Perceived Group Cohesiveness Research Articles

Cohort scheduling of freshman exercise physiology majors improves social integration and perceptions of faculty but not academic performance.

Cohort scheduling intentionally places students in the same sections of several classes (e.g., biology, algebra, and writing) with a consistent peer group and is typically done for small groups (<30 students) to enable better interaction among students. The goal of this study was to compare cohort scheduling to traditional scheduling methods among freshmen in a physiology-related program. Outcomes included retention to the university and major, semester grades, and institutional integration and perceived group cohesion. Incoming freshmen (n = 209) were randomized into control (n = 43; scheduled with traditional methods) and intervention (n = 166; coenrolled in first-year seminar course, biology, and medical terminology) groups. Outcomes were collected via surveys or requested from the university registrar. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of retention to the university or major and no differences between groups in pass/fail rates for the first-year seminar or biology courses. At the end of the semester, there were no differences between groups in Perceived Cohesion for Small Groups (P = 0.102) or the Institutional Integration Scale (P = 0.357). However, the intervention group scored higher on the Institutional Integration Scale's subscales related to social integration and faculty. Cohort scheduling did not impact retention to the university or major but improved secondary outcomes related to retention, specifically social integration and student perceptions of faculty.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Compared with traditional scheduling methods, cohort scheduling freshman in physiology programs does not improve retention but improves students' social integration and perceptions of faculty.

How group characteristics determine the relationship between perceived group cohesion and collective action intentions.

How group characteristics determine the relationship between perceived group cohesion and collective action intentions.

Workplace mobbing, group cohesion and intraindividual variables in nurses from a rural hospital in Northern Greece: A correlation study.

High levels of mobbing are reported in Greek nurses, but the intraindividual and perceived group emotional correlates are little investigated. To determine the relationship between workplace mobbing (specifically in the nursing sector of a public rural hospital in Greece) and emotional correlates. Questionnaires measuring emotional aspects such as Negative Act Questionnaire - Revised (NAQ-R) for measuring perceived exposure to bullying and victimization at work, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Overall Job Satisfaction Scale (OJS), Job Affect Scale (JAS: positive and negative subscales), Perceived Cohesion Scale (PCS), Ethical Climate Questionnaire (ECQ), and Short General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were administered. For the analysis of the data, descriptive and parametric tests were performed through the Pearson correlations and regression for the relationship between variables. High mobbing levels were reported (M = 45.93) compared to already established cutoff scores. Statistically significant positive correlations were found for NAQ-R and MBI (Exhaustion subscale) (r = .569, p < .001), NAQ-R and JAS-negative affect (r = .610, p < .001), NAQ-R and GHQ-12 (r = .280, p = .002), and NAQ-R andeducational level (r = .196, p = .033). Statistically significant negative correlations were found for NAQ-R and ECQ (r = -.323, p < .001), NAQ-R and JAS-positive affect (r = -.556, p < .001), and NAQ-R and PCS (r = -.586, p < .001). Only burnout,negative affect, and perceived group cohesion predicted mobbing measured by NAQ- R. As mobbing and its consequences are related to specific emotional variables, these perceived individual and group indices, could be targeted in future prevention initiatives.

Helping Others Results in Helping Yourself: How Well-Being Is Shaped by Agreeableness and Perceived Team Cohesion

This longitudinal research explores team cohesion as a potential mediator explaining the associations between agreeableness as a personality trait and well-being. Additionally, the study examines whether the leader offering support moderates the mediating role of perceived group cohesion. The sample consists of male military personnel (N = 648) from six different units. The longitudinal design examined two time points, T1 and T2, during the soldiers' training period. The PROCESS macro for SPSS was utilized to determine the significance of the moderator and the mediation effect. The results indicate that an agreeable personality and team cohesion at T1 predicted increased well-being at T2 (two months later). In addition, the moderated mediation hypothesis was significant, indicating that when leaders offered more support, the indirect link between an agreeable personality and well-being via team cohesion was stronger than when they offered less. The findings suggest that an agreeable personality and leader support are important in the organizational domain, and these variables promote well-being. By understanding the contribution of both external and internal sources of support to soldiers' well-being, intervention plans can be developed to lessen the stressors of their mental well-being and help them reach their maximum potential.

