Group Influence

This required Portfolio assignment due in Week Four will give you experience observing and interacting with people outside of the classroom. It has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop skills, synthesize knowledge, and integrate learning in a real world setting.  This assignment accomplishes that goal by challenging you to:

• Observe a group discussing a topic of interest such as a focus group, a community public assembly, a department meeting at your workplace, or local support group
• Study how the group members interact and impact one another
• Analyze how the group behaviors and communication patterns influence social facilitation
• Integrate your findings with evidence-based literature from journal articles, textbook, and additional scholarly sources

Purpose: To provide you with an opportunity to experience a group setting and analyze how the presence of others substantially influences the behaviors of its members through social facilitation.

Process: You will participate as a guest at an interest group meeting in your community to gather data for a qualitative research paper. Once you have located an interest group, contact stakeholders and explain the purpose of your inquiry. After you receive permission to participate, you will schedule a date to attend the meeting; at which time you will observe the members and document the following for your analysis:  

Part I -

• How were the people arranged in the physical environment (layout of room and seating arrangement)?

When you walk in the door there is a round table. There is a dry erase board to the right. The dry erase board had no writing on it. At the head of the table sat the facilitator which is the senior manager. She was a woman in her mid-fifties. She was Caucasian with long brown hair. She appeared to be in a good mood. That was insinuated by the chipper good morning and smile on her face. Behind her was a small table with a radio on the top. Around the table were the employees which consisted of a Caucasian man in his forties. He had brown and grey hair. He was sitting straight up with a bottle of Pepsi and note bad in front of him. He wore a blue and green plaid button up shirt.

Beside her was a African American woman in her fifties. She was reading a book while waiting. She had a long blonde pointy tail and a pea coat on. His notepad was also in front t of her and she was clicking the pen on the desk upon my arrival.

Beside her was a fair skinned African American male. From the looks of him the age could not be determined. What were noticed were a few rotten teeth? He had a suit and tie on sipping out of a stainless steel coffer cup.

Next to him was a younger Japanese gentleman. He was looking around the room. He wore a white button up shirt with a sleeveless sweater on top.  And the other end of the table sat I. next to me was an older African American woman seems to be early sixties. She was just looking at her notepad. Next to her sat a heavy sat African American woman talking to the younger lady beside her.  On the table were Krispy Kreme doughnuts which were not touched, Napkins and plates.

• What is the composition of the group, in terms of number of people, ages, sex, ethnicity, etc.? As reported above there were a total of nine people on the team including management. In the room there were ten individuals including the observer, Antoinette.
• What are the group purpose, mission, and goals? The group joined together to discuss their monthly goals. Once the facilitator opened up the room with a "good morning all, please help yourself to the treats" everyone began to indulge. She then when ton to tell the group that they have done a great job bringing down the quarterly amount owed and expressed her appreciation. She then went into the issues that were faced with the lack of customer response and the issues with customers requesting things to be re sent several times. While the facilitator was speaking the younger woman was rolling her eyes. The others seemed to being tuned with an occasional smirk. What was notices often is the heavy set women tapping the younger girl every time the facilitator managed "we are a team" That caused the younger woman to show her lack of interest in the conversation.
• What is the duration of the group (short, long-term)? Explain. The meeting was longer than expected. It lasted one hour and sixteen minutes. The first ten-15 minutes were discussing all of the hard work that was accomplished during the quarter. It was spent praising and motivating the employees. The latter part of the meeting was coming up with a game plan to excel going forward. The facilitator asked questions to get the team input on things that could help the collection process run smoother. She also discussed a merger that would be taking place within the next year and reassured the individuals that the more details she is provided the more she will be able to provide.
• Did the group structure its discussion around an agenda, program, rules of order, etc.? The overall agenda was to push the team to do better. The facilitator kept an upbeat tone of voice which helped comfort the employees with her message. She went into an upcoming merger of the company which could possibly be bad news for the employees. As stated in the text when dealing with persuasion is sold better coming from a credible source. From the delivery of the news the messenger had a comforting tone, briefly discussed all the things they have overcome as a company and team and reinsured the employees that she will update them as soon as she gets more details for upper management. The messenger also kept a smile and slid a joke in to lighten the mood.
• Describe the structure of the group. How is the group organized?
• Who are the primary facilitators of the group? The primary facilitator was the senior manager; She was a plump Caucasian woman which appeared to be in her mid-fifties. She had long brown hair that she wore straight. She he did ask questions to the group in which anyone who had something to day chimed in. she also asked for suggestions to help the team do better.
• What subject or issues did the group members examine during the meeting?
• What types of information did members exchange in their group?
• What were the group's norms, roles, status hierarchy, or communication patterns?
• What communication patterns illustrated if the group was unified or fragmented? Explain.
• Did the members share a sense of identity with one another (characteristics of the group-similarities, interests, philosophy, etc.)?
• Was there any indication that members might be vulnerable to Groupthink? Why or why not?
• In your opinion, how did the collective group behaviors influence individual attitudes and the group's effectiveness? Provide your overall analysis.

Part II

Write a 1,200- to 1,500-word paper incorporating your analysis with evidence to substantiate your conclusion. Explain how your observations relate to research studies on norm formation, group norms, conformity, and/or social influence. Integrate your findings with literature from the textbook, peer-reviewed journal articles, and additional scholarly sources. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.