Specific roles of individuals

Group Effectiveness

The wellbeing of individuals within the group depends on:

• Satisfaction of their needs

• Comfort in their environment - physical and socioemotional

• Autonomy, or their ability to have some control over their destiny

• Their ability to communicate effectively and elicit a response

Describes people who help coordinate a group or get something done. They are goal focused and concentrated on completion of the job. They set direction for group and ensures group stays on task by researching, sharing information, allocating roles, reviewing and evaluating

Positive: generally well organised, enthusiastic motivated and dedicated

Negatives: often do not consider emotional impact on group members of getting job done. Could lead to disharmony and potential dysfunction

Examples:

• • Expert

  • Brainstormer

  • Judge

  • Chairperson

  • Secretary

  • Implementer

Members are concerned with the well being of the group and its members. They work at knowing each of the members so that they can best cater to their needs. Their primary focus is on group cohesion.

Positives: Excellent interpersonal skills, an awareness of where others are at, knows when to push and when to pull back.

Negatives: May not be focused on accomplishing tasks, sidetracked with the issues within the group.

Examples:

• • Peace-maker

  • Encourager

  • Mediator

  • Negotiator

Members work at diverting attention from the task so that goals are either not achieved or are achieved at substandard level. They may push the group to make hasty (rushed) decisions and ill- informed judgements. This may impact on the group’s harmony.

Positives: Creates a challenge for members of the group to engage them consistently.

Negatives: Difficult to keep their attention and focus and keep them on task. Takes time and attention away from more committed group members.

Examples:

• • Distractor

  • Delayer

  • Side-tracker

  • Clown

What about you?

1. Identify a group you are a member of. Describe the specific roles of members within the group (using the three roles we just discussed).

2. Think about your contribution towards that group. What role do you play? How and why might these roles vary?

Think it through

1. Propose reasons why your role may vary across different groups

2. Explain why task-oriented roles may dominate in the group

3. Explain why people would take on socio-emotional roles in the group

4. Give an example of a destructive role that a group member might play and suggest when this might occur. What would the outcome be?

Norms

Definition: A standard or pattern of behaviour that is considered normal in a particular society.

• Norms may be established formally as rules, or they may be an implied or expected standard of behaviour observed by the group.

• Failure to conform may result in rejection or isolation from other group members.

How do norms that play out in a group setting?

Why are shared Norms and Values are so important within a group setting.?

Activity: Watch the Mean Girls Trailer. Make a list of the norms portrayed within the trailer. Consider the norms of our class and the norms of our school. Create a table to display your ideas.

What are norms that are evident in the following places:

• School

• This Class

• Your Family

Conformity

Definition: compliance with standards, rules, or laws OR behaviour in accordance with socially accepted conventions.

Why is conformity important in a group?

Activity: Explain what is meant by the term conformity, using examples from one of the videos above to assist with your explanation. (4 marks)

WAGOLL (What a good one looks like)

Cohesiveness

Definition: the quality of forming a united whole.

• Extent to which group can work respectfully and cooperatively together as a team

• Enables focus to be kept of goal

• Groups that are cohesive are more likely to achieve success

• Allows people to develop a sense of trust in each other and often brings them closer together

Why is cohesiveness important in a group?

Explore how individuals can influence a group's progress and discuss the impact this can have on group cohesiveness

Watch the “Snap Cup” scene from Legally Blonde and discuss how individuals can influence a group’s progress. Then discuss the impact this can have on group cohesiveness.

Extension Activity

Explain why certain roles within a group may influence the way norms are formed in those groups.

1. What are the specific roles that might be adopted by task-oriented group members?

2. What are the main characteristics of an individual who takes on a socio-emotional role in a group?

3. How does the individual who adopts a destructive role within a group affect the groups likelihood of achieving its goals?

4. What is a norm?

5. In what way might an individual affect a group if they conform to the group norms?

6. What is cohesiveness?

7. How does conformity develop group cohesiveness?

Quick Revision:

Describe the impact that a highly competitive individual may have on group cohesiveness in the following situations:

• Students prior to examination time in a classroom environment.

• Car sales staff who are paid commission on sales made

• Family members organising a special family gathering