We offer a new conceptualization and measurement models for constructs at the group-level of analysis in small group research. The conceptualization starts with classical notions of group behavior proposed by Tönnies, Simmel, and Weber and then draws upon plural subject theory by philosophers Gilbert and Tuomela to frame a new perspective…

To become cooperative members of their cultural groups, developing children must follow their group's social norms. But young children are not just blind norm followers, they are also active norm enforcers, for example, protesting and correcting when someone plays a conventional game the "wrong" way. In two studies, we asked whether young children…

Collaborative learning is something that all students will employ once they finish their formal education, and while it isn't something that can be objectively tested by standardized exams, it is something that can be taught. Learning to work in groups is simultaneously a way of learning and a skill worth learning. Teachers should acknowledge that…

Groups with a strong sense of collective efficacy set more challenging goals, persist in the face of difficulty, and are ultimately more likely to succeed than groups who do not share this belief. Given the many advantages that may accrue to groups who are confident, it would be logical to advise groups to build a high level of collective efficacy…

The basketball players sit in a corner of the cafeteria. The rockers hang out near the stage. The ditchers and smokers congregate near the school gates. The JV football players and cheerleaders? They're near the field. This is how students at California's Hawthorne High described the typical lunch period at their school. In doing so, they also…

A significant number of educator compensation reform efforts are under way throughout the country. These school-, district-, and state-level programs come in all shapes and sizes--some are small and focus only on a cohort of teachers or schools, whereas others are large and target entire districts or groups of districts. The structure of these…

In this landmark book, Scott Page redefines the way we understand ourselves in relation to one another. "The Difference" is about how we think in groups--and how our collective wisdom exceeds the sum of its parts. Why can teams of people find better solutions than brilliant individuals working alone? And why are the best group decisions…

Following Bennis and Shepard's work, groups are thought to become preoccupied with problems of gaining reassurance about six basic human tasks in turn. One can show that these problems, called focal problems, have two forms, inclusive and narrowed, and that progressing through the problems requires three subphases. (Author/ABL)

The first course in group work was taught in 1923 and was followed by a growing recognition in social work education of the importance of preparing students to work with groups. Unfortunately by the end of the 1970s group work located within a generalist curriculum had all but disappeared. This article presents a single course elective that…

Much of the material presented here derives from a study of the termination phase of group development undertaken to test the validity of a portion of a stages model developed by Garland, Kolodny, and Jones (1965). This model for stages of group development postulates five stages of group life. (Author)

Hierarchical linear models distinguish between the individual and the group levels of data. Hence, they are often referred to as multilevel models. It is easiest to think of hierarchical linear models as special regression models that allow simultaneous investigation of the respective roles that individual and group characteristics play in the…

Discusses the definition and origin of the term "groupthink." Examines three studies on groupthink by John Courtright (1978), Matie Flowers (1977), and Philip Tetlock (1979). Concludes none of the three is superior to another but that it can be learned from all three that group decision making is fraught with danger. (ABL)

Examined relationship between group members' (N=36) approach to group sessions and group session climate and relationship between length of time in group and agenda quality. Found average ratings of interpersonal and here-and-now dimensions of agendas were significantly related to average perception of group climate as more engaged and less…

In the absence of information to the contrary, an individual tends to assume that members of an out group have values which differ from his own. The effect is even more marked for highly prejudiced persons. In the present paper two experiments are reported which extend the belief similarity hypothesis. (Author)

Analyzes Bennis and Shephard's theory of group development using empirical data from three T-groups. Theoretical and methodological issues regarding the formulation and verification of theories of group development are raised. (Author/BP)