Group Dynamics
Definition
Group dynamics refers to the behavioral and psychological processes that occur within a social group, or between social groups. It involves how individuals form, change, disband groups and how these groups function.
Analogy
Think of group dynamics like a sports team playing a game. Each player has their own role and interacts with others in different ways. The way they communicate, cooperate, compete or even conflict with each other can greatly affect the outcome of the game.
Related terms
Social Facilitation: This is when an individual's performance improves because of the presence of others.
Group Polarization: This is when a group discussion leads to more extreme positions than those initially held by individual members.
Groupthink: This is when decision-making within a group is impaired by the desire for harmony or conformity among its members.
"Group Dynamics" appears in:
Practice Questions (3)
In what way does sociology contribute to our understanding of group dynamics in social psychology?
What is a valid experiment to test the influence of group dynamics on individual decision-making processes?
How can a sociologist's perspective on group dynamics potentially explain occurrences of altruism?
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