Understanding Group Dynamics in Social Research
The Influence of Group Dynamics
Individuals belong to primary and secondary groups (family, workgroups), and their participation is often subject to the group’s norms and values. The group can influence its members’ perspectives, sometimes differing from those outside the group.
Groupality and Individual Behavior
Groupality demonstrates that people are not entirely autonomous. Our actions are influenced by group interactions, even when they appear independent.
The Group in Social Research
Current research frequently uses groups to understand social phenomena. Violence, consumption, labor, and health are social behaviors influenced by group formations, where individuals become aware of their social context.
1.1. The Emergence of Group Research
The importance of group research began with Elton Mayo’s experiments in the early 1930s at the Western Electric Company. These studies investigated the influence of environmental conditions on groups, comparing experimental and control groups. The research concluded that group membership significantly impacted outcomes, leading to studies highlighting the importance of primary groups in social organization.
Groups are now a key element in social research, sometimes studied in field settings and sometimes created ad hoc for research purposes. However, the artificiality of these settings can influence the results.
2. Group Techniques for Understanding Social Reality
This approach uses group techniques to understand the group’s own reality through observation. The goal is to gain knowledge, not to change the group. The initial situation involves forming a group to achieve the researcher’s objectives, which can be an inconsistent group. The researcher manages the inconsistency and the training process.
3. Group Techniques for Social Change
This approach is used by social researchers and professionals (marketing, mass communication). It seeks information and knowledge through empirical observation of how social groups interact and form. Group techniques are used to reflect on group practices and how they function.
This technique considers the group as part of social reality and aims to change it. Both the researcher and the group members have a social context that influences their attitudes. The aim is to provide a framework that considers the social reality from which techniques are applied.
The discussion group is a reflective technique that can help contextualize and give meaning to our work with groups aimed at social intervention. It is a practice to observe group practices.