The Moderating Role of Attachment in the Associations Between Group Variables and OCB

The current study expands previous knowledge by investigating the moderating role of attachment styles in the associations between perceived group cohesion, perceived collective efficacy, and changes in the individual report of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Data were collected from 180 employees, who took part in a 9-week organizational training course. Upon start of training, participants completed questionnaires assessing their attachment orientations and their individual-level OCB. Upon conclusion, participants completed questionnaires assessing their perceived group cohesion, perceived group efficacy, and OCB. Using hierarchical linear modeling, both group cohesion and efficacy explained the changes in the individual OCB. In addition, attachment anxiety moderated the associations between group efficacy, group cohesion and the changes in OCB. The results emphasize the joint effects of group-and individual-level variables in predicting OCB in a longitudinal design. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Do what (you think) the rich will do: Inequality and belief heterogeneity in public good provision

Beliefs about others’ cooperativeness are among the strongest determinants of cooperative behaviours. Beliefs about different others, however, are not necessarily uniform, nor necessarily related to past behaviours: Different expectations about different others might solely originate from differences in observed individual characteristics. Finally, not all such beliefs need drive conditional behaviour alike. In a public good game with heterogeneous endowments, I find that rich subjects are expected to cooperate more by both rich and poor individuals, and that behaviours of both the rich and poor correlate only with beliefs about the rich. An intervention aimed at increasing perceived group cohesion has no impact on beliefs and mixed impacts on cooperation. I conclude with implications for information dissemination about uncooperative behaviour in the mass media and avenues for further research.

Transformational Leadership and Follower’s Perceived Group Cohesiveness: Mediating Role of Follower’s Karma-yoga

This article looks at the relationship between five sub-dimensions of transformational leadership (idealised influence attributed, idealised influence behaviour, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualised consideration), follower’s karma-yoga and follower’s perceived group cohesiveness. Data were collected in a research and development organisation in India, from 771 employees (561 male and 210 female) with minimum 5 years of work experience in that organisation. Partial least squares structural equation modelling PLS-SEM analysis shows that four sub-dimensions of transformational leadership—idealised influence attributed, idealised influence behaviour, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation—are positively related to follower’s perceived group cohesiveness. In addition, this relationship is partially mediated by the follower’s karma-yoga. Focusing on increasing the frequency of idealised influence attributed, idealised influence behaviour, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation of managers will result in making the employees more karma-yoga oriented; both these will result in increasing the follower’s perceived group cohesiveness in the organisation, making the work environment more harmonious and productive.

Perceived group cohesion versus actual social structure: A study using social network analysis of egocentric Facebook networks

Research on group cohesion often relies on individual perceptions, which may not reflect the actual social structure of groups. This study draws on social network theory to examine the relationship between observable structural group characteristics and individual perceptions of group cohesion. Leveraging Facebook data, we extracted and partitioned the social networks of 109 participants into groups using a modularity algorithm. We then surveyed perceptions of cohesion, and computed group density and size using social network analysis. Out of six linear mixed effects models specified, a random intercept and fixed slope model with group size as a predictor of perceived group cohesion emerged as best fitting. Whereas group density was not linked to perceived cohesion, size had a small negative effect on perceived cohesion, suggesting that people perceive smaller groups as more cohesive. We discuss the potential of social network analysis, visualization tools, and Facebook data for advancing research on groups.

Error management culture: impact on cohesion, stress, and turnover intentions

ABSTRACTAn error management culture involves organizational practices related to communicating about errors, sharing error knowledge, quickly detecting and handling errors, and helping in error situations. Building on error management research, this study examined the influence of organizational error management culture on the turnover intentions of frontline service employees. The study also investigated the underlying mechanism that links this culture with turnover intentions. Data were collected from 345 frontline employees of hotels in Turkey. Structural Equation Modeling results revealed that employee perceptions of organizational error management culture have a direct and significantly negative impact on their turnover intentions. Furthermore, results showed that this relationship is mediated through perceived group cohesion and work stress. Using the job demands-resources model as a theoretical framework, this study revealed that organizational error management culture leads to increased group cohesion; increased group cohesion lowers work stress; and lower work stress lowers turnover intentions. This study contributes to the services management literature by demonstrating how organizational error management culture impacts employee turnover intentions.

Increases in Network Ties Are Associated With Increased Cohesion Among Intervention Participants.

