Group Comm. Midterm

  1. Achieving communication competence
    • -Knowledge-learning
    • and understanding the rules


    • -Skills-successful
    • performance of a communication behavior, also the ability to repeat the
    • behavior


    • -Sensitivity-sense,
    • dialect, and understand signals being sent within the group


    • -Commitment-the
    • investment of time, energy, thought, feeling to improve yourself or the
    • relationships with others

    • -Ethics-a set of standards for judging the moral
    • correctness of our behavior
  2. Transactional communication
    -Each person is both sender and receiver


    -All parties influence one another
  3. Process communication
    • -It changes events and relationships as
    • part of a continuous flow


    -Unable to freeze situations in time


    -Conversations are points of departure

    • -All of these play a part in helping us make
    • sense of the world around us
  4. Verbal Communication
    • -Language is structured for sharing
    • meaning
    • -The meaning of words depends on common agreement
    • -Agreement does not always ensure understanding (words may have more than one meaning,
    • misunderstandings are complicated by culture, “bypassing”= assuming everyone
    • uses the same meaning for a word.
  5. Non-verbal communication
    • -Facial expressions, gestures, eye contact,
    • tone of voice, posture, behavior etc.


    -Nonverbal communication is continuous
  6. Context
    -Central to communication

    -An environment in which meaning arises
  7. Definition of a group
    • -A human communication system composed of
    • three or more individuals, interacting for the achievement of some common goals
    • that influence and are influenced by each other
  8. Ripple effect
    • -One part of a system may have a
    • significant impact on the whole


    -A smaller part of a large system can have an immense impact

    • -Ripple effect can be positive
    • (Promotion/scholarships/achievements)
  9. Synergy
    • -Occurs when group performance from joint
    • action of members exceeds expectations based on perceived abilities and skills
    • of individuals members


    -Work in a cooperative, interconnected manner
  10. Dynamic equilibrium
    • -There is no perfect balance between
    • change and stability, but there is a range in which systems can manage change
    • effectively


    • -Must regulate: Degree (How much change) Rate (How fast/slow change happens) Desirability
    • (How change is valued)
  11. Communication barriers
    -Physical-protecting group space


    -Psychological-member in name only


    • -Linguistic-speaking
    • the language


    -Rules-permission not granted


    -Roles-staying in bounds


    -Networks-controlling information flow
  12. Impact of group size
    • -Adding one or more person to an already existing group increases complexity of the
    • communication


    -Smaller groups tend to keep quiet about dissatisfaction
  13. Building cohesiveness
    • -Encourage
    • compatible membership


    • -Develop
    • shared goals


    • -Accomplish
    • tasks


    • -Develop
    • history of cooperation


    • -Promote
    • acceptance of group members
  14. Motivation to join groups
    -Need to belong


    -Interpersonal attraction


    -Attraction to group activities


    -Group goals

    -Meaning and identity
  15. Phases of group development
    • 1.
    • Forming-why we join groups


    • 2.
    • Storming- tension


    • 3.
    • Norming-regulation


    • 4.
    • Performing-output
  16. Tensions
    • -Primary
    • tension-initial uneasiness

    • -Secondary tension-stress and strain (sharp
    • outbursts, sarcastic barb, and hostility)
  17. Loafing
    -Give little effort on a task while part of the group (lack of motivation, bad attitude)
  18. Compensation
    • -An increase in motivation to work harder
    • on a group task to counterbalance the poor performance of others
  19. Competition
    • MEGA process (Mutually exclusive goal attainment) necessitates the failure of many
    • for the success of one
  20. Cooperation
    -MIGA process (mutually inclusive goal attainment) function as one to achieve a goal
  21. Hyper competitiveness
    • -Excessive emphasis on defeating others
    • to achieve personal goals; winning is everything
  22. Constructive competition
    • -When competition produces a positive and
    • enjoyable experience

    • -Generates increased efforts to achieve without
    • jeopardizing solid interpersonal relationships and your personal well being
  23. Intergroup
    -Group productivity


    -Cooperation, not competition, produces high levels of group achievement


    -Cooperation yields better learning environment and academic achievement
  24. Intragroup
    • -The interactions between other groups is
    • far more competitive than interactions between individuals


    -In some instances, cohesiveness may be built from the defeat of the other team


    • -Cohesiveness
    • is enhanced for winning teams
  25. Defensive and supportive communication
    • -Defensiveness- a reaction to a perceived
    • attack on our self-concept and self-esteem
  26. Competitive/non-competitive listening
    -Competitive interrupting (listener attempts to dominate conversation)


    -Ambushing (assumes a message is understood without verifying)


    • -Paraphrasing
    • (may reveal misunderstandings, needs to be concise)


    -Probing (seeking more info by asking speaker questions)
  27. Influence of roles
    • -Role reversal (move to another role, power associated with role reversal; role
    • status)

    -Role conflict (when you are torn between roles)
  28. Role emergence
    -Group endorsement (group affirms your bid to play a particular role)


    -“Doers” individuals completing important tasks for the group


    • -Role
    • specialization (member settles into his primary role)


    -There is no monopoly in a group
  29. Formal roles
    -A position assigned by an organization or by the group leader
  30. Informal roles
    -Stems from group transactions


    -Task roles (initiator, secretary) move group toward attainment of goals


    • -Maintenance
    • roles (supporter, gatekeeper) focus is the social dimension of the group

    -Self-centered/ disruptive roles (clown, blocker)
  31. Manager
    • -Managers specifically manage from a
    • position of authority


    • -Anyone in the group can demonstrate leadership qualities without being designated the
    • leader


    -Managers maintain status quo.

    -Managers and leaders are often one in the same
  32. Gaining/retaining leadership
    • -Do not show up late, be uninformed,
    • appear uninterested, dominate conversations, ignore others, be rigid and
    • inflexible, or use offensive or abusive language


    • -Retaining leadership- demonstrates competence as a leader, accept accountability for your
    • actions, and satisfy your group members’ expectations
  33. Functional perspective
    -“Leader as completer”


    -Leaders take on essential functions that others have failed to perform


    -Leadership is a process not a person

    -Leaders facilitate communication and involvement
  34. Styles perspective
    • -Autocratic
    • (directive, places emphasis on task little on social)


    • -Democratic
    • (Participative, balanced emphasis on task and social; high task and high
    • social)


    • -Laissez-faire
    • (Does not try to influence anyone; Low task and low social)
  35. Situational perspective
    -Dependent approach

    -Situational Model (amount of guidance and direction provided)
Author
alexx0219
ID
9693
Card Set
Group Comm. Midterm
Description
Midterm Spring 2010
Updated