WELCOME

INC 603
INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION
By

Mr. Selamat Abd. Rahman

Mr. Md. Sabri Mohamad

Course Content-9
Small Group Communication
Purpose of small group
Social Loafing
Evaluation apprehension
Social matching
Social Comparison

Small Group
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Size Most researchers define a small group as having

at least three and no more than twelve or fifteen
members.

A group needs to have at least three members,

otherwise it would simply be a dyad. With three
members, coalitions can be formed and some kind of
organization is present.

Too large of a group (more than twelve or fifteen

members) inhibits the group members' ability to
communicate with everyone else in the group.
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Small Group
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Interaction A group's members must be

able to communicate freely and openly
with all of the other members of the
group. Groups will develop norms about
discussion and group members will
develop roles which will affect the
group's interaction.

Small Group

Goals A group must have a common

purpose or goal and they must work
together to achieve that goal. The goal
brings the group together and holds it
together through conflict and tension.

The types of Small Groups

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The types of small group communication depend on

the purpose of the group.

Task oriented groups are created for business, clubs,

teams, organizations, union, charity, and religious
groups. Task oriented groups have a purpose of
generating ideas, solving problems or promoting a
cause.

The Task Oriented Group

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The task oriented groups requires unique

group communication skills. The purpose of
the group, the particular task or job to be done
needs to take precedence over any personal
agendas.

Cooperation and accommodation skills are

essential. These skills are not necessary in
personal
communication
or
family
communication.
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The Task Oriented Group

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Parliamentary Rules or parliamentary structure are how many

task oriented groups are structured. This poses benefits and
challenges.

The benefits allow minority opinions to be heard and the flow

continue toward the end purpose.

The challenge is that the process can stifle free flow of ideas and
inhibit realization of the purpose.

The Task Oriented Group

Task Oriented Group Dynamics

The group will be made up of leaders,
initiators and responders.

The Group Leaders.

Leaders serve in various capacities.
create agendas
set meeting times
sets policy
reports on progress of group
manages initiators and responders
arbitrates
and other roles
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The Group - Initiators.

Initiators - will be the promoters and controllers
of the group. They will get the conversation going
by sharing facts, details, proposals and their
knowledge.

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The Group - Responders.

Responders are the supporters and analysts.
They will listen, summarize, elaborate,
evaluate, criticize and ask questions.

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Blocks to Effective Small Group

Communication
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The obvious block is a failure to communicate.

Because small group communication is focused on a
job to be done, any failure to be focused on that
purpose will block effective communication.

These blocks to effective small group communication

often result from putting individual needs, desires or
wants over the importance of the job to be done by
the small group.

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Blocks to Effective Small Group

Communication
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Personality patterns that cause the failure are often typical.

1. Aggressors

These will often put their needs and wants over the goal of the
small group.

2. Defeatists

Defeatists do not have faith in the ability of the group to succeed.

They will paint themselves as realists. They are often pessimists
and unable to think outside the frame of defeat.
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Blocks to Effective Small Group

Communication
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3. Class Clown

The clown types have a need to entertain. They may want to

entertain them selves or others. Either way, their need to clown
around is more important than the job to be done.

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4. Storytellers

Storytellers have their own agenda of sharing. In nursing school,

the story tellers had relatives who had virtually every disease we
discussed in class. It was amazing how many relatives they had
and that the student was even alive to share the story. As to the
job to be done, they rarely can tell why the story has any
relevance to the purpose of the group.
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Blocks to Effective Small Group

Communication
l

5. Controller

Those controllers who are not assigned

as the leaders will want to dominate and
run the show more than they want to
fulfill the job to be done.

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Social Loafing

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Evaluation Apprehension

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Social Matching

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Social Comparison

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