Strayer University

PSY 110
Group Dynamics
Assignment 4
Lauren Vinson

Strayer University

PSY 110
Group Dynamics
Assignment 4
Lauren Vinson

Introduction; At my previous college in Richmond, Virginia I was involved in a work-study job. In the work-study job, the job involved Audio Visual Services. The description of the job was to provide media equipment for certain events on campus. In the work-study job, I worked in a group but, also by myself at times. When I applied to the job, I was the new member in the group. Everything went smoothly and I got along with everyone, and we all become friends. I ended up being released from my work-study job, because I had worked all my hours that was provided for me. Overall, it was a good experience. With me being a part of a group, Moreland and Levine’s Model of Group Membership was involved. Moreland and Levine’s Model of Group Membership has five phases which are investigation, socialization, maintenance, resocialization, and remembrance. In the Investigation phase, the group seeks people who seem likely to attain group goals, and prospective members seek groups that provide the opportunity to satisfy personal needs (Franzoi, 2009). This phase is all about a potential member entering the group. A potential member enters the group if both individual’s and the group’s commitment levels are strong (Franzoi, 2009). I experienced this phase because; before I got the work-study job I had to go to an interview. During the interview, the supervisor asked me several of questions asking me why I would be perfect for this job, am I good with working with people, and etc. I was the “potential member” entering the group, because my supervisor hired me because he saw potential in me, where I could improve the group’s ideas and work ethic. Socialization phase, is when the group tries to shape the new member’s thinking and behavior so they can and will make the maximum contribution to the group (Franzoi, 2009). This phase is when a person becomes a new member. During this phase, new members can often try to change the group so that it will accommodate their needs (Franzoi, 2009). An individual in the group becomes a full member, when the individual’s and the group’s commitment levels increase (Franzoi, 2009). Socialization phase was experienced in my work-study group because, as a group we would set up the equipment the correct way, so students on campus can operate the media equipment without any problems. We not only set up the equipment the correct way, we did microphone testing and sound checks to make sure the equipment was running properly. The contribution to the group was working well as a team, and assisting students with the equipment when needed. We often got compliments and good feedback from students, and staff about our work ethic. Since I was a new member in the group, I did not really try to change anything because I had like how everything was. Maintenance phase, happens when that person becomes a full member. Through the maintenance phase, the group attempts to define specialized roles for full members that maximize their contributions to the group’s goal (Franzoi, 2009). The full member or members often try to define their roles in the group to maximize personal needs (Franzoi, 2009). If cooperation between both the full member and the group fails, the commitment between the two will decrease, which then makes that full member seen as a marginal member. A marginal member means that the member does not have any power and is not important. My group relates to maintenance phase a little because; I did become a full member of my work-study group job, and there were roles in particular that each and every one had to do, in order for the set-up of the media equipment to go well for that certain event on campus. The cooperation between my group and I, never encountered any problems, so with me being the full member of the group, I was never seen as the “marginal member”. Resocialization phase, happens when group members or a group member is categorized as a marginal. Both of them try to encourage one another to meet their expectations. The marginal member can become a full member again, if the group or the individual succeeds in convincing the other to accept their role expectations (Franzoi, 2009). I never experienced the resocialization phase, while being involved in my group, because none of us were categorized as a marginal. My group members and I all worked our hardest, so none of us experienced this type of phase. Remembrance phase, happens when the group develops concerns about the ex-member’s influences that were made to the group’s goals. The ex-member also, reminisces about being a member of the group. At this point in this phase, that individual will not be a member; they are now an “ex-member”. I did experience the remembrance phrase, only because I had to leave the group, because I worked all of my hours. By me leaving the group was nothing ruthless, so my thoughts and concerns were nothing but positive. My group members wish that I could have still worked with them, because we all worked so well together. Remembrance phase does not have to be just for bad situations, it can be for neutral situations involving no good or bad outcomes out of it. In conclusion, by me being involved in my work-study job group, I gained better work ethics. I learned how to complete tasks in a quickly manner, plus please not only just other staff members at my school on campus, but also my group members as well. Working in a group for my particular job helped plenty of times because, some of the equipment was heavy duty, and it can take up to three people to carry it. Working in groups in general, can be either good or bad. It depends on the group member’s commitment, self-goals, and work ethic.

References

Franzoi, S.L. (2009). PSY 110: Social psychology: 2009 custom edition (5th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Custom Publishing.