Group Communication

Small-group Communication refers to the nature of communication that occurs in groups that are between 3 and 12 to 20 individuals. Small group communication generally takes place in a context that mixes interpersonal communication interactions with social clustering.

First, group discussion tends to shift back and forth relatively quickly between the discussion of the group task and discussion relevant to the relationship among the members. This shifting was the product of an implicit attempt to balance the demands of task completion and group cohesion, under the presumption that conflict generated during task discussion causes stress among members, which must released through positive relational talk. Second, task group discussion shifts from an emphasis on opinion exchange, through an attentiveness to values underlying the decision, to making the decision. This implication that group discussion goes through the same series of stages in the same order for any decision-making group is known as the linear phase model. Third, the most talkative member of a group tends to make between 40 and 50 percent of the comments and the second most talkative member between 25 and 30, no matter the size of the group. As a consequence, large groups tend to be dominated by one or two members to the detriment of the others.

As members, they must be group oriented, center conflict on issues, be critically open-minded, ensure understanding, and beware of groupthink. Group membership and leadership attitudes and behaviors are likely to be heavily influenced by culture, especially by the individual-collective and power-distance orientations.

To sum up, the skills identified is to increase our ability to function more effectively as a small group member and leader.

Louis Beh ®