Many behavior change programs are delivered in group settings to manage implementation costs and to foster support and interactions among group members in order to facilitate behavior change. Understanding the group dynamics that evolve in group settings (e.g., weight management, Alcoholics Anonymous) is important, yet rarely measured. This article examined the relationship between social network ties and group cohesion in a group-based intervention to prevent obesity in children. The data reported are process measures from an ongoing community-based randomized controlled trial. A total of 305 parents with a child (3-6 years) at risk of developing obesity were assigned to an intervention that taught parents healthy lifestyles. Parents met weekly for 12 weeks in small consistent groups. Two measures were collected at Weeks 3 and 6: a social network survey (people in the group with whom one discusses healthy lifestyles) and the validated Perceived Cohesion Scale. We used lagged random and fixed effects regression models to analyze the data. Cohesion increased from 6.51 to 6.71 (t= 4.4,p< .01). Network nominations tended to increase over the 3-week period in each network. In the combined discussion and advice network, the number of nominations increased from 1.76 to 1.95 (z= 2.59,p< .01). Cohesion at Week 3 was the strongest predictor of cohesion at Week 6 (b= 0.55,p< .01). Number of new network nominations at Week 6 was positively related to cohesion at Week 6 (b= 0.06,p< .01). In sum, being able to name new network contacts was associated with feelings of cohesion. This is the first study to demonstrate how network changes affect perceived group cohesion within a behavioral intervention. Given that many behavioral interventions occur in group settings, intentionally building new social networks could be promising to augment desired outcomes.

The Mediating Role of Perceived Cooperative Communication in the Relationship between Interpersonal Exchange Relationships and Perceived Group Cohesion

This study develops a multilevel model to advance research on interpersonal exchange relationships among supervisors, subordinates, and coworkers by integrating leader–member exchange (LMX), team–member exchange (TMX), and perceived cooperative communication. The model was tested by using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) with data obtained from a sample of 375 manager–employee dyads working in 48 groups in Malaysia. At the individual level, LMX was found to be related to TMX; at the team-level, the relationship between the LMX-perceived cohesion link and the TMX-perceived cohesion link was mediated by perceived cooperative communication. These findings validated the proposed model and, in particular, empirically confirmed the central role of communication in LMX processes in workgroups. Practical implications are discussed.

The effects of alcohol expectancy priming on group bonding.

According to alcohol expectancy theory, drinking-related information is stored in memory and, when cue activated, influences alcohol-related behavior. Priming of alcohol cues and expectancies has been shown to elicit both drinking and nonconsumptive behavior associated with alcohol consumption, such as willingness to meet with a stranger and aggression. These social influence effects have been shown to be moderated by individual differences in alcohol expectancies. In the present study, we tested whether an alcohol prime would facilitate social group bonding even in the absence of consumption, and whether such group bonding would be moderated by individually held social expectancies. One hundred twenty undergraduates (75% female) completed an alcohol expectancy measure prior to participation. Participants were primed with either alcohol or neutral beverage words and completed a collaborative group activity followed by questionnaires measuring perceived group cohesion. Several interactions were found between condition and expectancy reflecting that those in the alcohol prime condition with higher social alcohol expectancies reported greater cohesion on task-related, but not emotion-related, group measures. These findings underscore the complexity of the impact of expectancy and social behavior on drinking: the priming of alcohol expectancies may activate aspects of pro-social behavior, which may influence drinking, which in turn may feedback to positively reinforce social expectancies.

Effects of control over office workspace on perceptions of the work environment and work outcomes

Increasingly, workplaces must support rapid technology development and implementation, dynamic organizational changes, and concomitant employee needs for balancing privacy, collaboration and other work processes. Open plan offices have been positioned as providing at least partial solutions to many of these historic and contemporary challenges. However, many problems with open offices have been documented, such as noise, lack of privacy and other distractions; yet enclosed, private offices hamper communication, teamwork and flexible use of space as well. In an effort to elucidate workers’ perceptions of some of these trade-offs, this study examined the effects of distractions, flexible use of workspace and personal control over the work environment on perceived job performance, job satisfaction, group cohesiveness, and inclinations to work alone or in an enclosed space and their interrelationships. The proposed path model was tested by LISREL 8.54. All fit indices for the model remained within acceptable levels. The results showed that more personal control over the physical workspace (e.g., adjustment) and easy access to meeting places led to higher perceived group cohesiveness and job satisfaction. Contrary to expectation, the results indicated that distractions may have little influence on self-rated performance.

