Why Do We Join Groups?

Group: Collection of people who interact, share common goals, and influence how members think and act.

People who congregate but do not interact are not a group, but an aggragate.

Interaction = key factor in group formation.

Task Functions: Activities directed toward getting a job done.

Social Functions: Responses directed toward satisfying the emotional needs of members.

(It is hard to separate the two)


Family Feud


Why do we join task oriented groups?

- They satisfy our need to belong.
- We must compare ourselves to others who are similar to us.
- We use group members as standards against which we evaluate ourselves.
- Groups reduce our uncertainty.
- Group members may offer us support in trying times.
- Groups provide us with companionship.
- Groups provide comfort and lesson our anxiety.
- Groups help us accomplish things that we could not do alone.

Social Norms:

Formal: Traffic Laws

Informal: Greeting friends
                Shaking hands at the end of game

Ideology: Set of principles, attitudes and defined objectives for which a group stands.

Types of Groups:

In-Group - members who identify with their group
Out-Group - everyone who is not a member of the in-group
Primary Group - interact daily face to face (ie family members), often interactions are emotionally charged.
Secondary Group - Larger group of people with whom you have more impersonal relationships (ie class)


Social Facilitation: Tendency to perform better in the presence of a group.

Social Inhibition: Tendency to perform poorly in front of a group.

Group Think:  When groups emphasize sticking together and fail to adequately appraise alternative courses of action.  When engaged in 'groupthink', groups do not make the best decisions.

(ie Kennedy - invasion at the Bay of Pigs) - Analysts wanted to please Kennedy and present a united front.  As a result they failed to critically examine Kennedy's decision.

How to avoid 'groupthink'.  Leads should avoid strongly advocating their own views and instead, encourage group discussion.

Sociogram: Diagram that represents relationships within a group, especially likes and dislikes of members for other members.

3 Leadership Styles: Authoritatian/ Democratic/ Laissez-faire