The four papers presented here include a study of group communication process among college students, a developmental analysis of social interaction, an analysis of environmental impact on interaction, and a methodological discussion of ways of studying interaction. These papers are followed by series of three discussion papers. (PS)

This paper analyzes development of group structure in terms of the stimulus-sampling perspective. Learning is the continual sampling of possibilities, with those reinforced possibilities increasing in probability of occurance. This contingency learning approach is tested experimentally. (NG)

Prior theoretical formulations have suggested that client exposure to levels of personal risk and responsibility most conducive to optimal group development can be regulated with group structure. Analysis of variance results indicated the highest frequency of therapeutically relevant behaviors occurred in the high-structure and high-risk-taking…

Seventy-nine members of several types of groups responded to questionnaires which detailed their goals and self-perceptions, and their expectations and perceptions of group leadership, norms, methods, and atmosphere. The questionnaires were administered near the beginning and again at the end (posttest N=69) of the group experience. The groups…

Three levels of structured learning exercises were presented to groups of students meeting in interpersonal growth groups. The effects of structure on member anxiety, group cohesion, and quality of interpersonal interaction were assessed at two points. Initial structure was associated with increased levels of self-disclosure in early group…

The hypothesis was that structures built by group members in dealing with conflict and decision making would be contingent on their life styles. Three different sets of groups of persons with homogeneous life styles created three different (and predicted) structures in a problem-solving task. (Author)

The questions of the value of structure in groups and the value of experience in group leadership merge when the two areas of conflict are considered together. The present study was concerned with effects of an interpersonal growth contract and of leader experience on encounter group process and outcome. (Author)

This study examined the issue of how groups of students attempting to solve problems can be taught to consider moral aspects of the problem at a mature level. Classes in Swiss cantons (N=42) were given one of three different moral problems. Each class was divided into eight groups. The three treatments were: (1) provision of additional background…

In this field study, black and white naval recruits and squad leaders in groups of varying size and racial composition performed two problem-solving tasks (knot-tying and ship-routing). Black and white leaders, subordinates and group composition (25% black tetrads, 75% black tetrads, racially balanced dyads and tetrads) were compared in measures…

This paper explores how organizational features of high schools influence the informal interaction of students attending them. Size of school, composition of the student body, and differentiation into curriculum and grade levels are factors which affect the patterns of informal interaction among students. The informal social arrangement of…