The Concept of Intergroup Mirroring: Reality or Illusion?

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the viability of intergroup mirroring as a theoretical construct. Mirroring is said to occur when two or more groups operating within the same social system act in similar ways. The Institutional Event of a Group Relations Conference was the focus of study. The staff group and two member groups were audiotaped. Each group met five times and each session was 11/2 hours in length. A content analysis method was used to determine the conversational themes in each group. Seven major themes were identified in this manner. The findings suggested that mirroring occurred among the groups in both the total amount of minutes and the percentage of actual group time spent in discussion of the various themes. Mirroring was also noted during simultaneously occurring sessions but infrequently. In addition, the groups became more aligned over time with regard to developmental processes and their responses to focal issues. Intergroup mirroring was evident in the overall discussion content of the groups and was more prevalent in later sessions. The findings of this exploratory study suggested that intergroup mirroring appears to be the result of interaction over time, multiple conversations, and the continuous exchange of information as opposed to leader influence or the responses of leaders to critical incidents. Intergroup mirroring may describe not only the result (alignment) but also the process by which alignment occurs. Intergroup mirroring appears to be the regulatory process by which variations in intragroup dynamics and intergroup attributions become increasingly aligned in order to support both the viability of individual groups and the system as a whole.