Page 258 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J
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Problem Solving and Decision Making in Groups         241

                                                                                          FIGURE 9.1
                                                                            Conflict                      Decision emergence                               Reinforcement                     Orientation                          Conflict                             Decision emergence              Reinforcement                                 Orientation           Conflict                    Decision emergence
                                                                                          Decision making
                                                                                          within the
                                                                                          development of
                                                                                          a small group
















                             Orientation                                 Conflict            Decision emergence           Reinforcement                                 Orientation


                      Series of decisions
                      Group                          Group                         Group
                     infancy                       adolescence                    maturity



                        As you can see, group decision making is complicated, with numerous factors
                     potentially influencing phasic progression. Thus, from our review of work on phasic
                     progression and from our own experience, we envision a group cycling repeatedly
                     through phases like those Fisher described while moving gradually forward from early
                     formation to full and efficient production. This movement is captured in the spirals of
                     Figure 9.1.
                        This back- and-forth spiral movement is typical of many continuing groups.
                     Scheidel and Crowell observed the spiral- like progression of a group’s problem-
                     solving process and noted that a group does not move in a clear, straight line
                                    58
                     toward a decision.  This spiral- like effect has been observed by others. Sabourin
                     and Geist described the collaborative nature of group decision making as a process
                     in which group members build on each other’s proposals.  Fisher and Stutman
                                                                     59
                     also observed the messy, but ultimately progressive, nature of the spiral model.
                                                                                       60
                     However, Pavitt and Johnson found great variation in the spiraling exhibited by the
                     groups that these authors analyzed, ranging from little or no spiraling to much
                     more than the spiral model indicates.  Even so, it is helpful for members found to
                                                   61
                     know that such messy cycling between problem analysis to a decision and solution
                     discussion is normal; a group’s progress often seems to be “two steps forward, one
                     step back.”












          gal37018_ch09_225_258.indd   241                                                              3/28/18   12:37 PM
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