The stimulus value of group boundaries was investigated in a field experiment. It was hypothesized that the size of a group and the status of its members would reduce the permeability of a boundary around an interacting group. Two or 4 interacting people of high or low status interrupted the traffic flow in a university hallway. Results indicate…

Eleven simulation/learning games designed to be used by churches and religious groups are described here. The games can have anywhere from 8 to 100 participants. Basically they deal with personal interaction among the group members with the anticipated result being "increased love for God and spiritual enlightment." Several of the games use…

Effective meetings require three simultaneous operations: task activity (working on the agenda), maintenance (keeping the group in good working order), and team building (strengthening group's capacity to face future issues successfully). Discusses twelve reasons for group dysfunction during meetings. (EM)

In exploring the educational aspects of a 19th-century American commune--the Oneida Community--the author found a peculiar and important role for women which does not seem to have occurred in other experimental lifestyles, much less the society-at-large. (Editor/RK)

Presents findings of a study that examined whether West Germany's Greek, Italian, and Turkish ethnic organizations hinder the assimilation of immigrants. Reports that social integration is affected by the distinctive characteristics of each organization and its participants, but their existence, in itself, is not simply an indicator of segregation…

The Black churches must both advocate and teach an "ethic of primary responsibilty." This ethic calls for focusing resources on the family, the faith, the education of Black children, full political participation, and economic responsibility. (Author/GC)

The effects of different group processes on team performance is examined using a formative evaluation. A taxonomy of six different decision-making and leadership styles is developed. Cohesion was found to be a significant factor in explaining high performance. (Author/BL)

This handbook presents a collection of over 35 experiential and adventure-based activities using only a single item of equipment--a 15-foot long section of 1-inch tubular climbing webbing, called a raccoon circle. Some of the activities are quiet, some are loud, and they range from low to high challenge levels. Different-sized groups can be…

This paper focuses on group dynamics and introduces the use of initiative activities as a means of facilitating a more cohesive group experience in outdoor programs. Specific topics addressed and defined include: (1) curative factors of groups (universality, didactic learning, altruism, socialization, peer learning, group cohesiveness); (2) stages…

Suggests eleven ways to increase the cohesiveness of a group and five ways to decrease lack of cohesiveness among group members. (TO)

The credibility of personal information selected by members of small groups to describe each other's characteristics and delivered to the members by the group leader without naming the source was studied. Positive feedback was rated by recipients as more credible, desirable, and as having more impact than negative feedback. (Author)

The author describes the outline and content for an English course entitled Man's Search for Utopia." (LF)

A study of doctrinaire rhetoric and extremism which notes consistent patterns of thought and of audience-speaker interaction amoung diverse doctrinaire groups. Concludes that doctrine shapes rhetorical styles as well as content and suggests the possibility of interpreting and evaluating social phenomena through the analysis of rehetoric. (JB)

A young poet writes in support of black critics for black literature. Present problems in and criteria for black literary criticism are included. (DM)