MediaSpace Wiki

Small Group Spring2006 Session09

How can one tell if one's environment is sociopetal or sociofugal?

• In real space, when people want to speak, they face toward the partner and choose a position to see her/him in central vision. Consequently, it is a sociopetal setting. On the other hand, when people happen to be standing together by mere chance and they don't have a desire to talk, they behave to discourage interaction and choose a position not to see the other in central vision. Consequently, it is a sociofugal setting.

Index Card Assignment due Thursday

Observe a group interacting. Draw a network diagram of who talks to who and how much. If you are a part of the group (not unlikely if you observe a group you eat lunch with), focus, as much as possible, on being an observer but draw yourself into the diagram, as it is likely that someone will ask you what you are doing and that you'll have to explain.

Interaction Process analysis

• Chapter 22 of Hirokawa et al (by Keaton) discusses two very different things
  1. The process of doing group research using behavioral coding systems
     • I hope you found this part interesting
     • It is more the subject matter of an upper division or graduate course.
     • We'll play a little bit with methods today.
     • But the key word is play: We'll see if we can code a group discussion from an episode of The West Wing.
  2. A particular behavioral coding scheme used for groups: Bale's Categories or Interaction Process Analysis (IPC)
     • This is the part that matters most today
• Bale's Categories are a system for parsing relationship content from task content in group interaction
  • Twelve categories
  • Six relational or socioemotional categories
  • Six task categories
  • Six arguably positive categories (although some answers might be regarded as negative)
  • Six arguably negative categories (although questions often advance the group by helping get everyone on the same page and revealing what the group needs to know)

1	Shows solidarity/Seems friendly: shows positive feelings toward another person	Socioemotional Positive
2	Shows Tension Release/Dramatizes: Reduces the anxiety the other person may be feeling	Socioemotional Positive
3	Agrees: Shows acceptance of what another person has said.	Socioemotional Positive
4	Gives Suggestions: Offers direction/action for how to engage the task	Task: Attempted answers
5	Gives Opinions: Advances a belief or value that is relevant to the task	Task: Attempted answers
6	Gives orientation/information: Reports factual observations or experiences	Task: Attempted answers
7	Asks for orientation/information: Requests factual observations or experiences	Task: Questions
8	Asks for Opinions: Requests a belief or value that is relevant to the task	Task: Questions
9	Asks for Suggestions: Requests direction/action for how to engage the task	Task: Questions
10	Disagrees: Shows rejection of what another person has said.	Socioemotional Negative
11	Shows Tension: Indicates that the other person is experiencing anxiety	Socioemotional Negative
12	Shows antagonism/Seems unfriendly: shows negative feelings toward another person	Socioemotional Negative

• We can use these categories to better understand what is going on in a group
  • But few of us would actually do this kind of detailed analysis in real life situations
  • What can we get out of it?
    • Is there enough socioemotional discussion in the group? Is there too much?
    • Is the group long on questions and short on answers?
    • Is somebody monopolizing the floor?
    • Is our orientation to attack or be supportive?
• Group process is the how of group formation and group work
  • We will succeed as groups if we find ways to both support each other and get the job done.
  • We will fail if we don't.
• Group Coherence
• Functional coherence
• Topical coherence
  • Global
  • Local

Index Card Assignment Due Tuesday

Think about the episode of the West Wing that we watched in class (and/or of other group interactions on television shows). How does real life group interaction differ from the kind of group interaction we see on television?