Application of the synoptics model for the social analysis of small and large groups - synoptics part II

Abstract

Having laid out the synoptics approach in part I (which might be useful to keep roughly in mind to understand the specific research procedures here, where basic concepts and procedures for small and large groups are the topic of interest), the specific social systems of small and large groups are investigated empirically in this part II. The case studies are rather meticulously produced to dig towards the 'social gestalt' of a specific scenario and its embedding sovereign social system. The empirical investigations meant going into factories or coming closer and closer into the core of families with children. The large group was object of ten experiments (engaging 22 persons per setting); each experiment was using the exact same context (i.e., four hours of psychological testing and four hours of debating given the absolutely same instruction text and participation-fee, the latter only handed out if the demanded decisions were reached (trying to simulate realistic decision-reaching stress).