Cheating, operationally defined as the falsification of scores on a word construction task, was found, as predicted, to be influenced by achievement anxiety and knowledge of the performance of a peer reference group in 111 high school subjects (Ss). However, achievement anxiety was positively correlated with cheating only when knowledge of…

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)

Examined the relationships between interpersonal trust and elements of influence in an ambiguous small-group setting (N=36). Results indicated that trusting another's expertise and being trusted for expertise are the salient variables for having influence in this kind of group setting. (LLL)

For a workshop to be successful, it must have characteristics such as organization, acceptable pace, well-defined objectives, and adequate facilities. Trainers court disaster if these are not present. Includes symptoms of dysfunctional behavior by participants, causes of this behavior, and strategies to deal with it. (JOW)

Looks at the problems of using collaborative learning with adults and offers suggestions for dealing with problems that arise. (JOW)

This paper argues that some of the current trends affecting academe impede on key institutional structures, or sets of interrelated norms for academic conduct, which are necessary for sustaining collective action among academics. In this sense academics and academic units may find themselves "between a rock and a hard place'', that is with new…

The use and effects of a CSCL-tool are not always predictable from the properties of the tool alone, but depend on how that tool is appropriated. This paper presents the findings from a case study about the appropriation of a graphical shared workspace. When students are presented with a new tool they may encounter competing constraints and…

Playing games, particularly pretense games, is one of the areas where young children first enter into collective, conventional practices. This chapter reviews recent empirical data in support of this claim and explores the idea that games present a cradle for children's growing into societal and institutional life more generally. (Contains 2…

Complex human interactions involve more than just performance toward pre-determined goals. For this reason, systems that measure and seek to improve performance must adapt to a wide range of ever-changing patterns of individual and group behavior. Historically, HPT professionals have recognized these complexities and responded in a variety of…

The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of return migration experiences and gain knowledge from rural residents who have left to obtain a college education and start careers in non-rural areas, and who then returned to their rural hometowns with the social and economic benefits of a college education, and other valuable resources. This…

A look at two areas of research in group dynamics: Individual behavior conformity to certain pressures of group processes, and the "risky shift phenomenon," which theorizes that the group tends to be a more dynamic and venturesome unit than does the individual acting alone. (Author/HB)