Chapter 9
Foundations of Group Behaviour
Defining and Classifying Groups
• Group: Two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who come together to achieve
particular objectives
– Formal: Defined by the organization’s structure
– Informal: Neither formally structured nor organizationally determined
Roles
• Role: The set of expected behaviour patterns that are attributed to occupying a given position in
a social unit
– Role perception – our view of how we’re supposed to act in a given situation
– Role expectations – how others believe you should act in a given situation
– Role conflict – conflict experienced when multiple roles are incompatible
Norms
• Norms: Acceptable standards of behaviour within a group that are shared by the group’s
members
• Powerful means of influencing behaviour
– Performance norms
– Appearance norms
– Social arrangement norms
– Resource allocation norms
Norms and Behaviour
• Lessons from the Hawthorne studies (1920s-1930s):
– Productivity increased because groups were paid attention to by the observers – not
because of changes in environment
– Workers in groups do not maximize individual economic rewards
– Group standards are set and enforced by the group itself
Conformity
, • Reference groups: A person is aware of other members, defines self as a member, believes
group members to be significant
– Individuals try to conform to norms of these groups
• Asch Studies (1950s)
– Members avoid being visibly different
– Members with differing opinions feel extensive pressure to align with others
– Level of conformity has declined since 1950s
Deviant Workplace Behaviour
• Deviant Workplace Behaviour: Voluntary behaviour violates significant organizational norms
and, in doing so, threatens the well-being of the organization or its members
• Likely to flourish when:
– Supported by group norms
– People are in groups
Status
• Status: A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others
• Determined by a person’s:
– power over others
– ability to contribute to a group’s goals
– personal characteristics
Impact of Status
• Status and Norms
– High-status members often have more freedom to deviate from norms and are better
able to resist conformity pressures
• Status and Group Interaction
– High status people are more assertive
– Low status members may not participate
– Group creativity may suffer
Group Size
• Smaller groups are faster at completing tasks – members perform better
• Large groups are consistently better at problem solving
• Social loafing: tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than
alone
Social Loafing
Causes Prevention
• Equity theory – unequal • Set group goals
distribution of work
• Increase inter-group competition
• Dispersion of responsibility – clouds
• Engage in peer evaluation
the relationship between individual
inputs and group output • Select members who have high
motivation and like to work in groups
• Distribute group rewards based on
members’ individual contributions
Foundations of Group Behaviour
Defining and Classifying Groups
• Group: Two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who come together to achieve
particular objectives
– Formal: Defined by the organization’s structure
– Informal: Neither formally structured nor organizationally determined
Roles
• Role: The set of expected behaviour patterns that are attributed to occupying a given position in
a social unit
– Role perception – our view of how we’re supposed to act in a given situation
– Role expectations – how others believe you should act in a given situation
– Role conflict – conflict experienced when multiple roles are incompatible
Norms
• Norms: Acceptable standards of behaviour within a group that are shared by the group’s
members
• Powerful means of influencing behaviour
– Performance norms
– Appearance norms
– Social arrangement norms
– Resource allocation norms
Norms and Behaviour
• Lessons from the Hawthorne studies (1920s-1930s):
– Productivity increased because groups were paid attention to by the observers – not
because of changes in environment
– Workers in groups do not maximize individual economic rewards
– Group standards are set and enforced by the group itself
Conformity
, • Reference groups: A person is aware of other members, defines self as a member, believes
group members to be significant
– Individuals try to conform to norms of these groups
• Asch Studies (1950s)
– Members avoid being visibly different
– Members with differing opinions feel extensive pressure to align with others
– Level of conformity has declined since 1950s
Deviant Workplace Behaviour
• Deviant Workplace Behaviour: Voluntary behaviour violates significant organizational norms
and, in doing so, threatens the well-being of the organization or its members
• Likely to flourish when:
– Supported by group norms
– People are in groups
Status
• Status: A socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others
• Determined by a person’s:
– power over others
– ability to contribute to a group’s goals
– personal characteristics
Impact of Status
• Status and Norms
– High-status members often have more freedom to deviate from norms and are better
able to resist conformity pressures
• Status and Group Interaction
– High status people are more assertive
– Low status members may not participate
– Group creativity may suffer
Group Size
• Smaller groups are faster at completing tasks – members perform better
• Large groups are consistently better at problem solving
• Social loafing: tendency for individuals to expend less effort when working collectively than
alone
Social Loafing
Causes Prevention
• Equity theory – unequal • Set group goals
distribution of work
• Increase inter-group competition
• Dispersion of responsibility – clouds
• Engage in peer evaluation
the relationship between individual
inputs and group output • Select members who have high
motivation and like to work in groups
• Distribute group rewards based on
members’ individual contributions
