid to process, even when it is the major cause of ineffective group action. Sensitivity to group process will better enable one to diagnose group problems early and deal with them more effectively. Since these processes are present in all groups, awareness of them will enhance a person’s worth to a group and enable him/her to more be a more effective group participant.

Below are some observation guidelines to help analyze group behaviour.

Participation
One indication of involvement is verbal participation. Look for differences in the amount of participation among members.
1. Who are the high participators?
2. Who are the low participators?
3. Do you see any shift in participation e.g. highs become quiet, lows suddenly become talkative. Do you see any possible reason for this in the group’s interaction?
4. How are the silent people treated? How is their silence interpreted? Consent?
Disagreement? Disinterest? Fear? Etc
5. Who talks to whom? Do you see any reason for this in the group’s interactions?
6. Who keeps the ball rolling? Why? Do you see any reason for this in the group’s
interactions?
Influence
Influence and participation are not the same. Some people may speak very little, yet they capture the attention of the whole group. Others may talk a lot but are generally not listened to by other members.
7. Which members are high in influence? That is, when they talk others seem to listen.
8. Which members are low in influence? Others do not listen to or follow them. Is there
any shifting in influence? Who shifts?
9. Do you see any rivalry in the group? Is there a struggle for leadership? What effect does it have on other group members?
Styles of Influence
Influence can take many forms. It can be positive or negative, it can enlist the support of cooperation of others or alienate them. How a person attempts to influence another may be the crucial factor in determining how open or closed the other will be toward being influenced.
Items 10 through 13 are suggestive of four styles that frequently emerge in
groups.
10. Autocratic: Does anyone attempt to impose his will or values on other group
members or try to push them to support his decisions? Who evaluates or passes
judgement on other group members? Do any members block action when it is not
moving the direction they desire? Who pushes to ‘get the group organised’?
11. Peacemaker: Who eagerly supports other group members’ decisions? Does anyone
consistently try to avoid conflict or unpleasant feeling from being expressed by
pouring oil on the troubled waters? Is any member typically deferential toward other
group members – gives them power? Do any members appear to avoid giving
negative feedback ie. Who will level only when they have positive feedback to give?
12. Laissez faire: Are any group members getting attention by their apparent lack of
involvement in the group? Does any group member go along with group decisions
without seeming to commit himself one way or the other? Who seems to be
withdrawn and uninvolved; who does not initiate activity, participates mechanically
and only in response to another member’s question?
13. Democratic: Does anyone try to include everyone in a group decision or discussion?
Who expresses his feelings and opinions openly and directly without evaluation or
judging others? Who appears to be open to feedback and criticisms from others?
When feelings run high and tension mounts, which members attempt to deal with the
conflict in a problem-solving way?
Decision-Making Procedures
Many kinds of decisions are made in groups without considering the effects of these
decisions on other members. Some people try to impose their own decisions on the group,
while others want all members to participate or share the decisions that are made.
14. Does anyone make a decision and carry it out without checking with other group
members? (Self-authorised) For example, he or she decides on the topic to be
discussed and immediately begins to talk about it. What effect does this have on
other group members?
15. Does the group drift from topic to topic? Who topic-jumps? Do you see any reason
for this in the group’s interactions?
11115_What to Look for in Groups.docx
16. Who supports other members’ suggestions or decisions? Does this support result in
the two members deciding the topic or activity for the group (handclasp)? How does
this effect other group members?
17. Is there any evidence of a majority pushing a decision through over other members
objections? Do they call for a vote (majority support)?
18. Is there any attempt to get all members participating in a decision (consensus)? What effect does this seem to have on the group?
19. Does anyone make any contributions which do not receive any kind of response or
recognition (plop)? What effect does this have on the member?
Task Functions
These functions illustrate behaviours that are concerned with getting the job done, or accomplishing the task that the group has before them.
20. Does anyone ask for or make suggestion as to the best way to proceed or to tackle
the problem?
21. Does anyone attempt to summarise what has been covered or what has been going
on in the group?
22. Is there any giving or asking for facts, ideas, opinions, feelings, feedback or
searching for alternatives?
23. Who keeps the group on target? Who prevents topic-jumping or going off on
tangents?
Maintenance Functions
These function are important to the morale of the group. They maintain good and
harmonious working relationships among the members and create a group atmosphere
which enables each member to contribute maximally. They insure smooth and effective
teamwork within the group.
24. Who helps others get into the discussion (gate openers)?
25. Who cuts off other or interrupts them (gate closers)?
26. How well are members getting their ideas across? Are some members preoccupied
and not listening? Are there any attempts by group members to help others clarify
their ideas?
27. How are ideas rejected? How do members react when their ideas are not accepted?
Do members attempt to support others when they reject their ideas?
Group Atmosphere
Something about the way a group works creates an atmosphere which in turn is revealed
in a general impression. In addition, people may differ in the kind of atmosphere they like in a group. Insight can be gained into the atmosphere characteristic of a group by finding words which describe the general impressions held by group members.
28. Who seems to prefer a friendly congenial atmosphere? Is there any attempt to
suppress conflict or unpleasant feelings?
29. Who seems to prefer an atmosphere of conflict and disagreement? Do any members
provoke or annoy others?
30. Do people seem involved and interested? Is the atmosphere one of work, play
satisfaction, taking flight, sluggishness, etc.?
Membership
A major concern for group members is the degree of acceptance or inclusion in the group.
Different patterns of interaction may develop in the group which gives clues to the degree and kind of membership.
31. Is there any sub-grouping? Sometimes two or three members may consistently agree
to support each other or consistently disagree and oppose one another.
32. Do some people seem to be ‘outside’ the group? Do some members seem to be ‘in’?
How are those ‘outside’ treated?
33. Do some members move in and out of the group, eg. Lean forward or backward in
their chairs or move their chairs in and out? Under what conditions do they come in
and out?
Feelings
During any group discussion, feelings are frequently generated by the interactions
between members. These feelings, however, are seldom talked about. Observers may
have to make guesses based on tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures, and many
other forms of nonverbal cues.
34. What signs of feelings do you observe in group members: anger, irritation, frustration, warmth, affection, excitement, boredom, defensiveness, competitiveness, etc?
35. Do you see any attempts by group members to block the expression of feelings,
particularly negative feelings? How is this done? Does anyone do this consistently?
Norms
Standards or ground rules may develop in a group that control the behaviour of its
members. Norms usually express the beliefs or desires of the majority of the group
members as to what behaviours should or should not take place in the group. These
norms may be clear to all members (explicit), known or sensed by only a few (implicit), or operating completely below the level of awareness of any group members. Some norms facilitate group progress and some hinder it.
36. Are certain areas avoided in the group (eg. Sex, religion, talk about present feelings in group, discussing the leader’s behaviour, etc.)? Who seems to reinforce this avoidance? How do they do it?
37. Are group members overly nice or polite to each other? Are only positive feelings
expressed? Do members agree with each other too readily? What happens when
members disagree?
38. Do you see norms operating about participation or the kinds of questions that are
allowed (eg. “If I talk, you must talk”; “If I tell my problems you have to tell you
problems”)? Do members feel free to probe each other about their feelings? Do
questions tend to be restricted to intellectual topics or events outside of the group?