Groups in Context


Book Description

Integrating new knowledge about group dynamics, this text provides conceptual and experiential frameworks for instructors, trainers and consultants who work with groups, as well as for group members themselves.




Groups in Context


Book Description

Using an approach that blends theory and applications, the authors of this group communications text continue to emphasize the importance of evaluating group dynamics in their varied contexts. The importance of the ethical responsibilities of a group are emphasized, and the analysis of small group decision-making processes, both as a non-participant and as an active member of the group using the participant-analyst model and more formal instruments, is encouraged. There is also comprehensive coverage of conflict management, showing the sources, functional benefits, and means to control conflict (ch. 10). The use of real life examples of group communication throughout the text helps students easily transfer principles and concepts to their own situations. In the third edition, adopters will find expanded coverage of group culture and group norms, as well as listening as it relates to group success and leadership; up-to-date information on focus groups and teleconferencing; and expanded advice on conducting library research.




Group Communication in Context


Book Description

The study of group communication has never been more critical, as recent national and international events point to the fragility of group life. An emerging perspective, the bona fide group perspective, offers hope for improving group communication, for it recognizes that any group--a family, community group, expedition team, social support group, organizational work group, interorganizational collaboration, or international team--must be studied and understood within the multiple contexts in which it is embedded and that significantly affects who is considered to be part of a group, what occurs within that group, and how that group interacts with other groups. In the second edition of his award-winning volume, editor Lawrence R. Frey showcases original research studies conducted on and about communication in bona fide groups, demonstrating the conceptual promise of the bona fide group perspective as realized in research practice. Divided into six sections, the chapters cover a wide range of new or relatively understudied groups--including youth community groups, Internet support groups, climbing expedition groups, families, neighborhoods, and school boards--and demonstrate the wealth of methodological approaches that can be used to study bona fide group communication--including survey methods, interviews, textual analysis, content analysis, participant observation, and discourse analysis. Group Communication in Context: Studies of Bona Fide Groups, Second Edition shows that the bona fide group perspective has the power to transform our thinking about groups and group communication and, in time, the practices in which groups and group members engage. The volume is intended for use in group communication courses, as well as a reference for group scholars. It is also appropriate for classes in psychology, social work, counseling, sociology, anthropology, and related disciplines.




Groups in Context


Book Description

Comprises the work of scholars who gathered in May, 1998, at a conference held at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business Administration. This title includes articles that address particular macro aspects of team context and their influences on team process and effectiveness and ultimately their effectiveness as performing units.




Community Groups in Context


Book Description

In the past decade community groups have been portrayed as the solution to many social problems. Yet the role of ‘below the regulatory radar’ community action has received little research attention and thus is poorly understood in terms of both policy and practice. Focusing on self-organised community activity, this book offers the first collection of papers developing theoretical and empirically grounded knowledge of the informal, unregistered, yet largest, part of the voluntary sector. The collection includes work from leading academics, activists, policy makers and practitioners offering a new and coherent understanding of community action ‘below the radar’. The book is part of the Third Sector Research Series which is informed by research undertaken at the Third Sector Research Centre, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Barrow Cadbury Trust.




Category Theory in Context


Book Description

Introduction to concepts of category theory — categories, functors, natural transformations, the Yoneda lemma, limits and colimits, adjunctions, monads — revisits a broad range of mathematical examples from the categorical perspective. 2016 edition.




The Power of Groups in Youth Sport


Book Description

Focused on understanding the key underlying group processes that contribute to youth sport experiences, The Power of Groups in Youth Sport provides an innovative and expansive overview of the research in group dynamics within youth sports. The first section of the book examines topics relating to forming and structuring groups, including team selection, athlete socialization, normative expectations, roles, coach and athlete leadership, social identity, and more. The second section reviews concepts associated with group functioning and management, such as cohesion, subgroups, motivational climate, teamwork, and team building. This book concludes with a series of chapters focused on specific developmental considerations in youth sports that are often overlooked in group dynamics research including parental involvement, bullying and hazing, mental health, ,and disability and accessibility. - Synthesizes the research of group dynamics within the context of youth sport - Highlights how groups form and function - Discusses the role of parents and peers on youth sport experiences and development - Suggests ways to advance the field of group dynamics in youth sports




Developing Focus Group Research


Book Description

This book critically examines the potential of, and suggests ways forward in, harnessing a versatile and powerful method of research - focus groups. The book challenges some of the emerging orthodoxies and presents accessible, insightful and reflective discussions about the issues around focus group work. The contributors, an impressive group of experienced researchers from a range of disciplines and traditions, discuss different ways of designing, conducting and analyzing focus group research. They examine sampling strategies; the implications of combining focus groups with other methods; accessing views of `minority' groups; their contribution to participatory or feminist research; use of software packages; discourse anal




Understanding People in Context


Book Description

This exceptional book emphasizes uniquely designed interventions for individual counseling, group work, and community counseling that consider clients as individuals within the contexts of families, cultural groups, workplaces, and communities. Part I describes the theoretical research base and major tenets of the ecological perspective and its applications to counseling practice. In Part II, experts who have used the ecological perspective in their work discuss its usefulness in various applications, including counseling diverse clients with specific life challenges; assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning; and in schools, substance abuse programs, faith-based communities, and counselor training programs. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com. *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected].




Racial and Cultural Dynamics in Group and Organizational Life


Book Description

"The field has been waiting for a masterpiece like Racial and Cultural Dynamics in Group and Organizational Life for a long time. It provides a thoughtful account of the subtle, barely visible, and sometimes unspeakable influences of racial and cultural dynamics that occur in groups." —Leo Wilton, Binghamton University, State University of New York "I believe that by focusing on group diversity, this book aligns with a major trend that has not received enough attention." — Christopher J. McCarthy, University of Texas at Austin This book presents a theoretical framework for understanding leadership and authority in group and organizational life. Using relational psychoanalytic and systems theory, the authors examine conscious and unconscious processes as they relate to racial and cultural issues in the formation and maintenance of groups. Unique among group dynamics texts, the book explores aspects of racial and cultural influences in every chapter. Readers will enhance their analytic and practice skills in addressing factors that impact diverse groups and organizations, including ethical considerations, social roles, strategies for leadership, dynamics of entering and joining, and termination. Key Features Case examples help readers integrate theory and practice, as illustrated in transcripts of interactions from group sessions. A group work competencies list ensures that readers master concepts as they progress through the book. An assessment form allows the student or practitioner to evaluate concrete dynamics of groups, such as size, and gendered and racial composition. This text is appropriate for graduate-level courses incorporating group dynamics and multicultural topics in departments of psychology, education, counseling, and social work. It is also a valuable resource for counselors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals in preparation for group work.