Page 24 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

The Small Groups in Everyone’s Life 7

community, and social services. As you study the central concepts we will be using
throughout this text, remember that the complexity of small group interaction among
members cannot be reduced to a cookie cutter set of prescriptions. Each element of
group interaction influences every other element in the group (see Chapter 3). So
while we give you guidelines and suggestions to consider, you have to take into
account the group’s entire and unique situation as you enact these guidelines.
In the remainder of this chapter, we present definitions of key terms we use
throughout the book to reduce the possibility of misunderstanding. We also present
information about the types of groups you will encounter in many different kinds of
settings. We end with a discussion of ethical behavior important to effective group func-
tioning in Western cultures and centered around a participant–observer perspective.

What Is Small Group Discussion?

Before we define how we view small group communication, we will begin with a big
picture, then move to specifics. The first term requiring definition is group. What Group
differentiates a collection of people from a group of people? Don’t worry if you have a Three or more
hard time putting your own definition into words; no single definition of group exists people with an
among those who study groups for a living. Among the variety of definitions for group, interdependent goal
we prefer Marvin Shaw’s: a group consists of “persons who are interacting with one who interact and
another in such a manner that each person influences and is influenced by each other influence each other.
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person.” Shaw argued that, of all the characteristics of groups, none were more
important than interaction and mutual influence.
The Artsfest Planning Committee simply collected in one place does not necessar-
ily constitute a group unless there is reciprocal awareness and influence among mem-
bers. If, for example, LaShonda, Jerry, and Pam each write separate letters to recruit an
artist to apply, Shaw would argue that no group exists yet because Jerry and Pam did not
influence LaShonda in recruiting particular artists. However, once the members begin
to interact with each other and talk about how to pool their efforts to recruit artists,
then we see a group emerging out of their interaction. Interaction assumes coordination
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of behaviors. More fundamentally, interaction “requires mutual influence.” 23
The Artsfest committee members share a related key feature of a group: an
interdependent goal. Interdependence exists when all group members succeed or fail Interdependent Goal
together in the accomplishment of the group’s purpose—in this case, having a success- An objective shared
ful festival can be attained only if they coordinate their efforts. In addition, committee by members of a
members coordinated their actions so that artists, food vendors, volunteers, and so small group in such a
forth, all showed up at the right times on the right days. This logic extends to group way that one
members scattered geographically. If members interact and mutually influence each member cannot
other by way of newsletters, telephone conversations, computer networks, or achieve the goal
closed-circuit TV, they still constitute a group. The Artsfest committee, although not without the other
geographically scattered, influenced each other via their e-mail, phone, text, Skype, members also
and Dropbox correspondence. achieving it.
The study of groups may include large groupings (e.g., whole societies) or small
ones; our focus is on small groups. The notion that “each person influences and is

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