Objectives of the study were to investigate relationships between and among qualities of emotion and types or levels of work orientation in small adult instructional group interaction; to discern relationships and/or behavior patterns which would be tested under laboratory conditions; and to test the consistency and utility of the Work-Emotionality Theory, which posits six emotionality types (fight, flight, dependency, counterdependency, pairing, counterpairing) and four work orientations. Subjects were 16 nursery school teachers who met for eight two-hour sessions. Data were obtained by a Q-sort administered at the first and last sessions. It was concluded that participation patterns can be predicted with Q-sort data; that group members tend to react to dynamic leadership as a unit regardless of individual tendencies; that members vary their use of emotionalities in an effort to establish their ideal group culture; that exposure to a group culture is not indicative of one's accuracy in perceiving that culture; and that the Q-sort technique, the Work-Emotionality Theory, and the analysis of case study data are all useful in the study of adult learning processes. (Included are 84 tables and figures and 63 references.) (author/ly)