Chapter Group Dynamics Prepared by: Nathaniel N Ivers, Wake Forest University Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Roadmap Group Dynamics Group Content Group Process Balance Between Group Content and Process The Group as a System Influencing Group Dynamics Positive and Negative Group Variables Learning Group Dynamics Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-2 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Dynamics Group dynamics are the forces with a group Include two types elements: Group Content: Information within and purpose of the group Group Process: Interactions and relationships among members within the group The amount and mixture of group content and group process determine group dynamics Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-3 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Content Involves the following elements that are exchanged with in a group: Words Ideas Information Also includes the purpose of the group Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-4 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Process Interaction of group members with one another, often in some meaningful way As groups develop, less time generally is spent on content material, and more is focused on process functions Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-5 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Seven Types of Group Processes Contagion Conflict Anxiety Consensual validation Universality Family reenactment Instillation of hope (Donigian & Malnati, 1997) Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-6 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Contagion Group process in which member behavior elicits group interaction Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-7 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Conflict Often revolves around significant issues in people’s lives (e.g., authority, intimacy, autonomy, power, loss) How a group leader handles conflict makes a difference Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-8 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Anxiety Two common strategies that group members employ to cope with the discomfort of some emotions in group: Restrictive solution Changing the subject Attacking a group member Intellectualizing Enabling solution Open listening and discussions about anxiety that is present in the group Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-9 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Consensual Validation Checking one’s behaviors with a group of others, which may result in group members being questioned, confronted, or affirmed either individually or within the group regarding their actions Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-10 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Structure Physical setup of a group Interaction of each group member in relation to the group as a whole Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-20 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Structure Physical Structure – Arrangement of group members in the group Circle Format Chain Arrangement Wheel Arrangement “Y” Arrangement Theater Style Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-21 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Exercises and Activities Can be beneficial if they promote a positive atmosphere in the group (Jacobs et al., 2016) Are often used in groups to engage the group, support group members to take risks, and to provide a learning experience that helps group members grow (Riva, 2004) Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-22 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Types of Group Exercises and Activities Written exercises Movement exercises Creative props exercises Arts and crafts exercises Fantasy exercises Common reading exercises Feedback exercises Trust exercises Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-23 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Types of Group Exercises and Activities Continued Experiential exercises Moral dilemma exercises Group-decision exercises Touching exercises Rounds Dyads and triads (Jacobs et al., 2016) Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-24 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Exercises and Activities Can include the following types of activities: Verbal intrapersonal Verbal interpersonal Nonverbal intrapersonal Nonverbal interpersonal Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-25 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Group Interaction The way members relate to one another Exists on a continuum, from extremely nondirective to highly directive Consists of nonverbal and verbal behaviors Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-26 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Nonverbal Behaviors Make up “more than 50 percent of the messages communicated in social relationships” (Vander Kolk, 1985, p 171) Four main categories of nonverbal behavior: Body behaviors Interaction with the environment Speech Physical appearance (Vander Kolk, 1985) The meaning of non-verbal behavior cannot be assumed Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-27 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Verbal Behaviors Important to track who speaks to whom and how often each member speaks There are ways, such as sociometry, a phenomenological methodology for investigating interpersonal relationships, that can be used to track speech patterns (Treadwell et al., 1997) Important to pay attention to the Law of Triviality Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-28 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Members’ Roles A role is “a dynamic structure within an individual which usually comes to life under the influence of social stimuli or defined positions” (Munich et al., 1983, p 20) Usually different from the overall identity of individuals Types of roles: facilitative/building maintaining blocking (Capuzzi, 2010) Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-29 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Members’ Roles Problems in carry out roles: Role Role Role Role collision incompatibility confusion transition Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-30 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Positive Group Variables Curative (Therapeutic) Factors Within Groups Instillation of hope Universality Imparting information Altruism Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-31 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Positive Group Variables Curative (Therapeutic) Factors Within Groups (Cont.) Development of socializing techniques Imitative behavior Interpersonal learning Cohesiveness Catharsis Existential factors (Yalom & Leszcz, 2005) Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-32 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved Negative Group Variables Avoiding conflict Becoming narcissistic Engaging in psychic numbing Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-33 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved LEARNING GROUP DYNAMICS Learning to be a group leader or member requires knowledge of group dynamics that is both experiential and cognitive Such learning may take place in multiple ways Videotaping Journaling Outdoor experiences Simulation games for team building Sociometrics and Learning integration Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-34 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights reserved ... interpersonal relationships, that can be used to track speech patterns (Treadwell et al., 1997) Important to pay attention to the Law of Triviality Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding. .. another (Agazarian, 1997) Each element in the system is affected by whatever happens to any other element The system is only as strong as its weakest part Likewise, the system is greater than the... Consensual validation Universality Family reenactment Instillation of hope (Donigian & Malnati, 1997) Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e Samuel Gladding 2-6 © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc All rights