Group a counseling specialty 7e pearson by t gladding chapter 02

Chapter 2
Group Dynamics
Prepared by: Nathaniel N. Ivers, Wake Forest
University
Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.


Roadmap


Group Dynamics
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Group Content
Group Process
Balance Between Group Content and
Process
The Group as a System
Influencing Group Dynamics
Positive and Negative Group Variables
Learning Group Dynamics

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-2

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Group Dynamics



Group dynamics are the forces with a group
Include two types elements:
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



Group Content: Information within and
purpose of the group
Group Process: Interactions and relationships
among members within the group

The amount and mixture of group content and
group process determine group dynamics.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e

Samuel Gladding

2-3

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Group Content


Involves the following elements that are
exchanged with in a group:






Words
Ideas
Information

Also includes the purpose of the group

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-4

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Group Process


Interaction of group members with one
another, often in some meaningful way



As groups develop, less time generally is
spent on content material, and more is
focused on process functions.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-5

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Seven Types of Group
Processes
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Contagion
Conflict
Anxiety
Consensual validation
Universality
Family reenactment
Instillation of hope
(Donigian & Malnati, 1997)

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-6

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Contagion


Group process in which member behavior
elicits group interaction

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e

Samuel Gladding

2-7

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Conflict


Often revolves around significant issues in
people’s lives (e.g., authority, intimacy,
autonomy, power, loss)



How a group leader handles conflict
makes a difference.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-8

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Anxiety



Two common strategies that group
members employ to cope with the
discomfort of some emotions in group:


Restrictive solution

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Changing the subject
Attacking a group member
Intellectualizing

Enabling solution


Open listening and discussions about
anxiety that is present in the group

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-9

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.

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Consensual Validation


Checking one’s behaviors with a group of
others, which may result in group
members being questioned, confronted, or
affirmed either individually or within the
group regarding their actions.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-10

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Universality


The discovery that others within the group
have similar experiences and feelings.



Enables group participants to identify and

unify with one another.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-11

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Family Reenactment




Because groups resemble families in many
ways, it is natural that some behaviors by
group members are connected to issues
they never resolved in childhood.
Group members can help each other work
through unresolved issues related to their
families-of-origin, or they can perpetuate
these behaviors by allowing group
members to lapse into the past.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-12

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.


Instillation of Hope


The process by which group members who
feel hopeless may be able to come to
terms with their own issues and
experience a sense that their issues can
be resolved.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-13

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Balance Between Content and
Process


Process must be balanced with content
regardless of group type.



Process may be likened to a river and
content to a boat on the river (Geroski & Kraus,
2002)

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-14

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Balance Between Process and
Content


Two sets of questions to guide the
interplay between content and process


Content questions include:

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What do we have to do?

What do we need to do to accomplish our goals?

Process questions center on:

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Who am I?
Who am I with you?
Who are we together?”
(Hulse-Killacky, Killacky, & Donigian, 2001)

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-15

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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The Group as a System


Think of the group as a system, a set of
elements standing in interaction with one
another (Agazarian, 1997)




Each element in the system is affected by
whatever happens to any other element
The system is only as strong as its weakest
part. Likewise, the system is greater than
the sum of its parts.

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-16

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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INFLUENCING GROUP
DYNAMICS


Group leaders can set up conditions and
structures that will help the group
potentially run smoother and better in
both the long and the short run.

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
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preplanning a group
the group structure
group exercises
group interaction
members’ roles

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-17

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preplanning a Group


Factors to consider when planning a group:


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Clarity of purpose — what the group is to
accomplish

Group setting – the environment in which the
group will meet
Time - the ideal time frame for the group
Size – increasing the size of a group
decreases its cohesiveness and member
satisfaction
Membership – heterogeneous vs.
homogeneous groups

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-18

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preplanning a Group


Factors to consider when planning a group:

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Goals – expected or planned outcomes
Commitment – voluntary or mandated
attendance
Openness – Consideration of novel ideas and
actions
Risk-taking – Engaging in new thoughts and
behaviors
Attitudes – How members and leaders
perceive tasks and others

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-19

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Group Structure


Physical setup of a group



Interaction of each group member in
relation to the group as a whole

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-20

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Group Structure


Physical Structure – Arrangement of group
members in the group

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Circle Format
Chain Arrangement
Wheel Arrangement
“Y” Arrangement
Theater Style

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-21

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Group Exercises and Activities


Can be beneficial if they promote a
positive atmosphere in the group (Jacobs et al.,
2016)



Are often used in groups to engage the
group, support group members to take
risks, and to provide a learning experience
that helps group members grow (Riva, 2004)

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-22

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Types of Group Exercises and
Activities

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Written exercises
Movement exercises
Creative props exercises
Arts and crafts exercises
Fantasy exercises
Common reading exercises
Feedback exercises
Trust exercises

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-23

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Types of Group Exercises and Activities
Continued
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Experiential exercises
Moral dilemma exercises
Group-decision exercises
Touching exercises
Rounds
Dyads and triads
(Jacobs et al., 2016)

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-24

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Group Exercises and Activities


Can include the following types of
activities:






Verbal intrapersonal
Verbal interpersonal
Nonverbal intrapersonal
Nonverbal interpersonal

Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 7e
Samuel Gladding

2-25

© 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.