GROUP COMMUNICATION

Effectiveness of Individual Communication Styles in Small Groups

Effectiveness of Individual Communication Styles in Small Groups

Introduction

Much communication takes place in the context of small groups, which are defined as those of three or more participants. The various and overlapping types of small groups lead to various types of communication patterns. Social groups are units such as families, friends living as roommates, and voluntary recreational groups such as soccer teams. Families also form primary groups, which are defined as those in which people share living and financial arrangements. Families also are an example of reference groups, through which participants gain a sense of identity and an awareness of expected behavior. Work groups are another pattern of relationships(Andia, 2002)

These are built by people who are drawn together by a common task, such as students working together on a project or company employees assigned to a common job activity. Decision-making groups are brought together for the purpose of dealing with a question or policy. Similarly though distinctly, problem-solving groups focus on resolving a problem. The working of groups has been the subject of much study, particularly from the framework of organizational communication. Leadership styles of small groups have been identified - generally in a three-part continuum ranging from high control (authoritarian leaders) through moderate control (democratic leaders) to low control (laissez-faire leaders). A fourth type, called abdacratic, involves the total collapse of leadership over uncontrolled group dynamics(Unwin, 2007)

Psychologists and communication scholars have observed a pattern of group development, usually presented in a four-fold model. The process begins with an orientation phase in which participants get to know each other and learn what is expected of them as a group. In the conflict phase, they deal with sources of conflict, usually in an effort to avoid conflict within the group. Too much conflict can prevent the group from functioning. However, some conflict is useful to avoid the pressure toward conformity known as groupthink. This norm emergence phase centers on compromise, the convergence of ideas, generation of alternative solutions, and eventually consensus. A technique often used to enhance the early part of this phase is brainstorming, in which unrestrained possible solutions and options are generated with no self-censorship or initial group evaluation. The purpose of brainstorming is to generate as many ideas as possible. Only after the ideas have been generated will they be evaluated, keeping the two steps separate and thus allowing the group to consider all possible options. The closure phase completes the process by concluding the group's work. (Dale, 2004)

(1) Roles of Group Members

Because much of the motivation for communication deals with the solving of problems, significant scholarly attention has been given to concepts such as problems, conflict, and consensus. Conflict can be considered in various contexts, but much of the formal study of conflict has been at the interpersonal level. Principles and lessons from that level can be extended to the public and intercultural levels of communication, and the manner in which conflict is approached varies greatly from one culture to ...