A review of the literature and research on group reactions to attitudinal deviance precedes the present study in which group members confronted an individual who always agreed, always disagreed, agreed then disagreed, or disagreed then agreed with modal group opinion. In addition to evaluations of the target individual, dependent measures also…

Ways of helping coaches to counsel unemployed adults in the solving of their personal problems are explored in this manual. Originally printed as two separate volumes, this reprinting of the study has bound the two together. Volume I involves a general discussion of life's problems and of the need to solve them. This volume contains four parts.…

The stimulus value of group boundaries was investigated in a field experiment. It was hypothesized that the size of a group and the status of its members would reduce the permeability of a boundary around an interacting group. Two or 4 interacting people of high or low status interrupted the traffic flow in a university hallway. Results indicate…

A guide to conducting group meetings is presented. It contains the following sections. I. Participating in Meetings: A. Purposes: (1) to discuss the uses and benefits of the meeting as a tool of group participation and get an appreciation of meetings as dynamic situations; (2) to define the word "meeting" and discuss the uses of meetings; and (3)…

Backtrack problem-solving appears to be a viable alternative to current problem-solving methodologies. It appears to have considerable heuristic potential as a conceptual and operational framework for small group communication research, as well as functional utility for the student group in the small group class or the management team in the…

This paper isolates some of the strengths and weaknesses of leadership research by evaluating it from both a theoretical and methodological perspective. The seven theories or approaches examined are: great man, trait, situational, style, functional, social influence, and interaction positions. General theoretical, conceptual, and measurement…

Eleven simulation/learning games designed to be used by churches and religious groups are described here. The games can have anywhere from 8 to 100 participants. Basically they deal with personal interaction among the group members with the anticipated result being "increased love for God and spiritual enlightment." Several of the games use…

This paper presents a critical review of empirical and theoretical treatments of group reaction to attitudinal deviancy. Inspired by Festinger's (1950) ideas on resolution of attitudinal discrepancies in groups, Schachter (1951) conducted an experiment that has greatly influenced subsequent research and theory concerning reaction to attitudinal…

Previous research has indicated that preschool aged children are aware of racial differences, but this awareness does not affect their interaction in mixed-race groups. The present study extended this work by comparing 2- and 4-person homogeneous and racially-mixed groups of 3 1/2 to 5 year old children. Results indicated that the frequencies of…

This dissertation address concerns the distribution of influence in decision-making groups. One general hypothesis of the study was that influence perceptions of group members depend upon the phases of decision-making in which they participate. Another was that the effects of participation would vary with the nature of the decision task or with…

This publication attempts to summarize and paraphrase the views expressed by participants in a conference on decision-making in educational organizations. In particular, the report reviews research literature on decision-making under conditions of goal ambiguity and suggests directions and priorities for future research. The discussion is…

This report documents an application of the Preparing Educational Training Consultants (PETC) systems to the training of a cadre of internal organizational specialists, presenting its analysis in five chapters dealing with (1) a description of the systems, the context and focus of the study and major questions guiding the evaluation; (2) a history…

The advantages of participative management under MBO are examined in this article. MBO's value lies in its ability to improve communication and relations among employers and employees. (DS)

The Delphi technique for problem-solving and forecasting is a useful tool when a group of experts with diverse backgrounds is asked to make decisions. (For availability see EA 507 171) (Author)

A look at "Some People Argue Constantly" (SPAC), a simulation game designed to demonstrate the effects of social and group pressure on decision-making. (Author/HB)