Group Dynamics Final Paper

Professor DeNiro

EN 244-301

09 December 2014

                                Group Dynamics Final Paper

We all play many roles in our personal life, such as a son or daughter, friend, sibling, grandchild and cousin. You're likely to take on roles within your role. We also have the leaders, the loafers, the followers and just about everything in between. We take on different roles depending on where we are or what situation we are in. The classroom is no exception.

There are three categories of roles each individual portrays. The first is Task Roles, the actions of individuals that help move the project, decision, and task along. Within this group there are various roles you can play. The Initiator who proposes a task or goal, defines a group problem, suggests a procedure or idea for getting the task accomplished. The Information Seeker/Opinion Seeker who asks for clarification of suggestions, seeks information about a question or concern, also asks for ideas or opinions that may help the group solve the problem. Information Giver provides facts, examples and evidence that pertains to the problem at hand. The second is Maintenance Roles, the actions of individuals that help preserve the relationships in a group. Within this group there is The Encourager, the individual who helps preserve the relationships in a group when all else is going wrong. This person is known to be warm, friendly, and accepting of others, which is important when you're working with a diverse group. The Harmonizer is the individual who attempts to reconcile disagreements, reducing tension within the group, and tries to negotiate conflict. The Compromiser is one who will meet

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the group halfway in order to avoid conflict; this is usually a lose-lose scenario and a big part of conflict management according to Thomas K.W. and R.H. Kilmann. Gatekeeper is one who keeps channels of communication open, setting guidelines, and recognizes who hasn't spoken yet and gives them a chance to contribute. The third is Blocking Roles, the actions of individuals that hinder the group's process and progress. In the third category of roles it is necessary to have conflict management skills. Within this group there are multiple roles you can play. The Aggressor deflates other's egos, outwardly expresses disapproval, and takes credit where credit should not be given. The Dominator has an asserting authority or superiority to manipulate the group or certain members, and interrupting others and is extremely self-absorbed. The group leader took on the role of the dominator. Self Confessor is an individual who uses the group to provide him/her a channel to express their feelings about not group related feelings and ideologies. To fulfill a fundamental human need for belongingness (defined as the need to form and maintain strong, stable interpersonal relationships; Baumeister & Leary, 1995), people choose social identities with particular groups and seek acceptance into those groups.