Interest in the relationship between group communication and group problem-solving performance has a long and somewhat controversial history. Many trace interest in problem-solving in the group context back to the early work of Maximilian Ringelmann (1861–1931). Ringelmann first measured the effort of a single individual working alone, then measured how much more effort was achieved
When a decision-making group comes into discussion intending to choose among a set of possible courses of action, any disagreement among the members of the group regarding the best option normally results in some form of social influence. We assume that group members enter discussion having formulated a “pre-discussion preference” for a particular option, that
The study of group communication focuses on (1) the nature and effects of symbol usage in relatively small collectivities (a minimum of three people) on individual, relational, and collective processes and outcomes, as well as (2) how groups and group processes themselves are products of such symbolic activity. The study of how groups employ communication
Several factors shape journalists’ everyday news decisions, their general concepts of what is newsworthy, and their understanding of quality, as well as long-term changes in reporting. One of the most important factors is the close interaction and frequent communication among journalists, or co-orientation. Co-orientation comprises several kinds of dynamic processes within journalism. In the era
A group is defined as a social aggregate of two or more people that involves mutual awareness, interaction, and interdependence of its members. The characteristics of the group shape the beliefs and behaviors of its members. In this entry, two categories of group characteristics are examined, namely (1) characteristics of the group and (2) characteristics
Why do groups form and how do groups develop? In this entry, different perspectives on group development are examined. There are a number of reasons that people join groups. William Schutz theorized humans seek out groups in an effort to fulfill one or more of the following fundamental needs: (1) need for inclusion—desire for affiliation,
Research examining the influence of media exposure on audience members has long revealed that both the frequency and the nature of messages play a role in determining the outcomes of exposure. Consequently, documenting the manner in which different groups are represented in the media (alongside the rate of these depictions) is critical to understanding the
The term support group refers to all those supportive and potentially supportive people in an athlete’s or exerciser’s environment (e.g., parents, siblings, friends, peers, teammates, coaches, exercise leaders, athletic trainers, physiotherapists, physiologists, psychologists). This topic has been implicated widely within sport and exercise psychology (SEP) and has been noted to explain nearly a quarter of
The Offender Group Reconviction Scale (OGRS) is the name of a series of actuarial risk assessment instruments for use with convicted criminal offenders. Each version of OGRS has been developed for and used by the adult correctional services of England and Wales, directed since 2004 by the National Offender Management Service, which in 2017 became
For most people in work organizations, the organization as a whole is a relatively abstract entity. Their day-to-day work experience is shaped far more by the work group, team, department, or work unit than by the organization as a whole. The work group is their direct social environment at work and the most important social influence