Group development: A review of the literature and a commentary on future research directions

Group Facilitation, Spring 2001 by Smith, George

Individual anxiety and disillusionment are two other related themes that exist in many of these models (e.g., Bennis and Shepard, 1956; Mills, 1964; Caple, 1978; Kormanski and Mozenter, 1987; Maples, 1988). In part, the anxiety results from meeting new individuals, being in a new physical setting, and having a cursory understanding that to succeed (perform the task) all group members must find some way to overcome prejudices and similar problems. At this point in the development process, group members often deal with their anxiety by reverting to socially acceptable norms of behavior that have been used in similar settings or situations (Bennis and Shepard, 1956). Thus, individual group members enact ideas and norms that they have used in their experiences with other groups and in dealing with unknown settings and people (Maples, 1988). Table 5 lists the various theorists and names for stages that relate to a period of group formation.

Another event that occurs in groups that have a formally appointed leader is an attempt at determining the leader's ability to lead the group and testing of his or her legitimacy in doing so. Since this a period of insecurity, group members are seen to be highly dependent on the appointed leader for direction (Bennis and Shepard, 1956; Mills, 1964). What often has been seen to occur is that the members test the leader in terms of his or her ability to assess the situation and provide sound judgment in dealing with the current group context.

In sum, this period of a group's development is a time in which group members are actively seeking a direction for action and attempting to establish a sense of stability and purpose.

Stage or Period of Conflict and Unrest

The next general occurrence in these models is a transition to a period of unrest, disagreement and conflict. The conflicts) can arise for a number of reasons. One reason is that in the process of becoming acquainted (spending time with one another), people have discovered others in the group who are similar to them and with whom they most readily identify. When this occurs the group can be pulled into factions or cliques that may fight among themselves for power and leadership in the group. In other instances unrest becomes the predominant behavior as some of the subgroups identify with the appointed leader, while others stand in opposition to the leader (Braaten, 1974/75). Table 6 lists the various theorists and names for the corresponding stages that relate to this period of group development.

Mills (1964) notes that if a formal leader is present in the group, group members may test that individual's role and related responsibilities. In Mills' study, the leader was the instructor and the instructor had more of a passive, nurturing role than a directive, authoritarian role. Thus, in Mills' model, individuals pass through a time when they look to the instructor to be directed to a time when the participant has become highly independent of the instructor. In similar fashion, Bennis and Shepard (1956) have noted that frustration may mount with a leader's apparent inability to provide answers and direction to the group's problems. This inability is seen to divide the group into "two warring subgroups." At the heart of the "warring subgroups" concerns is disagreement over leadership and "structure" (Bennis and Shepard, 1956).