1. COMMUNICATION WITHIN
GROUPS
Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills
11th Edition
David W. Johnson
Frank P. Johnson

2. Group Communication
Broad definition: Any verbal or nonverbal behavior perceived by other
group members
More commonly defined as: a message sent by a group member to
one or more receivers with the conscious intent of affecting the
receivers’ behavior.
Effective communication: the receivers interpret the message the
same way as the sender intended it.
Complexity of multiperson communication
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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3. The Group Communication Process
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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4. Sending Messages Effectively
Clearly own your message (I, my)
Make your message clear and complete
Make your verbal and nonverbal messages congruent
Be redundant
Check for understanding
Consider the receiver’s frame of reference
Describe other’s behaviors without interpreting/evaluating
Describe your feelings by name/action/figure of speech
Consider your credibility
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-4

5. Receiving Messages Effectively
Paraphrase the content of the message accurately and without
evaluating it
Describe your perceptions of the sender’s feelings
Negotiation the meaning of the sender’s message until there is
agreement
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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6. Communication In Problem-Solving Groups
Problem solving effectiveness is determined by the pattern of
communication
Three views of communication patterns:
•
Interaction analysis
•
One- and two-way communication in authority hierarchies
•
Communication networks
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-6

7. Interaction Analysis
Three levels:
•
Relative frequency and length of communication
•
Who communicates to whom
•
Who triggers whom and in what ways
Bales’ (1953) Equilibrium theory and Interaction-Process Analysis
Homans’ (1950) theory of the balance activity between external and internal
systems
Gouran and Hirokawa (1996) -- promotive and counteractive functions of
communication
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-7

8. Communication Networks
Communication networks influence
•
The emergence of leadership
•
How the organization develops
•
The morale of group members
•
The efficiency of problem solving
The complexity of the task determines which network is more efficient
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-8

9. Communication Patterns in Authority Hierarchies
Communication network determines the amount and type of information members
receive from each other. Communication is selective!
Informal communication network
•
Information gatekeepers
•
Technological gatekeepers
Formal communication network
•
One-way communication with or without feedback
– Processes:
○ Leveling
○ Sharpening
○ Assimilation
•
Two-way communication
– Establish cooperative group climate
– Promote the attitude that all members’ ideas are of interest
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-9

10. Influences on the Effectiveness of Group Communication
Group climate
•
Competitive – defensive communication
•
Cooperative – more accurate and complete
Group norms
Physical setting
Seating arrangements – group ecology
Humor
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-10

11. Summary
Group communication: when group members send messages to each
other with the conscious intent of affecting each other’s behavior.
Sending and receiving skills
Analysis of communication patterns:
•
Interaction analysis
•
One- and two-way communication in authority hierarchies
•
Communication networks
The more cooperative the climate in the group, the more effective
communication tends to be.
Johnson. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 11e.
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
4-11