This case study examined parent groups' involvement in school activities and their participation in decision making. Research questions included the following: (1) What is the nature of parent groups in schools? (2) What activities and issues gain parent groups' attention and participation? (3) How do parent groups communicate concerns about…

Discusses aspects of group meetings including planning for chairing; possible formats for organizing sessions and facilitating group discussion and decision efforts; and alternative procedures for group problem-solving. Presents an example of how these formats and procedures can be used conjointly. (JMF)

Uses a laboratory experiment involving role-playing groups to show that an assigned majority rule is likely to lead to higher-quality solutions than unanimity and no-decision rule. Results indicated under majority rule workers resistance to the foreman's power often resulted in a successful search for a better solution. (JAC)

Group structure is one of the important mediators between individual input and group output. The present study examines the effect of group structure on the following dependent variables: (1) change in the group member's evaluation of items evaluated before group interaction, (2) change in his subjective evaluation model as a consequence of group…

The group that is properly set-up and operating can save hours of group time. Once the group members know and trust one another it is necessary to identify the specific group tasks that need to be accomplished and to establish ground rules such as kind of meeting, meeting arrangements, expectations of members, and requirements for membership in…

Mentally retarded children were studied for their conceptual development and movement from the ability to perceive persons as separate entities but not in significant interaction (aprasia) to group activity. A quasi-projection technique was used to test six groups of 20 boys each, including institutionalized and family-based normals (aged 6 and…