Group Cohesiveness

Khursheed Yusuf*

Group:

A collection of people who must interact with one another;

Be socially attracted to one another;

Share goals or objectives;

and have shared identity which distinguishes them from other groups

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Cohesiveness:

The extent to which members are loyal and committed to the group. *

Two types of Cohesion:Task Cohesion the degree to which members of a group work together to achieve common goals

Social Cohesion reflects the degree to which members of a team like each other and enjoy each others company*

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Four Stages of Group DevelopmentForming Group members are uncertain of the groups structure and its goals or a strategy for achieving them; they will as a result be quite dependent on the leader

Storming Conflict and disagreements between the group members and the leader will arise, as well as between various sub-groups; there will be a tendency to rebel against the rules which have been established

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Norming The group becomes more mature and cohesive; group norms develop beyond any formally established rules

Performing Conflicts between individuals are resolved; the group works constructively on problem-solving and energy is directed towards the task

Factors which affect CohesivenessIncrease

Intergroup competition

Personal attraction

Favorable evaluation

Agreement on Goals

Interaction

Decrease

Large group size

Disagreement on goals

Intragroup competition

Domination

Unpleasant experiences*

Behavioral NormsNorms standards of behavior that a group accepts and expects of its members.

The more cohesive a group is, the greater an influence it will have on individual members to conform to the groups norms, thus lessening the possibility of having loafers. Loafing is the tendency for individuals to lessen their effort when they are part of a group also known as the Ringelmann effect. *

The Team-Building Strategy

Team StructureLeadershipConformity to StandardsTeam EnvironmentTeam Processes*

Team Structure involves role clarity and acceptance, such as when group members clearly understand their roles in the group

Leadership should coincide with type of individuals or vise versa

Conformity of Standards is when conformity to group social and task norms contribute to enhanced cohesion

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Team Environment consists of togetherness, when group members area repetitively put in close physical proximity, feeling of cohesion increases.

Team Processes group goals are more strongly associated with team success than with individual goals, cooperative behavior is superior to individualistic behavior

Consequences of CohesionMember SatisfactionIn general, people are more satisfied in groups that are cohesive.Cohesion provides a healthier social and psychological setting than non-cohesive groups.However, when people become dependent on the group any disruption can cause emotional stress.While cohesion provides initial psychological support, the loss of group members can also cause stress. Also, new members may not be accepted.

Consequences of CohesionGroup DynamicsMembers more readily accept group goals.Pressure to conform is greater groupthink.Group PerformanceThe cohesion-performance link is significant.Three associated variables are: attraction, group pride, and commitment to task.Strongest when cohesion is based on commitment to task, rather than attraction or pride.

Work TeamsCohesive productive units.But work teams are distinguished by the magnitude of the group dynamics.Interaction cooperative and coordinatedStructure highly structured, group norms, roles, and communication patterns are explicitly stated.Cohesion united in the pursuit of a common goal.Social Identity common identity which is greater than the sum of the individuals.Goals teams are oriented toward a specific goal.

Effective Contributors to a Group:Get to know members of the groupHelp group members whenever possibleGive group members positive reinforcementAre responsibleCommunicate honestly and openly with the coach or leaderResolve conflicts immediatelyGive 100% effort at all times*

Ricky Griffin, states that in a highly cohesive team, members work well together, support and trust one another, and are generally effective at achieving their chosen goal.*

Closing Statement

Teamwork is something that one hears about more and more today in the business world, in sports, in school and essentially in our daily lives. For teamwork to be effective, however, the group, whether it consists of two or ten, must be able to possess a type of cohesiveness.*

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