Group communication

What is a group? 

to form a group the following must apply: 

• individuals must exist in some sort of relationship

Burton&Dimbleby(1995)

"if there is no interaction between the individuals, then a group can't be formed"

Judy Gohagan  

"a group should be conceived of as a system whose parts interrelate"

• Share common goals,purposes or interests and recognise these

Burton&Dimbleby(1995) 

"a collection of individuals who interact in some way, and share some common goals/interests"

• Accept common values or norms of behaviour 

O'sullivan et al(1994) 
"those sets of social rules,standards and expectations that both generate and regulate social interactions&communication" 

• Develop set roles of behaviour 

O'sullivan et al(1994) 
"socially defined position&patterns of behaviour which are characterised by specific sets of rules,norms&expectations" 

• Group members have an identity

Turner(1991) 
"as group exists when two or more people define themselves as members of it and when existence is recognised by at least one other"


The groups i am in 
-Family
-student(st-brendans)
-friendship group
-AS Comms
-AS Film studies
-AS Philosophy
-Tutor Group
-Spiritual Journey
-gender
-age
-ethnicity
-Social class
-Religion

Comparing to groups with theory:
Friends- Hartley- Informal group, Primary group, Douglas(1979)- seven reasons(they are invited to do so and its part of doing something else) exclusivity, Solidarity, capacity to change.

AS Film studies- Primary group, Formal group, Dimbleby(1998)- to achieve a shared goal or oppose a common threat, ascribed(Set for you)