Group cohesion is a social process that characterizes groups whose members interact with each other and refers to the forces that push group members closer together. A lot of work these days is accomplished in groups. Most people have had both good and bad experiences from participating in such group work. One important element that influences one’s group work experience is cohesion. Cohesion has two dimensions: emotional (or personal) and task-related.
Group (or team) cohesion was studied extensively and has received a great deal of attention in the social sciences, as evidenced by the hundreds of articles published in the past 50 years in various domains, including sports, education, and work (a quick Google search revealed that there are more than 278,000 hits for “group cohesion” and nearly 120,000 hits for “group cohesiveness”).
Factors Influencing Group Cohesion
The forces that push group members together can be positive (group-based rewards) or negative (things lost upon leaving the group). The main factors that influence group cohesion are members’ similarity, group size, entry difficulty, group success, and external competition and threats. Often, these factors work through enhancing the identification of the individual with the group he or she belongs to as well as the individual’s beliefs of how the group can fulfill his or her personal needs.
Members’ Similarity
The more group members are similar to each other on various characteristics, the easier it is to reach cohesion. Through social identity theory, it has been found that people feel closer to those whom they perceive as similar to themselves in external characteristics (age, ethnicity) or internal ones (values, attitudes). In addition, similar background makes it more likely that members share similar views on various issues, including group objectives, communication styles, and the type of desired leadership. In general, higher agreement among members on group rules and norms results in greater trust and less dysfunctional conflict, which, in turn, strengthen both emotional and task cohesion.
Group Size
Because it is easier for fewer people to agree on goals and to coordinate their work, smaller groups are more cohesive than larger groups. Task cohesion may suffer, though, if the group lacks enough members to perform its tasks well enough.
Entry Difficulty
Difficult entry criteria or procedures to a group tend to present it in more exclusive light. The more elite the group is perceived to be, the more prestigious it is to be a member in that group, and consequently, the more motivated members are to belong and stay in it. This is why alumni of prestigious universities tend to keep in touch for many years after they graduate.
Group Success
Group success, like exclusive entry, increases the value of group membership to its members and influences members to identify more strongly with the team and to want to be actively associated with it. Think how it feels to be part of a winning basketball team!
External Competition and Threats
When members perceive active competition with another group, they become more aware of members’ similarity within their group and see their group as a means to overcome the external threat or competition they are facing. Both these factors increase group cohesion; leaders throughout human history have been aware of this and have focused the attention of their followers on conflicts with external enemies when internal cohesion was threatened. Similar effects can be brought about by facing an objective external threat or challenge (such as natural disaster).
Consequences of Group Cohesion
Cohesive groups have several characteristics. First, members interact more with each other. Cohesive groups develop a supportive communication climate in which people are more comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings. Second, cohesive groups’ members are friendlier and cooperative with each other than are members in noncohesive groups. Members of highly cohesive groups talk positively about their group and its members. Third, cohesive groups have greater influence over their members and pressure them to conform. Fourth, cohesive groups’ members are more satisfied and believe that both their personal and group goals are better met compared to low-cohesion groups.
Given these characteristics, it may be not surprising that a general finding that emerged from studying various groups (including sport teams and work groups) is that cohesion contributes to positive group processes (e.g., sharing information) and to groups’ task performance. Among the reasons for the performance-enhancing effects of cohesion are members’ increased motivation to perform better in the group, partially due to norms that discourage social loafing on group projects. Another reason for the performance superiority of cohesive groups is members’ commitment to the group task, which tends to be higher in cohesive groups; higher task commitment was indeed found to relate to higher task performance. Improved communication and trust allow members to share more and better information with each other, enabling a wider resource pool for the group to use when solving problems. Lastly, the high mutual support among cohesive groups’ members in stressful times creates a positive and long-lasting interdependency among team members. On the other hand, in low-cohesion groups, conflicts tend to occur more and develop into dysfunctional interpersonal conflicts more often, discouraging members from sharing information and helping their teammates.
Notwithstanding the generally positive consequences of cohesion, there are rare situations in which group cohesion may not contribute to higher performance. One such case is found in organizations when teams’ norms conflict with organizational goals. Researchers found that when such conflict is high, higher team cohesion actually results in lower task performance.
Another source for potentially negative outcomes is the pressure to conform that highly cohesive groups exert on their members. While this adherence to norms has many benefits for the group as a whole, the same mechanism may result in negative social and individual consequences. For example, the fact that abuses against individual members in small communities and military units, which tend to be highly cohesive, can go for long times unexposed, can be attributed in a large part to the tight norms of these very cohesive groups.
