Social Influence and Group Processes
Why and how groups form
Explain why similar people tend to form groups.
Why people join groups:
- Security: being alone can feel unsafe; groups give protection.
- Status: belonging to a respected group raises one's standing.
- Self-esteem: belonging to a prestigious group makes us feel good about ourselves.
- Social and psychological needs: belonging, friendship, love.
- Goal achievement: groups help reach goals that cannot be attained alone.
- Information: groups give knowledge and advice.
How groups form:
- Proximity: people who live or work near each other (in the same colony, the same class) meet repeatedly, and repeated interaction leads to friendship.
- Similarity: we like people who are like us. Similar people validate our opinions, and give us a sense of consistency.
- Common motives and goals: people come together for a shared aim, like a group of students teaching slum children on weekends.
Bruce Tuckman described five stages of group development:
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Forming | members meet; uncertainty about goals and roles |
| Storming | conflict within the group: over who leads, how to work |
| Norming | members agree on norms; a sense of group identity grows |
| Performing | the group works together to achieve its goal |
| Adjourning | the task is done and the group breaks up |
Groups do not always pass through these stages in a strict order: stages may overlap, repeat or be skipped.
Groups grow through stages.
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