Angeles, Erika Danielle B. Ms.

Christine Concordia

BS Psychology-2B February 28, 2024

1. Search for the roots (history) of the study of group dynamics.

Before we proceed to the history of the study of group dynamics, let us first define what does
group dynamics mean. It is defined as a system of behaviors and psychological processes occurring
within social group (intragroup dynamics), or in between social group (intergroup dynamics). The
study of group dynamics is essential in various areas such as understanding decision-making
behavior, tracking the spread of diseases in the society, making effective therapy techniques, and
also following the rapid popularity of new ideas and technologies. Some fields where group
dynamics is applied are psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, epidemiology,
education, social work, business, and communication studies.

Now, let’s move on to the history of group dynamics. Under the consistent premise, “the whole is
greater than the sum of its parts” lies the history of group dynamics. It is said that a social group
is an existence that has characteristics which cannot be understood by examining the members of
the group alone. It is in fact recognized by the Gestalt psychologist, Max Wertheimer in 1924,
saying that, “There are entities where the behavior of the whole cannot be derived from its
individual elements nor from the way these elements fit together. Rather the opposite is true, the
properties of any of the parts are determined by the intrinsic structural laws of the whole.”

Sociology and psychology are where group dynamics is rooted from. Wilhelm Wundt, the father
of psychology, have been particularly interested in the psychology of communities for a reason
that, in his point of view, these groups held phenomena that could not be interpreted through a
study of the individual. On Emile Durkheim’s sociological side, who was influenced by Wundt,
also acknowledged collective phenomena like public knowledge. Gustave Le Bon, another
influential theory, held that crowds had a violent, primal, and antisocial "racial unconscious," and
psychologist William McDougall thought that there was a "group mind," a unique entity that
emerged from the interactions of individuals.
Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist, was the one who come up to the term “group dynamics” in
order to describe the positive and negative forces that exist within social groups. Additionally, by
the late 1930s, group dynamics had become a recognized field of study in the United States, and
in 1945, he established The Group Dynamics Research Center, the first organization at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology dedicated solely to the study of group dynamics.
Throughout his career, Lewin has focused on applying the study of group dynamics to current
social challenges.

2. Apply your understanding about group development by giving your own example of
how a group developed from stage of Forming to Adjourning.

It was Tuckman who proposed and was credited with the stages of Group Development. Forming,
storming, norming, performing, and adjourning are the commonly known stages. This model
explains that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships establish, and leadership style
changes to more collaborative or shared leadership.

One example that I can share, as well as relate with, is sports. In team sports, individuals with the
same passion of playing a certain sport, for example volleyball, is formed into a group. At first,
different emotions can be seen on each individual. Some members maybe shy, nervous, or some
maybe enthusiastic at that time. Each of them is given their positions (setter, spikers, libero). They
will begin trainings and together with their coaches, they will start to brainstorm on strategies or
playing patterns convenient for their winning, undergoing storming. The team may face struggles
or disintegrate that is why the captain ball is crucial in this point, in which they lead the team to
perform their roles. As the team move forward to their trainings, they become comfortable with
each other, therefore begin to trust each other especially when they start to play with one another.
It is known as the norming stage in which members of the group can express their opinions. The
fourth stage is performing. At this point, the team play with rival teams, aiming to win every game
that they play. Members of the team perform greatly in order to achieve winning. Finally, when
the team achieved its goals or its much-awaited win, they are prepared to say farewell on the final
stage which is adjourning. From start to finish, mixed emotions are felt.