Foundations of Group

Behavior
Group
Group

Two or more people come together to achieve

common goal.

Types of Group:
• Formal Group: Structured group with designated tasks.
• Informal Group: formulation of irregular or unstructured
people for their own tasks or goals.

1–2
Social
Social Identity
Identity Theory:
Theory:

Perspective that considers when and why

individuals consider themselves members of
groups.

Characteristics:
• Similarity: People with same values and identification
• Distinctiveness: Diversified group
• Status: prestige, status, education, demography
• Uncertainty Reduction: Developing unique identity,
removing uncertainties, define and communicate
idealized identity.
1–3
Group
Group Development
Development Stages:
Stages:

Two theories for group development:

• Five-Stage Model
• Alternate Model with deadlines

1–4
 Five
Five Stage
Stage Group
Group Model:
Model:

 Forming Stage: The first stage in group development,

characterized by much uncertainty
 Storming Stage: The second stage in group
development, characterized by intragroup conflict.
 Norming Stage: The third stage in group development,
characterized by close relationships and cohesiveness.
 Performing Stage: The fourth stage in group
development, during which the group is fully functional.
 Adjourning Stage: The final stage in group
development for temporary groups, characterized by
concern with wrapping up activities rather than task
performance. 1–5
Properties
Properties of
of Group:
Group:

Work groups are not unorganized mobs; they have properties that
shape members’ behavior and help explain and predict individual
behavior within the group as well as the performance of the group
itself. Some of these properties are
 Roles
 Norms
 Status
 Size
 Cohesiveness
 diversity.

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Group
Group Property
Property 1:
1: Roles
Roles

A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone

occupying a given position in a social unit.
we are all required to play a number of roles, and our behavior
varies with each. So different groups impose different role
requirements on individuals.

Role Perception: An individual’s view of how he or she is supposed

to act in a given situation.
Role expectations: How others believe a person should act in a
given situation.
*Psychological contract: an unwritten agreement that exists
between employees and employer.
Role Conflict: A situation in which an individual is confronted by
divergent role expectations.

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 Group
Group Property
Property 2:
2: Norms
Norms

Acceptable standards of behavior shared by their members that express

what they ought and ought not to do under certain circumstances.
 Performance norm: how hard members should work, what the level of
output should be, how to get the job done, what level of tardiness is
appropriate, and the like.
 Appearance Norms: dress codes, unspoken rules about when to look
busy.
 Social Arrangement Norms: with whom to eat lunch, whether to form
friendships on and off the job.
 Resource Allocation Norms: assignment of difficult jobs, distribution of
resources like pay or equipment.

1–8