References:
- Beal, D. J., Cohen, R., Burke, M. J., & McLendon, C. L. (2003). Cohesion and performance in groups: A meta-analytic clarification of construct relation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 989-1004.
- Orwell, G. (1949). Nineteen eighty-four, a novel. London: Secker & Warburg.
- Piper, W., Marrache, M., Lacroix, R., Richardson, A., & Jones, B. (1983). Cohesion as a basic bond in groups. Human Relations, 36, 93-108.
In general terms, group cohesiveness is being committed to a group or to group members where all the members of the group find similarities in their nature and interest. It can also be called as team cohesiveness.
It is a circle of people who share the same interests and abilities. And such a group and their group members are reliable for each other.
Moreover, reliability can be positive and negative as well. Most probably, it’s up to a person in which kind of group or cohesive team, he or she is in.
What is Group Cohesiveness Process?
Group cohesiveness Process can be defined as a group session wherein which, group of people connects them with the help of similar interest and program. Moreover, it is a process where a group of people for a group or a team consider their similar interests and ability.
1. Similar interest:
Being a part of a group or a team is not that easy as it seems. Some groups and teams maintain a certain type of ground rules for their group. And those ground rules can be measured in terms of the common interest of all the group members.
If anyone wants to join such a team considering their common interest, then they should follow all the ground rules given by the team leader.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand that all the group of team maintains the same level of interest in their team formation.
2. Group dignity:
Every group or team maintains a certain level of pride and dignity with their team and team members. And to maintain that dignity and pride of the group the members deliver certain responsible services in favor of the society and whoever concerned.
Moreover, it is an initial process of every group activity and in that process, they undertake several services according to the pride and dignity of the group. And every single member of the group takes part in such activity of the group.
3. Commitment:
Commitment is a word that describes a person’s loyalty and honesty relating to the group.
Most probably every member of the team needs to show some sort of commitment towards their work within the group and for that, they need to take active participation in the activities of the group. This can lead to developing high performing teams.
Therefore, it is very much necessary for all the members of the team that without commitment a group cannot survive in their future activity.
Important Factors of Group Cohesiveness Process:
To understand the importance of the group cohesiveness Process, one should well understand the group cohesiveness definition and cohesiveness meaning. Therefore, with this additional info about the group cohesiveness Process, one can have better clarity on it.
1. Equal mindset:
As people join some group with thinking that they can be a part of that particular group as they share a similar kind of interest, then they definitely should go ahead with their decision and join such a team or a group.
Most groups that maintain a certain focus element in their group consider their members’ interest to carry on with their group services.
Therefore, most of the group accepts those candidates who are very much interested in their activity. And other than that no group accepts a person with different natures of interest.
2. Communication:
As it is explained earlier that, communication between the team and its team members is very much necessary.
If there is any sort of miscommunication between the team and its members, then it is quite clear to everyone that there will be all sorts of doubts between the team members.
Therefore, communication creates a link between the team and their member’s point of view as well.
3. Trust:
Sometimes trust holds all the main activity between people, whether it is a company, organization, and team. And that is why all the people who are in connection with the team or a group need to maintain a positive trust in their team and their decision.
Therefore, it is very much necessary to understand all the factors of trust in the team and their decision and moreover handling all the facts relating to that.
4. An objective of the group:
Every group or a team maintains its objective for that particular group and that group delivers its objective in the form of its services and activity. And that is why objective holds all the basic needs of the group or a team.
Therefore, maintaining an objective for a group or a team is necessary to continue with their positive intention about their social activity.
Eventually, these social activities with a positive objective can bring them a positive recommendation for their future benefits.
5. Experience:
Experience means their previous group experience. Most of the time these group experiences create a difference with the new group.
This difference can bring up all the new and creative ideas within the members of the group and which is a good thing for the overall growth of that particular group.
Therefore, all the things which come with the help of previous experience in group cohesiveness can provide overall growth.
Importance of Group Cohesiveness Process:
When it comes to valuing something in one’s life, then people experience some sort of issues with it. And to understand such importance of that particular thing, a person needs to appreciate its worth, which is possible only by handling all the activities either it is group or individual.
1. Performance:
It has been explained earlier that, the factors which bring up all the importance of cohesiveness of group performance can be measured in terms of their activities.
Performance matters in-group cohesion and especially when it is mattered with the services delivered by each valuable member of the team.
Therefore, performance matters with the activities which are delivered by the group cohesiveness behavior.
2. Satisfaction:
The main issue that every member of the team faces while working according to the expectation of the group that the team members might feel a bit left out other than a team leader.
Not all the valuable members of the team need to be treated well. It is even expected, especially from the team leader that he or she needs to treat all the members of the team the same so that they can feel complete satisfaction with their work assigned by their team.
