Group Cohesion

Question 1

Why study group?

Answer 1

-Human’s have an innate need to belong
-Desire for inclusion might be the most important human characteristic

Question 2

What a team is not

Answer 2

-A statistical grouping (e.g., 20-yr. olds)
-Unorganized collections (e.g., a football crowd)
-Subculture (e.g., French-Canadians)
-Organizations (e.g., the United Way)
-Associations (e.g., Basketball Canada)

*Defining a team in terms of… Common goals, accidental interaction, or organization is not adequate

Question 3

Group dynamics definition

Answer 3

The study of the nature of groups and their development, and the interrelationships of groups with individuals, other groups, and larger institutions.

Question 4

Team/true group 5 factors

Answer 4

-Common fate
-Mutual benefit
-Social structure
-Quality interaction
-Self-categorization

Question 5

Team model

Answer 5

-Team environment and member attributes correlate with team structure
-Individual outcomes and team outcomes correlate with team processes

*emergent states correlate with both

Question 6

Member attributes (2 factors)

Answer 6

1. Team composition: Characteristics of individuals who compose the group (personality, age, gender, ethnicity, etc.)
2. Team resources: include psychological characteristics and members’ ability (skill, experience, etc.)

Question 7

Team environment (2 factors)

Answer 7

1. Team features: team size, sport type, competition level.
2. Team territory: physical space as a variable that can contribute to group and individual satisfaction and performance (home, away, etc.)

Question 8

Team structure (4 factors)

Answer 8

1. Roles: Ensure roles are defined, clear, and accepted
2. Norms: Standards for behaviours that are expected of group members
3. Leadership: formal and informal leaders
4. Subgroups: positive and negative

Question 9

Team processes (3)

Answer 9

1. Cooperation and competition: the dynamics of cooperation and competition between team members
2. Interaction and communication: essential process for the team to come to an understanding about itself and where it is going.
3. Leadership (can be structure or processes)

Question 10

Emergent states (3)

Answer 10

1. Cohesion
2. Social identity
3. Team resilience

Question 11

Cohesion

Answer 11

“Dynamic process reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or the satisfaction of member affective needs”.

Question 12

Characteristics of Cohesion (4)

Answer 12

1. Multidimensional
   -Factors that hold groups together are varied and numerous.
2. Dynamic
   -Reasons for cohesion can change over time.
3. Instrumental
   -All groups form for a reason.
4. Affective
   -Sometimes groups stay together because there are strong emotional ties.

Question 13

Concept model of group cohesion

Answer 13

Multidimensional construct that includes:

1. Group integration: Beliefs members hold about the group as a collective.
   *split into task and social cohesion

task= “our team is united trying to achieve its performance goals
social= “our team wants to spend time together in off-season”

2. Individual attractions to group: Beliefs group members hold about personal benefits.
   *split into task and social cohesion

task= “I am happy with my team’s desire to win”
social= “this team is one of the most important social groups I belong to”

Question 14

Task vs. social cohesion

Answer 14

Task= orientation towards achieving group’s objectives

Social= orientation towards developing and maintaining social relations

Question 15

Correlates of group cohesion (4)

Answer 15

-Environmental correlates
-Personal correlates
-Leadership correlates
-Team correlates

Question 16

Environmental correlates of group cohesion

Answer 16

*group size

-Inverse relationship between cohesion and group size
-The smaller the group, the greater the level of cohesion
-Documented in both sport and exercise

Question 17

Personal correlates of group cohesion

Answer 17

*effort and sacrifices

-Perceptions of a team’s cohesiveness are associated with an individual’s actual or perceived level of effort in a team-sport setting.
-Individual and teammates’ sacrifices contribute to team task and social cohesion
-There is a reduction in individual effort when individuals work collectively compared to when they work alone.

-Social loafing of group

Question 18

Social loafing

Answer 18

When individuals in groups give less than 100% effort

Ex. Rope pulling task (as the # of people increased, the effort per person decreased)

Increased under the following conditions:
1. Individual output cannot be evaluated.
2. Task perceived as low in meaningfulness.
3. Individual personal involvement is low.
4. Individuals are strangers to each other.
5. Teammates are seen as high ability.
6. Competing against weaker opponent.

Question 19

Leadership correlates

Answer 19

Transformational leadership/coaching increase cohesion on teams.

Question 20

Team correlates

Answer 20

*success and efficacy

-Recent meta-analyses have indicated a moderate to large positive relationship between cohesion and performance.
-Teams high in collective efficacy rated task and social cohesion higher than teams lower in collective efficacy.

Question 21

Mediation model of group cohesion and leadership

Answer 21

Leadership behaviour, when increasing attributes of cohesion, increases intention to return to sport

*cohesion= mediator

Question 22

Team building

Answer 22

Programs promoting an increased sense of unity and cohesiveness within a team.

Question 23

4 Stage team building model

Answer 23

Introduction stage: coaches or leaders are presented with a brief overview of the benefits of cohesion to their specific setting.

Conceptual stage: provides a frame of reference for the participants. Introduces a conceptual model where cohesion within the group is viewed as a product of conditions that arise from 3 different categories of group characteristics (group environment, group structure and group processes)

Practical stage: coaches and exercise leaders start developing their own practical strategies they will use

Intervention stage: coaches and exercise leaders take the team-building protocols they have developed at the workshop and introduce them into their groups.