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Communication Science 211 Learning Unit 1: Small group communication Learning unit objectives: - Differentiate between the communication context - Define the nature of small group communication - Explain and be able to apply types of groups - Discuss and apply online groups - Explain group norms and the different types of group norms - Explain and give examples of out-group homogeneity and in-group bias - Discuss group pressure - Explain and apply the bystander effect - Discuss groups as instruments of change Levels of communication (i.e. communication contexts) Intrapersonal communication Communication by the self, with the self, about the self Interpersonal communication Communication between two people Small group communication Communication between 3 to 12 people. Perfect number: 7 Public communication A public speaker addressing an audience personally Mass communication The message is mediated (by media vehicles) and is sent to a large audience, who probably do not know one another Types of small groups: (1) Primary groups: people in this group provide resources and support. Usually parents, childhood neighbours and childhood friends. Members get together face-to-face and all members know each other (2) Secondary groups: members of this group do not necessarily know one another – e.g. religious groups, political groups and business organisations (3) Reference groups: a group of people who can influence an individuals’ opinions and behaviour, because they are held in high regard. Think: “I want to be like _______” (that would be your reference group) (4) Casual group: people who get together for a function or event (once) and then disband afterward. For example, a party or a conference or people riding in a taxi. Five (5) types of ONLINE groups 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Web forum / web conferencing (interactive) participants typing in stead of talking – e.g. chatting in a chat room Synchronous (“at the same time”) communication (interactive) members of the group virtually present communicating at the same time Bulletin boards (less interactive) The electronic version of the traditional bulletin board. The web user can place notes on a “board” for others to read Usenet newsgroups (less interactive) Not used for private discussion. You have to subscribe to the group. To discuss specific topics, such as politics or entertainment Mailing lists (not interactive) Receiving letters / discussion through e-mail – e.g. spam Group norms (rules) Group norms (rules) are required for the functioning of that group. Six (6) types of norms: (1) Injunctive norms – what society judges as ‘proper’ behaviour. E.g. People are supposed to be clean and smell nice (2) Descriptive norms – what society judges as ‘improper’ behaviour. E.g. People are not supposed to fart in public (3) Explicit norms – rules written or spoken openly – e.g. you may not steal money, it is written in the constitution (4) Implicit norms – rules are not openly stated, but rather assumed. E.g. not punching your brother or sister (5) Subjective norms – rules imposed by valued others – such as curfew or attending church on a Sunday (6) Personal norms – rules imposed by yourself. E.g. work ethic Belonging to a group… (1) Out-group (other groups) homogeneity (same): Thus, as a whole, other groups are treated according to stereotypes and generalisations. If people do not belong to our group (our country, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, culture, social class), we view them according to those stereotypes and generalisations. E.g. As South Africans, we might describe the French as rude, Americans as condescending and the English as snobbish. Those countries might describe us as uneducated. (2) In-group bias We give people in our group preferential treatment. E.g. in an inter-varsity, we would shout for participants from our college (3) Out-group bias We treat people who are not in our group with indifference. E.g. booing the participants from another college at the inter-varsity meet. In-group (in our group) linguistic (language) bias (discriminate) Thus, how a certain group generalise or stereotype other groups by calling them / referring to them in abstract, depersonalising terms. E.g. calling people who love science fiction movies Geeks, or academically strong pupils Nerds. Group pressure Groups pressure its individual members to conform to the group’s way of doing things (thus, its norms) – E.g. criminals aren’t necessarily born criminal, but become criminals by being a member of the wrong group. Two (2) theories occur as a result of this phenomenon: 1. Risky shift phenomenon – an individual will take risks within a group, which they normally would not by themselves. E.g. we will dance on the dance floor with a crowd, but we will not dance when no one else is dancing 2. Bystander effect In short: the more people witnessing an event, the less they will take responsibility to do something about it (people share risk and responsibility…risk and responsibility, divided by more people, leads to less risk per person). Pluralistic ignorance, basically means that we will not take responsibility to act, if no one else does. In an event, we go through the following process to decide whether we want to take action…or not: #1 Notice event #1 Not notice event #2 Is the event and emergency #2 Not an emergency #3 We assume responsibility #3 We do not assume responsibility #4 We know what to do #4 We do not know what to do #5 We act #5 We decide not to act Groups as instruments of change Groups can influence changes in an individual. We get influenced in one of three (3) ways: 1) Conformity – we change to be more socially accepted. Changing our inner core to fit in with the group. E.g. we become Goths in a gothic group. 2) Compliance – we choose to do something or not to do something. E.g. our groups wants to be the treasurer of the group…we can either comply with the request or decline. We are asked to do something 3) Obedience – we do what we are told by an authority figure. E.g. we obey our parents when they tell us to go to bed. We are told to do something