SOCPSY 1Z03 Lecture 16: Groups: Cohesion, Performance and Conformity
18 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
A group is a social unit that consists of two or more persons and has the following attributes: membership, interaction among members, goals shared by members, shared norms. Examples of groups according to this de nition: A group"s cohesion: the extent to which its members desire to remain in it and resist leaving it. Social cohesion (stay in group because like the members and social interaction) Homophily: tendency for individuals to associate with similar others. People of similar backgrounds/interests associate with one another. Ex. volleyball - play for fun, opportunity to see friends. Task cohesion (stay in group because heavily involved in typical tasks) Ex. soccer team - enjoy competitive soccer but don"t like each other. Group goal = an outcome viewed by all group members as desirable and important to attain. Individual and group goals can be related, but are not always the same. Most groups function best when there is isomorphism (similarity between group and individual goals)
