5

Cohesion and Development

A group is not just a set of individuals, but a cohesive whole that joins the members in interlocking interdependencies. This solidarity or unity is called group cohesion and is a necessary, if not sufficient, condition for a group to exist. A group may begin as a collection of strangers, but, as uncertainty gives way to increasing unity, the members become bound to their group and its goals. As cohesion and commitment ebb and flow with time, the groups influence over its members rises and falls.

What is group cohesion, and what are its sources? How does cohesion develop over time? What are the positive and negative consequences of cohesion? Do initiations increase cohesion?

Cohesion & Development The Nature of Cohesion Sources Social Developing Cohesion
Theories of development

Consequences of Cohesion Satisfaction and adjustment Dynamics and influence Productivity

Explaining Initiations Cohesion and initiations Hazing

Five Stages Cycles of development

Task
Collective Emotional Structural

The Nature of Cohesion Sources Social Task

The total field of forces which act on members to remain in the group

Festinger, Schachter, & Back, 1950, p. 164

Origin From the Latin haesus, which means cling to (e.g., adhesive, inherit)

Definition The solidarity, unity, integrity of a group

Sources A groups cohesiveness derives on a number of sources, such as attraction, commitment to a task, and so on.

Collective
Emotional Structural

Equifinality: Potential to reach an end state through many paths Multifinality: Reaching different endings from the same starting conditions

Sources of Cohesion

Multicomponentmultilevel model

Multiple Components

Multiple Levels

(e.g., attraction, shared task focus, identity

(e.g., member to member, member to group)

Social Cohesion

Sources of Cohesion

Components
Social Cohesion

Levels

Task Cohesion
Collective Cohesion Emotional Cohesion Structural Cohesion

Attraction between members

Attraction to the group-asa-whole

Task Cohesion

Sources of Cohesion

Components
Social Cohesion

Processes

Task Cohesion
Collective Cohesion Emotional Cohesion Structural Cohesion

Shared commitment to group goals Collective efficacy

Group potency

Collective Cohesion

Sources of Cohesion

Components
Social Cohesion

Group Unity: WE

Task Cohesion
Collective Cohesion Emotional Cohesion Structural Cohesion Self-group bonding Identity fusion
Belonging (part of the group): IN

Emotional Cohesion

Sources of Cohesion

Components
Social Cohesion Morale

Task Cohesion
Collective Cohesion Emotional Cohesion Structural Cohesion

Esprit de corps

Relational cohesion theory: cohesion increases as the group becomes a source of positive emotions (e.g., behavioral syncrony)

Structural Cohesion

Sources of Cohesion

Components
Social Cohesion

Processes

Task Cohesion
Collective Cohesion Emotional Cohesion Structural Cohesion Open groups tend to be less cohesive than closed ones (e.g., e-groups)

Bulldogs

Red Devils

Sherif & Sherif, 1953, 1956

Sources

The Nature of Cohesion Sources

Developing Cohesion
Theories of development

Consequences of Cohesion

Explaining Initiations

Social
Task Collective Emotional Structural

Five Stages Basic Idea Groups Cycles ofover develop: development time they exhibit predictable patterns of change

Stage Models Some models assume groups move through a series of separable stages as they develop

Cycle Models Some models assume groups repeatedly cycle through periods or phases during their lifetimes

Five Stage Model of Group Development

Performance
Performance and cohesion

Stabilizing Formation
creating the group and setting goals structure and stability

monitoring, leading, feedback

dealing with source Conflict of tension

Time

Tuckmans Five Stage Model

Stage
Orientation: Forming

Major Processes

Characteristics

Members become familiar with each other Communications are tentative, polite; and group; dependency and inclusion issues; concern for ambiguity, groups goals; acceptance of leader and group consensus leader is active; members are compliant Disagreement over procedures; dissatisfaction and tension; antagonism toward leader Growth of cohesiveness and unity; roles, standards, and relationships; increased trust, communication Goal achievement; performance and production Criticism of ideas; poor attendance; hostility; coalition formation

