Chapter 9 – Team Dynamics & Group Cohesion: Study Notes

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Team Dynamics

Introduction to Team Dynamics

Team dynamics refers to the psychological and behavioral processes that occur within a team, influencing its performance and cohesion. In sports and organizational settings, understanding team dynamics is crucial for achieving collective goals.

Definition: A team is a group of individuals who depend on and support one another to accomplish common goals.
Key Features: Interdependency, goal commonality, and a collective identity are essential characteristics of effective teams.
Quote: "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." This highlights the importance of collaboration over individual skill.
Example: Championship-winning sports teams often attribute their success to strong team dynamics rather than individual talent alone.

Group Processes

Key Processes in Group Effectiveness

Several group processes contribute to the effectiveness of a team, including communication, decision-making, and cohesion.

Communication: Open communication fosters trust and cooperation. Strategies include providing opportunities for socialization, designing spaces for interaction, encouraging respectful discussion, and emphasizing group goals over personal goals.
Decision-Making: Majority rule allows for equal participation, but groupthink can occur when members conform to group opinions rather than expressing their true thoughts. Groupthink is most likely in highly cohesive groups.
Cohesion: The tendency of a group to stick together and remain united in pursuit of its goals and for member satisfaction.

Team Cohesion

Understanding Team Cohesion

Team cohesion is a dynamic, multidimensional process that involves both instrumental (task-related) and affective (emotional) components.

Attraction: Members are drawn to the group.
Commitment: Members are dedicated to group goals.
Involvement: Active participation in group activities.

Conceptual Model of Group Cohesion

Carron's model divides cohesion into individual and group aspects, each with task and social dimensions.

Individual Aspects: Beliefs about personal benefits of group membership.
Group Aspects: Beliefs about the group as a whole.
Task Cohesion: The extent to which the group works together to achieve goals.
Social Cohesion: The degree of liking and interpersonal bonds among group members.
Example: A sports team united in striving for performance goals (task cohesion) and enjoying spending time together (social cohesion).

Measuring Cohesion

Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ): An 18-item measure assessing four dimensions of cohesion.

Cohesion & Performance

Cohesion and performance have a circular relationship: increased cohesion leads to better performance, which in turn enhances cohesion.

Performance-to-cohesion relationship: Appears stronger than cohesion-to-performance.
Task Cohesion: More critical for performance than social cohesion.
Additional info: High task commitment is also necessary for consistent high performance.

Correlates of Group Cohesion

Environmental Factors

Group Size: Smaller groups tend to have higher cohesion; cohesion develops more rapidly in smaller groups.
Setting: Changes in team ownership or regulations can affect cohesion.
Task Nature: Interactive tasks require more cohesion than co-active tasks.

Task Types

Interdependent Tasks: Success depends on teammates; requires strong communication and shared focus.
Co-active Tasks: Individual performances are combined for a team score; less direct reliance on teammates.

Leadership Factors

Behavior: Training, instruction, social support, and positive feedback from leaders increase cohesion.
Decision Style: Democratic leadership styles foster higher task and social cohesion.
Transformational Leadership: Recognizing individual needs, fostering group goals, and promoting high expectations enhance cohesion.

Athlete Factors

Adherence: Higher attendance and participation are linked to greater cohesion.
Effort: Perceived team cohesiveness is associated with increased individual effort.
Sacrifice: Individual and teammate sacrifices (e.g., playing a different position, giving up social time) strengthen cohesion.

Team Factors

Collective Efficacy: Shared belief in the team's ability to succeed correlates with high cohesion.
Psychological Momentum: Perception of progress toward goals increases cohesion.

Team Development: Linear Perspective

Stages of Team Development

Tuckman & Jensen's model describes five stages of team development, each affecting cohesion differently.

Forming: Initial familiarization, first impressions, and development of team culture.
Storming: Conflict and resistance to leadership; competition for status and acceptance.
Norming: Shift from individual to team goals; respect and value for each member's contributions.
Performing: High-functioning stage focused on achieving team goals; trust and reliance among members.
Adjourning: Disbanding of the team after completion of its project or season.

Note: Cohesion fluctuates depending on situational factors, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the process.

Group Roles and Norms

Group Roles

Definition: Behaviors required or expected of a person occupying a certain position.
Role Clarity and Acceptance: Critical for team success.

Group Norms

Definition: Standards of performance, behavior, and beliefs applicable to all team members.
Establishment: Leaders should set positive norms to enhance productivity; team meetings help establish and modify norms.

Group Productivity

Steiner's Model of Group Productivity

Key Point: Having many skilled individuals does not guarantee maximum productivity; group processes matter.
Ringelmann Effect: Inverse relationship between team size and individual contribution.
Motivational Losses: Individuals may exert less effort in larger groups.

Developing Cohesion

Factors Affecting Team Climate

Social Support: Mutual respect and support enhance team climate.
Proximity: Closer contact promotes interaction.
Distinctiveness: Unique team identity improves climate.
Similarity: Shared characteristics foster closeness.

Strategies for Coaches

Develop a team mission, slogan, or song.
Emphasize individual roles in team success.
Conduct regular team meetings for venting and reinforcement.
Build pride within subunits.
Set challenging team goals.
Practice individual appreciation exercises.

Four H's Approach

Heroes, History, Heartbreak, Hopes: Sharing personal stories helps team members connect and build cohesion.
Example: A player shares their story, fostering unity and understanding within the team.

Summary Table: Key Factors Influencing Group Cohesion

Factor Category	Key Elements	Impact on Cohesion
Environmental	Group size, setting, task nature	Smaller groups, stable settings, and interactive tasks increase cohesion
Leadership	Behavior, decision style, transformational leadership	Supportive, democratic, and transformational leaders foster cohesion
Athlete	Adherence, effort, sacrifice	High participation, effort, and willingness to sacrifice strengthen cohesion
Team	Collective efficacy, psychological momentum	Shared belief in success and perceived progress enhance cohesion

Key Equations

Ringelmann Effect: Productivity per member decreases as group size increases.
Steiner's Model: