Whatever happened to the group in social psychology?

Steiner, Ivan D.

doi:10.1016/0022-1031(74)90058-4

Cited by 232 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The results of this study provide the fi rst quantitative support of Steiner's (1974) assertion that there was a steady increase in the publication of group processes and intergroup relation articles until the 1960s. However, unlike previous analyses which showed a dip in the rate of publication in the 1980s (e.g., believing that it is being precipitated by a reduction of group researchers in the fi eld and will continue to decline in future years.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Prospects for Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Research: A Review of 70 Years' Progress

Moura

Leader

Pelletier

et al. 2008

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

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Nutzungsbedingungen University of KentThree archival analyses are presented substantially extending empirical reviews of the progress of group-related research. First, an analysis of social psychological research from 1935 to 2007 (cf. showed that group-related research has a steadily increasing proportion of titles in the principal journals and currently accounts for over a sixth of all the research in our list of social psychological journals. Second, analysis of the most cited papers from a set of principal social psychology journals from 1998 to 2007 showed that a third of high-impact articles in social psychology focus on groups. Third, analysis of the content of two major specialist journals in the fi eld, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations and Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, showed that together these journals cover a broad range of grouprelated research, and that the only keyword common to both journals was social identity. These fi ndings demonstrate the health and major contributions of research into group processes and intergroup relations to social psychology as a whole.keywords empirical review, group dynamics, group processes, group-related research, intergroup relations, research development narrative and discursive reviews by extending the time period to over 70 years, analyzing impact over the last 10 years, and exploring the themes covered over that period.There have been several reviews, comments, empirical analyses, and overviews of the nature of group research in social psychology (e.g. Bettenhausen, 1991;Davis, 1996;Jones, 1985;Levine & Moreland, 1990Manstead, 1990;McGrath, 1978McGrath, , 1997McGrath & Altman, 1966;McGrath & Kravitz, 1982;Moreland, Hogg, & Hains, 1994;Poole & Hollingshead, 2005;Sanna & Parks, 1997;Simpson & Wood, 1992;Steiner, 1974Steiner, , 1983Steiner, , 1986Tindale & Anderson, 1998;Wheelan, 2005;Wittenbaum & Moreland, 2008;Zander, 1979).Collectively, these reviews provide various insights into the theory, methodology, analysis, and applications of research in group processes and intergroup relations. According to many of the reviews mentioned earlier, group processes and intergroup relations research is central to social psychology. This feeling is characterized in many prefaces, editorials, and introductory paragraphs. However, recent reviews of research into group processes have noted that much of the research literature focuses on the individual (e.g. Wittenbaum & Moreland, 2008). Indeed, the shift in the Zeitgeist away from small groups and toward social cognition approaches was probably at the heart of Steiner's (1986) concerns, and may to some extent represent a struggle for supremacy of different levels of analysis and methodological approaches in social psychology (Abrams & Hogg, 2004;McGrath & Altman, 1966). In fact, Hornsey (2008) recently noted that some researchers have considered groups as "something of a label of convenience for what happened when interpersonal processes were aggregated" (p. 204). Commentators have linked this trend t...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Prospects for Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Research: A Review of 70 Years' Progress

Moura

Leader

Pelletier

et al. 2008

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

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“…Over the past decade advances have been made toward understanding how humans solve complex problems (e.g., Fischer, Greiff, & Funke, 2012;Quesada, Kintsch, & Gomez, 2005) and how they do so collaboratively with other people in teams (Fiore, Rosen, Salas, Burke, & Jentsch, 2008;Fiore, Rosen, et al, 2010) and in close relationships (Berg, Johnson, Meegan, & Strough, 2003). The empirical examination of CPS has a long history in psychology (e.g., Steiner, 1974). But much of that work has been on simple tasks such as puzzle problems or brainstorming (e.g., Hill, 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problem‐Solving Phase Transitions During Team Collaboration

