Group Formation

Chapter 4

What Factors Determine When a Group Will Form?

People Joining with others in a group depends on individuals' personal

qualities, including traits, social motives, and gender.

SituationsSome situations prompt people to affiliate with one another, including Ambiguous, dangerous situations Tasks and goals that can only be achieved by collaborating

with others

Relationships Groups form when individuals find they like one another.

Who Joins Groups & Who Remains Apart?

Personality

Introversion & extraversion: extraverts are drawn to other people and groups and introverts avoid them (extraverts tend to be happier individuals)

Relationality: individuals who adopt values, attitudes, and outlooks that emphasize and facilitate connections with others seek out group memberships

Social Motivation

Need for Affiliation – people with high need for affiliation tend to join more groups and spend more time in them; however, they often fear rejection

Need for Intimacy – tend to join more groups in order to find close relationships with others

Need for Power – need to influence others, need for

control in groups (e.g., organizing and structuring activities)

Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO)

Theory: Individuals’ need to receive and express inclusion, control, and affection influences group-seeking tendencies. The 3 basic needs identified by FIRO-B are:

INCLUSIONforming new relationships and associating with others; determines the extent of contact and prominence that a person seeks. Include:• belonging• involvement• participation• recognition• distinction

CONTROLrelates to decision making, influence, and persuasion between people; extent of power dominance that a person seeks. Include:• power• authority• influence• responsibility• consistency

AFFILIATIONrelates to emotional ties and warm connections between people; it determines the extent of closeness that a person seeks. Include:• personal ties• consensus• sensitivity• support• openness

Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO)

For each of the three interpersonal needs—Inclusion, Control, and Affection—the FIRO instrument also provides a measure of how much each need is Expressed or Wanted by you.

EXPRESSED The extent to which you will initiate the behavior.

WANTED The extent to which you want or will accept that behavior from

others. FIRO-B tool can help you maximize the impact of your actions,

identify options for increasing your job satisfaction and productivity, and explore alternative ways to achieve your goals.

Social Anxiety & Phobia

fear of social situations – a feeling of apprehension and embarrassment experienced when anticipating or actually interacting with other people

persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of a specific object/situation

avoidance behaviour

Fight vs. Flight and Groups

Social Anxiety & Phobia

rooted in fear of negative evaluations becomes conditioned behaviour Disaffiliate – reduce social contact Innocuous Sociability – merge into the

group’s background

Attachment

Attachment Style – approach to relationships with other

Secure – comfortable with interpersonal intimacy Avoidant – evades intimacy with others Anxious – people desire intimacy, but are worried about

rejection

Sex differences in joining groups Women – more extraverted, caring, warm, empathic,

socially responsible Men – seek membership in larger, formal, task-focused

groups

Affiliation

Social comparison - gaining information from other people’s reactions

Ambiguous, confusing circumstances

Psychological reaction Negative emotions Uncertainty Need for information

Affiliation and social comparison with others

Cognitive Clarity

Schachter’s studies of Affiliation How do people react in an ambiguous, frightening

situation? Misery loves company: People affiliate with others Misery loves miserable company: Schachter found

people prefer to wait with others facing a similar experience.

Directional comparison downward social comparison: bolsters sense of

competence upward social comparison: hope and motivation

The self-evaluation maintenance (SEM) model: people affiliate with individuals who do not outperform them in areas that are very relevant to their self-esteem

Group Affiliation : When & Why

Safety in numbers "fight-or-flight" "tend-and-befriend“

Types of social support: - Approval- Emotional- Informational- Instrumental - Spiritual

Social Support

Fight vs. Flight and Groups

Groups form when individuals seek goals that they cannot attain working alone. How difficult is the task? How complex is the task? How important is the task?

Example: Gangs as a means to achieve goals

Collaboration

0 20 40 60 80 100

Protection

Sell drugs

Make money

Defend Neighborhood

My neighborhood

Impress neighborhood

Impress friends

Nothing to do

Buy drugs

Impress girls

Family member belongs

Use drugs

Group Attraction

1. Newcomb’s Study of the Acquaintance Process

2. Principles of Attraction Proximity Principle - People tend to like those who are

situated near by. Elaboration Principle - Groups often emerge when groups,

as complex system, grow as additional elements (people) become linked to original members.

Similarity Principle People like those who are similar to them in some way. ie. homophily: similarity in attitudes, values, appearance,etc.

Complementarity Principle

People like others whose qualities complement their own qualities.

Reciprocity Principle

Liking tends to be mutual Minimax Principle

Individuals are attracted to groups that offer them maximum rewards and minimal costs.

Principles of Attraction

Interpersonal Attraction Between Individuals

Social Exchange Theory

Relationships are like economic exchanges,

bargains where maximum outcomes sought with

minimum investment. Satisfaction is determined

by comparison level (CL). Value of other groups

determines comparison level for alternatives (CLalt)