Page 26 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

The Small Groups in Everyone’s Life 9

Recap: A Quick Review

uman beings are social creatures and form groups naturally. Groups are so perva-
Hsive in our lives that we may overlook their importance. Even though negative
experiences working in groups can turn many people away from group work, the fact of
the matter is that effective small group interaction has profound practical consequences
in our personal and professional lives.
1. People use groups to meet inclusion, control, and openness needs. Group partici-
pation allows people to make significant contributions to each other and society.
2. Being a group participant does not guarantee effective group behavior; group
members have to work to coordinate their actions toward a shared goal.
3. Groups are not merely collections of individuals, but they involve interaction, inter-
dependence, and mutual influence.
4. Small groups are not defined by the number of people in a group but by their limits
of perceptual awareness.
5. Small group discussion highlights the key role communication plays in defining
a collection of people as a small group with a sense of belonging, purpose, and
collaboration.

Types of Small Groups

There are two major categories of small groups, primary and secondary. Each meets
different human needs.
Primary groups exist chiefly to satisfy primary needs—needs for inclusion (affilia- Primary Group
tion, belonging) and openness. They are usually long term. Examples include a A group whose main
nuclear family, roommates, several friends who meet daily around a table in the stu- purpose is to meet
dent center, and co-workers who regularly share coffee breaks. Although such groups members’ needs for
may tackle particular tasks, they exist mainly to provide personal attention and sup- inclusion and
port for the members. Members’ talk, which appears spontaneous and informal, is the openness.
end in itself. More than any other forces in our lives, primary groups socialize and
mold us into the people we become; their importance is tremendous. For most of us,
the family is our first group, where we learn communication patterns, functional and
dysfunctional, that can last generations and affect all aspects of our lives. Primary
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groups are not the main focus of this book; typically, primary groups are studied in Secondary Group
interpersonal and family communication, sociology, and psychology courses. A group whose major
However, the interpersonal relationships at the heart of primary groups are very purpose is to
important to understanding small groups in general. complete a task, such
Secondary groups, like our Artsfest committee in the opening story, focus on task as making a decision,
accomplishment and are formed for the purpose of doing work—completing a project, solving a problem,
solving a problem, making a decision. Secondary groups, such as most work teams writing a report, or
providing
and problem-solving groups, meet secondary needs for control and achievement. recommendations to
Such groups enable members to exert power over their environment and others. For a parent organization.
example, the search and rescue teams who helped Haiti after the 2010 earthquake

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