Communicating in Groups : Applications and Skills

by Adams, Katherine; Galanes, Gloria

• ISBN13: 9780073385006
• ISBN10: 007338500X
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-02-07
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Summary

Communicating in Groupsoffers a concise, step-by-step introduction to the theory and practice of small group communication, and teaches students to develop and apply critical thinking in group problem solving. With the firm belief that group participation can be an uplifting and energizing experience, authors Kathy Adams and Gloria Galanes give students the tools they will need in order to achieve this outcome. Research and theory are presented with a focus on what is important to students--understanding their group experiences and making them effective communicators.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xiv
Orientation to Small Group Systems	p. 1
Small Groups as the Heart of Society	p. 2
Groups in Your Life	p. 5
Groups as Problem Solvers	p. 6
Participating in Groups	p. 6
Groups versus Individuals as Problem Solvers	p. 8
When a Group Is a Good Choice	p. 9
When a Group Is Not a Good Choice	p. 9
Groups, Small Groups, Teams, and Small Group Communication	p. 11
Groups	p. 11
Small Groups	p. 12
Small Groups versus Teams	p. 13
Small Group Communication	p. 14
Groups and Technology	p. 15
Classifying Groups by Their Major Purpose	p. 16
Primary or Secondary Groups	p. 16
Types of Secondary Groups	p. 17
Being an Ethical Group Member	p. 21
The Participant-Observer Perspective	p. 24
Groups as Structured Open Systems	p. 28
What Is a Theory?	p. 30
Overview of General Systems Theory	p. 30
The Small Group as a System	p. 32
Definition of a System	p. 32
Concepts Vital to Understanding Systems	p. 33
Characteristics of Systems	p. 40
Organizations as Systems of Groups	p. 46
Foundations of Small Group Communicating	p. 51
Communication Principles for Group Members	p. 52
Communication: What's That?	p. 55
Communication Is Symbolic	p. 55
Communication Is Personal	p. 56
Communication Is a Transactional Process	p. 56
Communication Is a Sender and Receiver Phenomenon	p. 58
Communication Involves Content and Relationship Dimensions	p. 60
Implications for Small Group Communication	p. 61
Listening: Receiving, Interpreting, and Responding to Messages from Other Group Members	p. 63
Listening Defined	p. 63
Listening Preferences	p. 64
Habits of Poor Listeners	p. 65
Listening Actively	p. 69
Using Verbal and Nonverbal Messages in Small Group Communication	p. 74
Creating Messages in a Small Group	p. 76
How Communication Structures the Small Group	p. 77
Using Language to Help the Group Progress	p. 78
Following the Rules	p. 79
Adjusting to the Symbolic Nature of Language	p. 80
Using Emotive Words Cautiously	p. 82
Organizing Remarks	p. 83
Making Sure the Discussion Question Is Clear and Appropriate	p. 85
Using Language to Focus a Group's Discussion: An Application	p. 86
Nonverbal Behaviors in Small Group Communication	p. 90
Principles of Nonverbal Communication	p. 90
Functions of Nonverbal Behaviors	p. 91
Categories of Nonverbal Behaviors	p. 94
Nonverbal Behavior in Computer-Mediated Groups	p. 100
From Individuals to Group	p. 103
Becoming a Group	p. 104
The Life Cycle of a Group	p. 106
Challenges in Group Development	p. 107
A Group's Major Functions	p. 107
Social Tensions in Groups	p. 108
Phase Models in Group Development	p. 112
Group Socialization of Members	p. 113
Stages of Group Socialization	p. 115
Group Roles	p. 118
Types of Roles	p. 118
Role Functions in a Small Group	p. 119
The Emergence of Roles in a Group	p. 121
