Chapter 9
Communicating in Groups
What you’ll know:
• What makes a group different from a mere assembly of people
• Different types of groups
• Characteristics of healthy groups
• How groups develop
• The nature of conflict in groups
What you’ll be able to do:
• Communicate effectively during the various stages of group development
• Employ communication strategies to manage conflict effectively
Chapter Outline
I. The Nature and Types of Groups
A. Families
B. Social friendship groups: a group comprised of friends who have a genuine concern about each
other’s welfare and enjoy spending time together
C. Support groups: a group comprised of people who come together to provide encouragement,
honest feedback, and a safe environment for expressing deeply personal feelings about a
problem common to the members
D. Interest Groups: a group comprised of individuals who come together because they share a
common concern, hobby, or activity
E. Service Groups: a group comprised of individuals who come together to perform hands-on
charitable works or to raise money to help organizations that perform such work
F. Work group teams: a collection of three or more people formed to solve a problem
II. Characteristics of Healthy Groups
A. Healthy groups have ethical goals: a group formed around constructive purpose and
characterized by ethical goals, interdependence, cohesiveness, productive norms,
accountability, and synergy
B. Healthy groups are cohesive
1. Cohesiveness: the force that brings group members closer together
2. Team-building activities: activities designed to build rapport and develop trust among
members
C. Healthy groups develop and abide by productive norms
1. Norms: expectations for the way group members are to behave while in the group
2. Ground rules: prescribed behaviors designed to help the group meet its goals and conduct
its conversations
D. Healthy groups are more accountable: group members being held responsible for adhering to
the group norms and working toward the group’s goal
E. Healthy groups are synergetic: the multiplying force of a group working together that results
in a combined effort great than any of the parts
IV. Conflict in Groups
A. Pseudo-conflict: occurs when group members who actually agree about something believe
they disagree due to poor communication
B. Issue-related group conflict: occurs when two or more group member’s goals, ideas, or
opinions about the topic are incompatible
C. Personality-related group conflict: occurs when two or more group members become defensive
because they feel like are being attacked
D. Culture and conflict
Discussion and Assignment Ideas
I. Lead a discussion about how norms are established in those groups. What kinds of norms are
usually established informally? What kind of norms are usually established formally? How does
the type of group affect development of norms? What happens when a group does not clearly
define norms? What happens when group norms are counterproductive? How can you change a
group norm?
II. Quotes: These can be used to introduce topics, question perspectives, or gain individual opinion.
Providing students with a quote and prompting them to write or reflect on their personal feelings
about the quote can help to spark discussion and interest. Suggested prompts may include “Define this
concept in your own words”; “Do you agree with this statement? Explain”; “What text material can be
used to support or refute this idea?”
In properly organized groups no faith is required; what is required is simply a little trust.
—George Gurdjieff
One group’s “normal” is another group’s “weird.”
—author unknown
None of us is as smart as all of us.
—Ken Blanchard
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III. Think of the groups of which you have been a member. Which of these groups have had (or have)
an influence on how you see yourself? How have they shaped your identity? How do you think you
would be different if you had not been a member of this/these group(s)? What elements of the
group made it so impactful?
IV. What do you like and dislike about participating in groups? What has been one of your best group
experiences? What has been one of your worst group experiences?
Technology Resources
Please refer to cengagebrain.com for Web Link 9.1: Setting Group Norms. The website provided in
this resource provides information about group norms. How can you use this information to improve a
group of which you are a member? Visit Web Link 9.2: Groupthink to learn what groupthink is and how
you can combat it in groups.
Movies
Movies and movie clips can be used to help students grasp concepts. Clips can be shown in class, or
movies can be assigned as homework. Following the movie clips, ask students written or oral
questions. These questions should address pertinent concepts, thereby actively engaging students in
discussion.
Breakfast Club (1985)
Rated: R (Profanity, mature themes)
Synopsis: Five very different high school students find themselves stuck for the day at the high
school during Saturday detention. Over the course of the day, the geek, the popular girl, the wrestling
star, the rebel, and the outcast slowly come to realize that they are not so different after all.
Questions for discussion
1. Would you consider the students in detention to be a group? If so, what kind of group?
2. Throughout the movie, is there a clear group development? What scenes are notable for showing a
new stage of development?
3. This heterogeneous group created a cohesive bond. What are some factors that played a role in
this cohesion?
Additional suggested movies: The Italian Job (2003) (work group, stages of group development);
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) (family group; stages of group development); Varsity Blues (1999)
(interest group; synergy); Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007) (interest group; stages of group
development)
Other Media Resources
Chapter Activities
9.1: Gender and Group Communication
Purpose: To illustrate possible perceptual differences in gender and group communication
Time: 30 minutes
Process: One class period prior to this activity, select five volunteers for a role-play. Include in
your group three men and two women. Talk to each student individually regarding the
role you wish him or her to play. Woman 1 and Man 1 should contribute ideas but
always with a disclaimer. (Be sure that these students understand what a disclaimer is.)
Woman 2 and Man 2 should speak confidently, asserting their opinions and ideas as
obviously good. Man 3 should facilitate the discussion.
Assign a problem for group discussion (e.g., How can we assure that no one in this
country goes to bed hungry? What is the best way to discipline children? What courses
should be required at all U.S. universities?). On the day of the simulation, announce to
9.2: Group Skills Application
Purpose: To help students make connections between classroom group work and real-world
work-related group experiences
Time: 20 minutes
Journal Assignments
A. Cohesiveness in Groups
Think of some of the groups in which you have experienced the most cohesiveness. What
characteristics of cohesive groups listed in your textbook did these groups demonstrate? How did
these characteristics contribute to group bonding? Now think of a group in which bonding did not
occur. What element was missing from this group? How could that element have been introduced to
make the group more cohesive?
B. Family Groups
What are the rules (typically unwritten) for problem solving in your family group? Contrast these rules
with the group problem-solving procedures described in your textbook.