This study examines the cultural climate of successful groups in online undergraduate sociology courses that developed social contracts aimed at fostering positive group work experiences and academic achievement. An analysis of participants' group assessment papers investigated the most important attributes of group cultures with congenial work…

The paper considers some of the problems involved in the interpretation of participants' evaluations of management development programs. In particular, it argues that, in the case of participative "open evaluation" sessions, it is important to recognize that participants' attitudes and feelings toward the learning group may influence the…

The present experiment investigated factors which enhance the salience of group membership and consequent ingroup bias. Subject dyads, who were always white, interacted either competitively or interdependently with either white or black confederate dyads. Ingroup bias was assessed as a function of attraction toward the outgroup (experimental…

An "ad hoc" questionnaire was administered to 10 students from each of 10 student groups. Each group's behavior was rated according to its degree of deviation from the established code of conduct for organized campus groups. Demographic and sociometric data was collected, as well as a measurement of the respondents' knowledge about the campus, and…

This study was an attempt fo document aspects of small group work in classrooms engaged in the process education curricula called "Materials and Activities for Teachers and Children" (MATCH). Data on student-student interaction was related to small group work and gathered by paper-and-pencil sociometric questionnaires and measures of group…

Crocker and Major (1989) hypothesized three mechanisms by which members of stigmatized groups may protect self-esteem. The mechanisms are: (1) in-group social comparisons; (2) valuing/devaluing performance selectively; and (3) racial prejudice. A test of Crocker and Major's hypothesized mechanisms was produced with the development of the…

This research describes an observation study of 100 children, ages 9-13 years, on the island of 'Ua Pou, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. The children were in a French government boarding school in the main valley of the island. Complex, sophisticated group processes among the Marquesan children were observed. The role structures of the group…