Conflict: Storming Structure: Norming

Agreement on procedures; reduction in role ambiguity; increased we-feeling

Work: Performing Dissolution: Adjourning

Decision making; problem solving; mutual cooperation

Termination of roles; completion of tasks; reduction of dependency

Disintegration and withdrawal; increased independence and emotionality; regret

Cyclical vs. Stage Models

Tuckman: A

successive stage model

Bales Equilibrium

Task Orientation

model: a cyclical model

Punctuated

Relationship Orientation

equilibrium model

Cultural differences in development and time perceptions: polychronic vs. monochronic

The Nature of Cohesion

Developing Cohesion

Consequences of Cohesion Satisfaction and adjustment

Explaining Initiations

Dynamics and Most people, if asked to choose between influence two groupsone that is cohesive and another that is notwould likely pick the Productivity cohesive group. But cohesiveness has its drawbacks. A cohesive group is an intense group, and this intensity affects the members, the groups dynamics, and the groups performance in both positive and negative ways. Cohesion leads to a range of consequencesnot all of them desirable.

Satisfaction and adjustment

Explaining Initiations

Donald Roys (1959) banana time case study documented the benefits of

membership in a cohesive workgroup. Roy worked for two months in 12hour shifts lasting from 8AM to 8:30PM with three other men in an isolated room in a factory. The work was tedious, menial, repetitive, and tiring, but the cohesive workgroup group filled its workday with jokes, teasing, kidding around, and horseplay that gave structure and meaning to their day. To break up the day into smaller segments, the men stopped from time to time for various refreshments and breaks. There was, of course, lunchtime, but

the men added many others, such as coffee time, peach time, fish time, and
banana time. These rituals and social activities, collectively called banana time by Roy, turned a bad job into a good one.

Satisfaction and adjustment

Dynamics and influence

Positive Consequences

Problematic Consequences

Enhanced member

Intensification of

satisfaction Reduced tension, stress Higher group engagement Reduced turnover Longer duration of membership

emotional and social processes Increased influence, pressure Hostility Groupthink

What about productivity?

Do Cohesive Groups Outperform Less Cohesive Groups?

Sources: Mullen & Copper, 1994; Beal et al., 2003; Gully et al., 1995

.51
Social cohesion
.17 .,17

Unity
(Group Pride) .24

.25

Cohesion

Performance

Task Cohesion
(teamwork)

.25

Task Interdependence

Norms are also critically important

Studies suggest that the productivity of cohesive groups depends on the norms of that group: if the group norms do not support hard work, then cohesive groups will be strikingly unproductive!

Groups with norms that stress productivity Productivity

Groups with norms that stress low productivity

Low Cohesion

High Cohesion

Application: Explaining Initiations

Cohesion and initiations

Hazing

Festingers theory of cognitive dissonance predicts that people who must invest in their group will become committed to it. Festinger, Schachters and Backs classic study of the Seekers supported this predictions Aronson & Mills tested this hypothesis in an experimental study of initiation and also found evidence of increased commitment

Application: Explaining Initiations

Cohesion and initiations

Hazing

200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 Control Mild Severe

Aronson & Mills tested this hypothesis in an experimental study of initiation and also found evidence of increased commitment

Hazing

What sustains hazing?

Bonding: Increases dependency on the group Dominance: Establishes hierarchy, status Commitment: Increases psychological costs and commitment Tradition: Defended as a sacred tradition

Dangers of hazing
Ineffective: Not as effective a means of increasing commitment as other grouplevel activities Dangerous: Harmful and fatal in some cases Illegal: Banded in most jurisdictions

Cohesion & Development The Nature of Cohesion Sources Social Developing Cohesion
Theories of development

Consequences of Cohesion Satisfaction and adjustment Dynamics and influence Productivity

Explaining Initiations Cohesion and initiations Hazing

Five Stages Cycles of development

Task
Collective Emotional Structural

Group Development
Norming

Performing

Task

Tuckmans 5 stage model of group developlment

Storming

Forming Storming Norming

Adjourning Forming

Performing
Adjourning
Source: Forsyth, 2010

For images of the 1980 US Hockey team s see

Sports_Illustrated_Miracle_on_Ice_cover.jpg
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/the_golden_goal/ http://www.usahockey.com/ushhof/default.aspx?NAV=AF_01&id=289718