Real Communication An Introduction

262 Part 3  Group and Organizational Communication

and are limited in their ability to make decisions. Status also separates the fam-

ily from the “downstairs” staff, who lack fortune or title, but who consider their

status superior to those who work in factories or on the local farms.

Group Climate

In addition to the complexity of group interaction and the roles that group

members play, group communication is also strongly affected by the overall

“climate” or collective atmosphere in the group. Specifically, group members

are affected by the level of the group’s cohesion, the norms that emerge for their

behavior, clarity of goals, and their differences as individuals. In the sections that

follow, we explore each of these factors in more detail.

Cohesion

Cohesion is the degree to which group members bond, like each other, and

consider themselves to be one entity. A cohesive group identifies itself as a single

unit rather than a collection of individuals, which helps hold the group together

in the face of adversity. In fact, cohesion is an important factor in generating a

positive group climate, in which members take pride in the group, treat each

other with respect, develop trust, feel confident about their abilities, and achieve

higher success in accomplishing goals. Such positive climates can also foster opti-

mism and confidence in the face of obstacles. A self-confident, cohesive group

tends to minimize problems, eliminate barriers, and cope well with crises (Folger,

Poole, & Stutman, 2001). In general, cohesive groups perform better than non-

cohesive groups on decision-making tasks (for example, selecting a course of

action more quickly and making more informed choices) (Carless & DePaola,

2000; Welch, Mossholder, Stell, & Bennett, 1998). Nonverbal communication

is also influenced by group cohesion; Yasui (2009) found that cohesive group

members often repeat and build on one another’s gestures.

You can determine group cohesion in several ways. If you take a look at how

the participants feel about their own membership in the group, you’ll see that

the more satisfaction and fulfillment members feel, the more cohesive they are.

Members of a cohesive group are also enthusiastic, identify with the purposes of

the group (Tekleab, Quigley, & Tesluk, 2009), and tell outsiders about its activi-

ties. Even positive, constructive argumentation (as opposed to verbal aggres-

siveness) can be a sign of group cohesion (Anderson & Martin, 1999). Finally,

consider how well the group retains members. A cohesive group will retain more

members than a noncohesive group.

Gouran (2003) offers several practical suggestions individuals can use for

increasing cohesion and fostering a more positive group experience:

c Avoid dominating other group members.

c Stay focused on the tasks the group must accomplish.

c Be friendly.

c Show sensitivity to and respect for other members.

In Chapter 3, we discuss
jargon, vocabulary unique
to a specific hobby or pro-
fession. Jargon helps build
group cohesion because it
connects members to one
another. A group of police
officers, for example, might
speak about perps (per-
petrators), vics (victims),
collars (arrests), and brass
(supervisors)—terms that
their mechanic or physician
friends would not use. This
use of language helps
officers bond as a group.

In Chapter 3 wediscuss

CONNECT