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Unfortunately, it is impossible for us to predict or define where the U.S. currently rests on the curve;
only in retrospect will we be able to apply a timeline to this trend.
Figure 2. According to Torrance, as stress increases bonding forces increase until a
theoretical apex is reached. A decline in the strength of integrating bonds then occurs even
though the intensity of stress continues to rise.6.1. Communication
Communication, potentially the most readily apparent linkage among group members, is likely to
be compromised under high degrees of perceived social stress. According to Torrance, the following
conditions appear to be the most prominent in weakening communication linkages necessary for
survival within the group [80]:
(1) Failure of a group member to inform others of what he/she is doing [87],
(2) Failure to pool information which would provide a basis for diagnosing the seriousness of the
danger and reducing resistance to acceptance of its seriousness [88],
(3) Confining communication to dyads or cliques rather than to the entire group^ [88],
(4) Failure to use group judgments in making decisions, and the use of leadership techniques
which interfere with this type of communication [89],
(5) Power differences which interfere with communication of information needed in
decision-making [90], and
(6) Unwillingness to disagree in the decision-making process [91].
Torrance suggests that vertical communication, under stress that is perceived as moderate, becomes
more frequent with increasing intensity and/or duration of stress. Once the degree of perceived stress
exceeds the group’s ability to effectively handle that stress, not only will vertical communications
become less frequent, they will become muddled, often reaching only a select few within the group [78].