Managing Group Roles	p. 123
Rules and Norms	p. 123
Development of Group Norms	p. 125
Enforcement of Group Norms	p. 126
Changing a Group Norm	p. 128
Development of a Group's Climate	p. 129
Trust	p. 130
Cohesiveness	p. 132
Supportiveness	p. 133
Ethical Behavior during Group Formation	p. 135
Working with Diversity in the Small Group	p. 138
What Is Diversity?	p. 140
Diverse Member Characteristics	p. 142
Differences in Motives for Joining a Group	p. 142
Diversity of Learning Styles	p. 143
Personality Differences	p. 146
Cultural Diversity	p. 150
Dimensions of Culture	p. 150
Racial and Ethnic Differences	p. 155
Gender Differences	p. 159
Generational Differences	p. 161
Working with Diversity/Bridging Differences	p. 167
Creating a Group Identity through Fantasy	p. 168
Using SYMLOG to "Picture" Diversity	p. 169
Understanding and Improving Group Throughput Processes	p. 177
Creative and Critical Thinking in the Small Group	p. 178
What Is Creative Thinking?	p. 180
Enhancing Group Creativity	p. 183
Brainstorming	p. 184
Synectics	p. 185
Mind Mapping	p. 187
What Makes Thinking "Critical"?	p. 189
Enhancing Critical Thinking in a Group	p. 189
Having the Right Attitude	p. 191
Gathering Information	p. 193
Evaluating Information	p. 197
Checking for Errors in Reasoning	p. 203
Avoiding Groupthink	p. 208
Group Problem-Solving Procedures	p. 216
A Systematic Procedure as the Basis for Problem Solving	p. 219
Capturing the Problem in Problem Solving	p. 220
How Do We Know a Problem When We See One?	p. 220
Area of Freedom	p. 221
Characteristics of Problems	p. 222
Identifying Problems with a Problem Census	p. 223
Effective Problem Solving and Decision Making	p. 227
The Procedural Model of Problem Solving (P-MOPS)	p. 228
Applications of P-MOPS	p. 244
Managing Conflicts Productively	p. 250
What Is Conflict?	p. 252
Myths about Conflict	p. 252
Types of Conflict	p. 256
Substantive Conflict	p. 256
Affective Conflict	p. 256
Procedural Conflict	p. 257
Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and Conflict Types	p. 258
Managing Conflict in the Group	p. 259
Conflict Management Styles	p. 259
Expressing Disagreement Ethically	p. 265
Maximizing Your Chances to Influence the Group	p. 267
The Nominal Group Technique	p. 268
Steps in Principled Negotiation	p. 270
Applying Leadership Principles	p. 276
Leadership and Leaders	p. 278
What Is Leadership?	p. 278
Sources of Power and Influence	p. 278
What Is a Leader?	p. 280
Myths about Leadership	p. 283
Current Ideas about Leadership	p. 286
The Functional Concept of Group Leadership	p. 286
The Contingency Concept of Group Leadership	p. 287
What Good Leaders Do	p. 290
What Group Members Expect Leaders to Do	p. 291
Performing Administrative Duties	p. 292
Leading Group Discussions	p. 297
Developing the Group	p. 303
Encouraging Distributed Leadership	p. 306
Ethical Guidelines for Group Leaders	p. 309
Small Group Public Presentations	p. 313
Planning, Organizing, and Presenting Small Group Oral Presentations	p. 314
The Planning Stage	p. 316
Your Audience	p. 316
Your Occasion	p. 317
Your Purpose	p. 317
Your Subject or Topic	p. 318
Member Strengths and Fears	p. 318
Supplemental Logistics	p. 319
Types of Group Oral Presentations	p. 319
The Organizing Stage	p. 322
Delegating Duties	p. 323
Gathering Verbal and Visual Materials	p. 323
Organizing Materials and the Presentation	p. 326
The Presenting Stage	p. 330
Checking Your Language	p. 330
Practice Aloud	p. 331
What Makes a Good Oral Presentation?	p. 332
Techniques for Observing Problem-Solving Groups	p. A-1
References	p. R-1
Bibliography	p. B-1
Index	p. I-1
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