Bruce Tuckman

Bruce Wayne Tuckman (born 1938) has carried out research into the theory of group dynamics. In 1965, he published one of his theories called "Tuckman's stages of group development". In 1977, he added a fifth stage named Adjourning.

He is currently Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at the Ohio State University, where he is also Founding Director of the Walter E. Dennis Learning Center.

Tuckman is a respected educational psychologist who first described the (then) four stages of group development in 1965, soon after leaving Princeton. Looking at the behaviour of small groups in a variety of environments, he recognised the distinct phases they go through, and suggested they need to experience all four stages before they achieve maximum effectiveness.  He refined and developed the model in 1977 (in conjunction with Mary Ann Jensen) with the addition of a fifth stage.  Since then, others have attempted to adapt and extend the model - although sometimes with more of an eye on rhyme than reason.