Attachment theory proposes that young children's experiences with their caregivers has a tremendous influence on how children navigate their social relationships. By the end of early childhood, intergroup contexts play an important role in their social life and children build strong ties to their ingroups. Although both domains relate to the same…

Individuals are always in interaction with other individuals outside, as well as in the group and with the group itself. This is why the social sciences emphasize the importance of group dynamics. After the 1990's, with the globalization, digitalization, changing political systems, goal or result-oriented approaches in many western countries, new…

Group members tend to like other members of their own group more than members of groups to which they do not belong. This paper focuses on some of the initial determinants of this own-group preference and on the isolation of factors which increase or decrease it. The major finding appears to be that the mere anticipation of cooperation or…

This study conducted on policy committee meetings demonstrated a relationship between committee members' seating distance from the chairman and their participation rates in meetings. As a member's participation increased, he began to sit nearer the chairman. A model is proposed interrelating participation, interpersonal spacing, communication…

Those who wish to bring about positive communication between two groups with strongly polarized attitudes cannot do so merely by bringing the groups together for interaction. A study of inmates and officers at a women's prison revealed the potential of perception training for changing initially polarized conceptions. Analyses of subjects'…

Proposals to use interracial/cross-ethnic learning teams in desegregated classrooms raise issues from research that demonstrate the complicated nature of the relationship between learning teams and classroom interracial relations. According to the research, relationships are affected by the characteristics of learning teams, namely…

Two experiments were conducted which studied seating distance of subjects in a small group discussion situation. In Experiment I groups of three subjects sat on cushions in a bare carpeted room along with a moderator and discussed a socially relevant issue. The distances generated by subjects' placement of their cushions served as the main…

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS EXPERIMENT WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER HIERARCHICALLY DIFFERENTIATED GROUPS WERE AS PRODUCTIVE ON PROBLEM-SOLVING TASKS AS HIERARCHICALLY UNDIFFERENTIATED GROUPS. THE EXPERIMENT ALSO INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF FORMALLY BASED STATUS DIFFERENCES ON GROUP EFFICIENCY AND RISK-TAKING. TWENTY GROUPS CONTAINING FOUR SUBJECTS…

How feedback affects small-group processes and group outcomes and how these outcomes vary with computer-assisted or experimenter-assisted modes of supplying feedback were investigated. Feedback theory was conceptualized through a work-emotionality framework. Theoretical constructs were operationalized through the use of Boyd's three-channel mode…