1 Introduction to Group Dynamics

People easily form clubs, fraternal societies, and the like,
based on congeniality, which may give rise to real intimacy….Where there
is a little common interest and activity, kindness grows like weeds by the roadside.
–Charles Horton Cooley, 1909, p. 26

  • What are some terms used to describe groups? A list of group names, for animal groups (primarily) developed by the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research center.
  • Dunbar’s number.  Is it possible that the human brain, the product of thousands of generations of evolutionary changes, is most at home in relatively small groups? R. Dubar says yes.
  • The forbidden triad.  Tertius gaudens is Latin term for “a rejoicing third,” and it hints at the problems that are unique to triads.  Consider, for example, the “forbidden triad” in jazz groups.
  • Kurt Lewin links A link site filled with resources pertaining to the life and work of Kurt Lewin
  • Should you form a study group to study group dynamics?  Although the idea of studying with other people seems like a good idea (as well-known education expert Maryellen Weimer suggests in this resource, study groups are groups–and so have the capacity to go wrong as well as right.
  • What is entitativity? One of the more difficult-to-pronounce words in the analysis of groups is entitativity: the extent to which a group seems to be a group.
  • Seven Basic Questions about Groups Answered. The first issue of 2000 of the journal Group Dynamics contains a series of articles that review topics that have dominated researchers’ efforts over the past century.
  • Group Timeline This link presents a timeline, for the period from 1890 to 1960, for group’s research.