Group Processes : Dynamics Within and Between Groups

by Brown, Rupert

• ISBN13: 9780631184966
• ISBN10: 0631184961
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-05
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• More Book Details

Summary

People's lives are inescapably bound with the groups to which they belong. Whether at home, work, or play human beings are essentially group beings. Thus, an understanding of behavior in group settings is a central task for social psychology.Group Processes aims to deepen our understanding of relationships within and between groups by means of three key ideas. First, groups are a source of social identity; our sense of who we are and what we are worth derives from our group memberships. Second, there is a constant tension in group life between its task and socio-emotional aspects; getting on with the job whilst also getting on with people. Third, group dynamics are frequently governed by comparison processes, both within the group and between the ingroup and various outgroups.In this comprehensively revised edition, Rupert Brown introduces readers to the major developments in the field of group processes in a clear and compelling way. All the chapters have been thoroughly updated and several new sections have been added. There are considerably extended treatments of such key topics as group cohesion, social comparison, leadership, social facilitation, group performance, socio-cognitive aspects of intergroup relations, and social identity processes. The new material is woven seamlessly into the existing structure of the book, integrating the latest theory and research with classic contributions from the past. There are many supporting illustrations from contemporary life throughout the text.

Author Biography

Rupert Brown is Reader in Psychology at the University of Kent.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	ix
List of Tables	xii
Preface	xiv
Acknowledgements	xxi
The Reality of Groups	1	(22)
Definition	2	(2)
The Individual--Group Relationship	4	(2)
The Interpersonal--Group Continuum	6	(4)
The Emergence of Collective Behaviour: The Crowd as a Group	10	(13)
Deindividuation and behaviour in groups	11	(5)
Collective behaviour from an intergroup perspective	16	(7)
Elementary Processes in Groups	23	(44)
Becoming a Member of a Group	24	(11)
Reconnoitring groups	25	(3)
Changes in self-concept	28	(2)
Initiation into the group	30	(5)
Interdependence and Group Process	35	(5)
Interdependence of fate	35	(2)
Task interdependence	37	(3)
Achieving the Task and Maintaining Relationships	40	(4)
Interaction process analysis	41	(3)
Group Cohesion	44	(12)
What is cohesion?	45	(1)
The origins of cohesion	46	(7)
Consequences of cohesion	53	(3)
The Acquisition and Development of Group Norms	56	(11)
Individual and social functions of norms	58	(2)
Variations in norms	60	(7)
Structural Aspects of Groups	67	(56)
Role Differentiation	68	(5)
Status Differentiation	73	(4)
Self-Evaluation through Social Comparison	77	(14)
Social Comparison theory	77	(4)
Whither to compare, up or down?	81	(4)
Social comparison and performance	85	(1)
A brief evaluation of social comparison theory	86	(5)
Leadership	91	(26)
Leaders: Personality types or products of the situation?	91	(2)
The behaviour of leaders	93	(6)
Interaction of leader style and situation	99	(13)
Leadership as a process	112	(5)
Communication Networks	117	(6)
Social Influence in Groups	123	(44)
The Power of the Majority	125	(18)
The pervasiveness of conformity	126	(4)
Why do people conform?	130	(10)
On being a deviate	140	(3)
The Influence of the Minority	143	(10)
Social categorization and minority influence	150	(3)
Two Influence Processes or One?	153	(14)
Individuals Versus Groups	167	(58)
Group Productivity	169	(24)
Does the presence of others help or hinder performance?	169	(4)
Are two heads better than one?	173	(4)
Potential and actual productivity: theories of group deficit	177	(7)
Two heads really can be better than one: the benefits of working in groups	184	(9)
Group Decision Making	193	(32)
Modeling group decisions: social decision schemes theory	194	(3)
How do individual and group decisions differ?	197	(4)
Explanations of group polarization	201	(1)
Polarization through comparison	201	(2)
Polarization through persuasion	203	(6)
Polarization as intergroup differentiation	209	(2)
Concluding remarks on group polarization	211	(1)
The quality of the decision-making process	212	(13)
Intergroup Conflict and Cooperation	225	(38)
Deprivation and Discontent	227	(18)
Frustration, prejudice and intergroup aggression	227	(6)
Relative deprivation and social unrest	233	(12)
Intergroup Behaviour and Real Group Interests	245	(18)
Conflicting goals and intergroup competition	245	(7)
Superordinate goals and intergroup cooperation	252	(5)
Realistic group conflict theory: an evaluation	257	(6)
Thinking About Groups	263	(46)
Social Categorization: The Foundation Stone of Intergroup Behaviour	265	(25)
Factors affecting category use	268	(2)
Category fit	270	(3)
Category accessibility	273	(4)
Social categorization in children	277	(3)
Some consequences of social categorization	280	(1)
Mere group membership and intergroup discrimination	281	(4)
Perceived intragroup homogeneity	285	(5)
Stereotypes: The `Pictures in our Heads'	290	(19)
Stereotypes as legitimating beliefs	292	(3)
Stereotypes as expectancies	295	(7)
Stereotypes as self-fulfilling prophecies	302	(7)
Social identity and Intergroup Relations	309	(52)
Social Identity and Intergroup Conflict	311	(30)
Social identity theory	311	(4)
The search for group distinctiveness	315	(7)
Responses to status inequality	322	(11)
The nature and consequences of social identification: some further issues	333	(1)
Self-esteem and intergroup discrimination	334	(2)
Group identification and ingroup bias	336	(2)
Recognizing group diversity	338	(3)
Social Identity and Intergroup Harmony	341	(16)
Reducing prejudice through intergroup contact	341	(3)
Cross-cutting group memberships	344	(2)
Changing the salience of group identities	346	(8)
Identity assimilation or pluralism	354	(3)
A Few Last Words	357	(4)
References	361	(49)
Name Index	410	(4)
Subject Index	414