3. Emotional factors:
Most of the time while working in a team people used to feel a bit attached to others who are active members of the team. And it is normal to feel emotional around them.
It is even possible that all the things which come up or which come along with the help of group cohesive behavior is quite a result of hard work and team spirit.
Therefore, emotional factors always weigh heavy in terms of group cohesive nature.
4. The pressure of assurance:
It is quite possible with all the element and characteristics of group cohesive behavior that most of the factors comes up with the help of group working or because of the team task.
Therefore, it is very much necessary to understand all the matters which can bring up with the help of all group related behavior and eventually this creates a level of pressure with an assurance of work completion.
Consequences of Group Cohesiveness Process:
According to Richard M. Steers, “Specifically, when cohesiveness is high and acceptance of organizational goals is high; performance will probably be high. In the same way, low cohesiveness will be directly proportional to performance“.
True group cohesiveness and closeness experienced by members of the group had an important positive impact on performance results. Some of them are,
- Higher Influence
- Higher Participation
- Higher Communication
- Higher Productivity
- Higher Conformity
- Higher Success
- Higher Personal Satisfaction
Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Cohesiveness Process:
| S.no | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 1 | Motivational elements | Low level of productivity |
| 2 | Better cooperation | Lack of creativity |
| 3 | Time-saving | Lack of innovation |
| 4 | Improves communication | Domination |
Advantages of Group Cohesiveness Process:
All the factors and study elements relating to the group cohesive behavior are a cover-up for all sorts of benefits of group cohesiveness. Therefore, these advantages or benefits can clear out all the fogs surrounded and can show a ray of sunshine.
1. Motivational elements:
As it explains earlier that, all the elements which help a person to join or to be part of the group are the motivational elements that can buy from the members of the team.
Moreover, these members can create some sort of differentiation between their improvement and courage in terms of their motivating behavior.
2. Better cooperation:
If it is a group of members who share similar interests and attraction as compared to each other, then it is quite clear that all the things which can be delivered with the help of group cohesiveness behavior can produce better cooperation between the teams and their members.
Therefore, because of group cohesive behavior, the group can embrace better cooperation with the rest of the team members.
3. Time-saving:
A work or a task allotted to a group of persons instead of work allotted to an individual can approach a positive side of the work.
For instance, when it comes to a person, then the person might take a little longer time to solve the issues, but when it comes to the group of people, then the solution can be better and quicker as compared to the individual doing the work.
4. Improves communication:
As it is a task of a group or a team, then the team leader might be aware of all the consequences of work assign to a person. And because of the group cohesiveness, the whole team can experience some sort of change in their communication levels.
These communication levels create a difference in their personal and professional life as usual. Moreover, it also provides good confidence for all the members of the team.
Disadvantages of Group Cohesiveness Process:
Most parts of the study material with the subject line group cohesiveness Process can clear all the doubts among its readers and with their team. Therefore, it is necessary to know more about the disadvantages of group cohesiveness, and then these disadvantages can help a group of people with all the growth and success of their daily work.
1. Low level of productivity:
Most of the time, working in a group can not favor a company or an organization with the help of their group, and that is because all the teams own their thinking.
And in this case of production, a group cohesiveness Process brings it down to a low level because most of the team members available in the team are from the same field of work.
Moreover, it is a fast-moving generation and that is why it’s necessary to understand the low level of productivity among the team members.
2. Lack of creativity:
As most of the members of the team share a single and simple interest and eventually this type of similar interest can deliver the same sort of results each time.
Therefore, because of group cohesive behavior, the company can lack behind with its creative elements. Moreover, all the elements in the group cohesiveness provide a lower level of creativity among their group or a team.
3. Lack of innovation:
It is quite similar to the topic that one can understand better. Most of the time people involved in a group can come up with a low level of innovation and that eventually lacks creativity in their field of work.
Therefore, it is necessary to understand all the things within this group cohesiveness. Moreover, this creates a lack of innovation among their members.
4. Domination:
The domination can experience because of the team leaders of each group. Most of these types of group leader domination can never benefit the company, moreover, it can damage the unity of the group.
Therefore, all the team leaders need to understand that if they need and want their team members to work according to their direction, then they need to treat as equals in the group.
Conclusion:
Finally, the bottom line is that at the end of the discussion about the group cohesiveness Process, a person can understand all the definitions, factors, importance, advantages or benefits and disadvantages or cons of the study material stated above about the group cohesiveness Process.
Therefore, it is advisable to all the interested people that if anyone needs to know more about the group cohesiveness Process, then they can follow and read all the above-mentioned discussion and find all the answers to their questions.
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