Antarctica: A study of person – culture fit

This study explored the concept of person – culture fit for men and women working in remote and isolated Australian Antarctic stations. Person – culture fit was assessed in terms of the congruence between perceived Antarctic station values and ideal organisational values. In particular, the study investigated the extent to which congruence between perceived Antarctic station values and ideal organisational values was related to individual attitudes and job outcomes, including, job satisfaction, perceived group cohesion and subjective fit. Participants were 117 men and women who participated in Australian Antarctic expeditions between 1950 and 2000. The results showed that person – culture fit was related to job satisfaction and group cohesion. Person – culture fit and demographic characteristics such as age and gender were also related to subjective fit with Antarctic station culture.

Role Stress in After-Sales Service Management

The implementation of a superior service strategy strongly depends on the attitude and behavior of customer contact personnel in service organizations. However, conflicting demands of organizational constraints, service managers, service teams, and customers frequently lead to role stress of service employees. In this article, the authors investigate antecedents and consequences of role stress experienced in after-sales service management of an international office equipment manufacturer from a longitudinal perspective. Empowering service employees by giving them authority and responsibility decreases their sense of role stress and, at the same time, enhances job satisfaction. Moreover, the authors notice a negative short-term and a positive long-term effect of the presence of rules and regulations. In the short term, this leads to higher role conflict. Finally, on the basis of the positive lagged effect of perceived group cohesiveness on role ambiguity, the authors conclude that creating “tight-knit” workgroups can actually prove detrimental because the norms they develop might be hard to change.

AA group dynamics and 12-step activity.

AA groups may differ in perceived social dynamics but little is known about diversity in other potentially curative processes within AA. This study examined how three AA groups differed in perceived social dynamics, group emphasis on the 12 steps of AA, and completion of the 12 steps. Questionnaires were completed by AA members affiliated with three mainstream AA groups. Surveys were done after investigators paid several visits to meetings as an aid to identifying group members. A majority of the AA members were male (64%) and had, on average, 45 months of continuous sobriety. Profile analyses showed that the three AA groups differed in perceived group cohesiveness, independence, aggressiveness and expressiveness. The AA groups also differed in how frequently members reported that the 12 steps were discussed in meetings. Step discussion was lowest in the group with highest aggressiveness. Differences were also found in the reported frequency of completing AA steps, such that members in the group with highest cohesiveness and step discussion reported having completed the fewest surrender (1-3) steps. AA groups appear to differ not only in perceived social environment (fellowship) characteristics, but in AA program implementation as reflected in discussion and completion of the 12 steps. Such differences may be stable within groups across time. These findings further caution against regarding AA as a homogeneous entity. Clearer understanding of the heterogeneity among AA groups may provide bases for initial matching of individuals to AA experiences.

Group Development in Self-Help Groups for College Students

The applicability of Bednar, Melnick, and Kaul's model of early group development to college student self-help groups was examined. Research participants were 101 undergraduates who met in high-structure or low-structure groups for four weekly sessions. Dependent variables included importance of performing group behaviors, ownership of group functioning, and perceived group cohesion. As hypothesized, a path analysis revealed that (a) amount of group structure was positively related to the importance of performing group member behaviors and negatively related to ownership of group functioning, (b) importance of performing group behaviors was positively related to group cohesion, and (c) early group cohesion was positively related to later ownership ofgroup functioningand later group cohesion. These results support several aspects of the tested model of early group development.

Relationship between Locus of Control, Perceived Group Cohesiveness, and Satisfaction with Coworkers

To determine if locus of control and perceived cohesiveness of a group had singular and joint effects on experienced satisfaction with coworkers 281 scientists and engineers in 15 Research and Development organizations were tested. Main effects and the interaction of the predictors were significant. Persons scoring internally were less satisfied with coworkers than were those who scored externally. Cohesiveness was significantly related to the criterion and subjects designated as externally oriented demonstrated a stronger relationship between perceived cohesiveness and satisfaction with coworkers than their internally oriented counterparts.

Self-Disclosure, Participation, and Perceived Cohesiveness in Small Group Interaction

In small, same-sex, undergraduate discussion groups ( N = 23), self-disclosure was associated significantly with perceived group cohesiveness, but not participation. Only males' self-disclosure (Jourard's questionnaire) was associated with perceived cooperation, and only females' self-disclosure was associated significantly with perceived norms and influence. Contrary to expectation, participation was associated significantly only with males' perceived group cohesiveness including perceived cooperation, ideas, norms, liking, and influence.