2017

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Multiple theories of problem-solving hypothesize that there are distinct qualitative phases exhibited during effective problem-solving. However, limited research has attempted to identify when transitions between phases occur. We integrate theory on collaborative problem-solving (CPS) with dynamical systems theory suggesting that when a system is undergoing a phase transition it should exhibit a peak in entropy and that entropy levels should also relate to team performance. Communications from 40 teams that collaborated on a complex problem were coded for occurrence of problem-solving processes. We applied a sliding window entropy technique to each team's communications and specified criteria for (a) identifying data points that qualify as peaks and (b) determining which peaks were robust. We used multilevel modeling, and provide a qualitative example, to evaluate whether phases exhibit distinct distributions of communication processes. We also tested whether there was a relationship between entropy values at transition points and CPS performance. We found that a proportion of entropy peaks was robust and that the relative occurrence of communication codes varied significantly across phases. Peaks in entropy thus corresponded to qualitative shifts in teams' CPS communications, providing empirical evidence that teams exhibit phase transitions during CPS. Also, lower average levels of entropy at the phase transition points predicted better CPS performance. We specify future directions to improve understanding of phase transitions during CPS, and collaborative cognition, more broadly.

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“…A solid foundation for the future has not been laid. (p. 32) A very similar ethos permeates the 1970s works of many authors (Armistead, 1974;Elms, 1975;Gergen, 1973;Harré & Secord, 1972;McGuire, 1973;Smith, 1972;Steiner, 1974). Furthermore, the criticisms of Gergen and of Harré and Secord were accompanied by proposals for alternative paradigms.…”

Section: The Crisis Of Social Psychology and Lts Metamorphosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Psychology: Social or Sociological?

Peris¹

2004

The Social Psychology of Group Identity and Social Conflict: Theory, Application, and Practice.

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The title of this chapter has definitional connotations. It is generally assumed that definitions are irrelevant as far as the configuration of a field of knowledge is concerned, given that they are merely intentional or wishful statements and can hardly condense the real scope of what a field of knowledge actually is. It is often said that there are as many definitions as the authors who write in any given field. The fact is that definitions are of much more consequence than scientists generally presume (Sapsford, Still, Miell, Stevens, & Wetherell, 1998). Definitions are what make basic conceptions of a science apparent. They also function as an initial map of the territory encompassed by a field of knowledge. Definitions also legitimize the investigation of certain domains over others. The reader should recognize that to define means to fix limits or boundaries. More generally, at a time of thriving nationalisms, disciplinary nationalism also flourishes. Specifically, boundaries and territoriality are at the root of the struggles and conflicts by which the relative status and power of individuals and groups are shaped. Although these disciplinary struggles are discursive and symbolic, this does not prevent them from being very intense.The major thrust of my analysis is that social psychology, if it is to become a more representative and conceptually specific discipline, has to be not only social but sociological. The sociological dimension is what provides social psychology its specificity with regard to general or basic psychology. That is, in adopting the perspective of sociology, social psychology thereby becomes a part of sociology as well as psychology. This thesis is the connecting thread for the following arguments and observations. For this purpose 1 first make sorne historical references that have had a deep impact on the development of psychological social psychology; second, 1 evaluate briefly the so-called crisis of social psychology, a turning point with up-to-date consequences; and third, 1 describe sorne viewpoints of European and Latín American social psychology, the writings of which seem to go in the direction 1 am proposing. 1 end up with sorne considerations of Kelman's work and intellectual style, focusing on his conception of the discipline and sorne of his widely influential contributions in expanding the domain of social psychology.21

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Whatever happened to the group in social psychology?

Cited by 232 publications

References 16 publications

Prospects for Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Research: A Review of 70 Years' Progress

Prospects for Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Research: A Review of 70 Years' Progress

Problem‐Solving Phase Transitions During Team Collaboration

Social Psychology: Social or Sociological?

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