Communication in Small Groups

Chapter 6 – Part 1

Leadership/StatusAnalysis Exercise

Characters• Sawyer

• Sayid

• Michael

• Jack

• Kate

• Hurley

Analysis Questions• Who is/are the leader/s of this group? How do

you know? What kind of leadership style do they use? Are they effective?

• What kinds of roles are different group members playing?

• Who demonstrates power in this group? What do they do that shows you that they are demonstrating power?

• How are status differences apparent in this group?

• What can we learn from this group that we could make into a POSITIVE recommendation for other groups? In other words, how can the mistakes of this group be a lesson for others?

Characters• Unnamed male

• David

• Enid

• Aaron

• Elle (and Bruiser)

Analysis Questions• Who is/are the leader/s of this group? How do

you know? What kind of leadership style do they use? Are they effective?

• What kinds of roles are different group members playing?

• Who demonstrates power in this group? What do they do that shows you that they are demonstrating power?

• How are status differences apparent in this group?

• What can we learn from this group that we could make into a POSITIVE recommendation for other groups? In other words, how can the mistakes of this group be a lesson for others?

Characters• David

• Jeanine

• Ian

• Nigel

• Derek

Analysis Questions• Who is/are the leader/s of this group? How do

you know? What kind of leadership style do they use? Are they effective?

• What kinds of roles are different group members playing?

• Who demonstrates power in this group? What do they do that shows you that they are demonstrating power?

• How are status differences apparent in this group?

• What can we learn from this group that we could make into a POSITIVE recommendation for other groups? In other words, how can the mistakes of this group be a lesson for others?

Extra Credit Assignment• Select a video clip (3-10 mins.) available on

the internet

• Write a one-page single-spaced analysis of the video clip in relation to one or more concepts/theories from a single chapter of The Group in Society

• Email the write-up (with url to video) to com373@u.washington.edu

Distribution ofspeaking

opportunities/interruptions

Distributionof attention,influence,

and respect

Productivity

Distribution ofrewards/

resources

Satisfaction,comfort, andresentment

Role structure(behavioral

requirements/restrictions)

Status system

Behavioralexpectations

Institutionalizedrole system

Statusallocation

Level of socialstratification

Conventionalrole norms and

distributions

Diffuse statuscharacteristicstereotypes

Roles and Status in EST

Leadership(facilitation,

role clarification,coordination)

Mutualperformancemonitoring

Backupbehavior

Environmentalmonitoring and

adaptation

Clearcommunication

Teameffectiveness

Task complexityand task type

(coordination vs.cooperative)

Leader roleestablished

Structuralflexibility

Shared mental models

Team orientationand mutual trust

Commitmentto team model

Trainingand support

Authoritystructure

Stress/pressureapplied to learn

Athletic archetypeof teamwork

Collectivistcultural norms

Teamwork in EST