What is the most important human characteristic?
the desire for inclusion
social need - belongingness theory
innate human desire to be included which influences our behaviour
- want to belong
social impact - sociometer theory
we care about what others think, which influences how we feel about ourselves
- we are shaped by those around us
social processes
human behaviour is influenced by social processes
- perform better when other people are around
- people are more likely to do things when they know everyone else did it (even when things are not morally correct, ex. milgram)
minimal groups
not formed for any reason or attachment to other people
what is important when gaining an understanding of individual behaviour?
if we want to focus on the individual, we need to consider the whole group they are a part of
Prevalence/Salience of groups
estimate of 30 billion groups in existence
- where there is sport, there are groups
Kurt Lewin Field Theory (prevalence/salience of groups)
groups are more than a sum of their parts
Field Theory Equation
B=f(P,E)
B= behaviour
f= function
P=personal characteristics (personality, skill, expertise)
E= environmental factors (physical)
Steiner’s process model of productivity
AP= PP - PL
AP= actual productivity
PP= potential productivity (talent, resources, speed, skills)
PL= process losses (communication, role clarity, conflict)
Potential Productivity
the level the team could perform at
- HIGH if we are looking at a team of All Stars
Process Losses
interactions of people between the group
- may plus or minus the productivity
Sport Context
Rich with social interaction, comparison, competition, etc.
- inherently social/group centric
What is a group?
- Two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social relationships
- Members are socially connected through direct interaction
Collective
group of people who have similar ideas
- ex people at a bus stop, similar idea to take public transit
Category
ex. Team Canada
- Team Canada is the category
- Have similarities in actions and ideas
- other levels that we can further categorize them
A True Group
- Extension from collective and category
- Similarities in goals and ideas
- Exist when social categories become psychologically meaningful
Criteria for a true group
- Formal social structure
- Face-to-face interaction
- 2+ people
- Common fate
- Common goals
- Interdependence
- Self-definition as a group
- Recognition by others
Common fate
separates a team from others
- if something happens to one, it happens to all or affects the whole group
Interdependence
on a continuum
- high level of interdependence (tons of interaction) or low level (not much interaction)
***don’t need to have a high level of interdependence to be considered a group, just need to be on the continuum
6 Main points that define a true team
- A collective identity
- A shared sense of purpose
- Group structure
- Interdependence
- Interpersonal attraction
- Self-categorization
What is team dynamics ?
A field of inquiry dedicated to advancing our knowledge about the nature of groups, laws of development and interactions
Group size
the larger the group, the more interactions
Conceptual framework for groups (Course map)
- Member attributes
- Team environment
- Team structure
- Team processes
- Emergent states
- Individual Outcomes
- Team Outcomes
