Course code: 304401 | Subject title: GROUPS, GROUP INTERACTIONS AND SOCIAL IDENTITY | ||||
Credits: 6 | Type of subject: Mandatory | Year: 2 | Period: 2º S | ||
Department: Social Work | |||||
Lecturers: | |||||
URIEN ANGULO, BEGOÑA (Resp) [Mentoring ] |
People are social beings in continuous interaction and cooperation while pursuing their individual and collective goals. In line with this statement, groups are important tools in Social Work since they produce psychological and social benefits and help people to meet important needs such as security, relationships and affiliation (Moreland & Levine, 1982)[1]. Currently group interventions are a standard practice in most areas of Social Work (health, education, dependency, immigration, gender violence, etc.).
Working in groups and with groups, is not as simple a task as it could seem at fist sight. Main reasons are the high number of processes involved at the same time: cognitive, emotional, social, cultural, etc., and influence dynamics that are being constructed while we are interacting between ourselves.
Groups offer various advantages, but also some disadvantages that are important to avoid or treat (e. g. negative group processes). Anyway, we should take them (pros and cons) into account in order to decide when use them depending on the stage where we are in an intervention process.
Current societies, more complex, unstructured and changeable, the majority of the services include several professional working in multi-skilled teams. Social Workers not only usually participate in these teams but also they coordinate these teams, as they are the link between organizations (health, education, etc.) families. Due to this fact, is very important to get a good understanding and experiment the complexity of groups.
Language and communication are essential processes when it comes to human relationships. Our experiences, that is to say, our reality, is being constructed while we interact with other people, in a broader social and cultural context. From this perspective is very important to manage communication rules, both verbal and non verbal so as to establish useful intra-group and inter-group relationships.
Another important theme is the social influence process. This theme deals with how we could change people minds to get a certain response. To get this we need to understand and apply basic principles of social influence. The theory of social identity (Tajfel y Turner, 1979, 1986)[1], explains influence dynamics both at the intra and inter group levels. Social influence can be explained depending on individual motivation to get a positive social identity compared with other groups or individuals. The theory of self-categorization (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher y Wertherell, 1987; Turner, 1991)[2] complete the earlier mentioned explaining cognitive processes that occur within the continuum between the personal identity and social identity. We will also study the most likely causes of social influence and how we can resist it.
Group formation and group development are important topics that we are going to work on. Group variables such as cohesion, conflict management, ineffective processes and norms development will be studied in depth. These variables are essential to define group results both from a social-emotional point of view as well as from a task perspective (meet the objectives). It is also important to identify what are the roles that an effective group requires to be effective. Power, authority and leadership are concepts that we will explain in relation to the group.
Last but not least theme will be inter-group relationships. Conflict management and stereotypes development link to intra-group favouritism will be important topics to deal with.
[1] Tajfel, H. y Turner, J.C. (1979). An Integrative theory of intergroup conflict. En W.G. Austin y S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (2.ª ed., pp. 7-24). Monterey: Brooks/Cole.
Tajfel, H. y Turner, J.C. (1986). The social psychology of intergroup behavior. En W.G. Austin y S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (2.ª ed., pp. 33-47). Monterey: Brooks/Cole.
[2] Turner, J.C., Hogg, M.A., Oakes, P.J., Reicher, S.D., y Wetherell, M.S. (1987). Rediscovering the social group:Self-categorization theory. Oxford:Blackwell.
Turner, J.C. (1991) Social Influence. Milton Keynes, UK: Open University Press.
[1] Moreland, R.L. y Levine, J.M.(1982). Socialization in Small Groups: Temporal Changes in Individual-Group Relations. En L. Berkowitz (Ed.). Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. 15, (4): 137-192. New York: Academia Press.
Social identity
Social influence and power
Social communication
Groups theories
Intra and inter-groups relationships
Intra and inter-groups conflicts
With regard to objectives, at the end of this course students will be able to:
Methodology-Activity
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In-class hours
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Out-class hours
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A-1 Theoretical Classes
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30
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A-2 Practices
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24
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25
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A-3 Debates, sharing information,
group tutorials
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10 (from the above two activities. Not add to total)
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6 (under request)
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A-4 Oral presentation
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6 (practices)
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10 |
A-5 Reading
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15
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A-6 Individual study
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35
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A-7 Specific assessment tests
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3 (Not add to total)
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A-8 Individual tutorials
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2 (recommended)
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|
|
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Total
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60
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80
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Competence
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Activity
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CG1, CG7, CG8, CG15, CB3, CG19, CEA1y CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5. |
A-1
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CB3, CB3, CG8, CG15, CG19, CE2, CE3, CG5, CG6 y CEA1, CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5. |
A-2
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CB3, CG1, CB4, CG7, CG15, CE2, CE3 y CEA1, CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5. |
A-3
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CG15, CG17, CG19, CE3 y CEA1, CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5. |
A-4
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CG1, CG13 y CEA1, CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5. |
A-5
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CB3, CE3, CE6, CEA1y CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5. |
A-6
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CB3, CB3, CG8, CG15, CG19, CE2, CE3, CG5, CG6 y CEA1, CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5.
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A-7
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CB3, CB3, CG8, CG15, CG19, CE2, CE3, CG5, CG6 y CEA1, CEA2, CEA3, CEA4, CEA5.
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A-8
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Learning outcomes |
Assessment tool |
Weight (%) | Possibility to be made up |
Recognize the relevance of both communication and social influence to explain intra and inter group relationships and apply active listening tools (e. g. focused attention, empathy, etc) and social skills during the classes. | Practices participation and realization/Assignmets done by groups/Oral presentacions by groups/Writen Test. | 30% | 20% |
Identify and define the set of basic concepts related to the scopes and levels of social interaction shown in this course and compare both majority and minority influence processes highlighting the role of social categorization. | Practices participation and realization/Assignmets done by groups/Writen Test. | 20% | 15% |
Apply strategies, tactics, tools and social skills in order to improve both intra and intergroup relationships and analyse and deal efficiently with intra and intergroup conflicts. | Practices participation and realization/Assignmets done by groups/Oral presentacions by groups/Writen Test. | 30% | 20% |
Apply methods and techniques to group dynamics when they work with groups y apply tools and methods to the analysis of group interaction in daily social contexts, using ICT¿s when necessary. | Practices participation and realization/Assignmets done by groups/Oral presentacions by groups/Writen Test. | 20% | 15% |
Aspect
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Criteria
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Assessment tools
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Weight %
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Learning outcomes and competencies | Number of practices done and meaningful contribution at class |
Do the practices given at class in small groups.
Contribution, active listening and focused attention will be positively assessed in any given occasion (e. g. questions, exercises, group work, etc.).
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20%
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Learning outcomes and competencies | Oral Presentation |
After choosing one topic from the programme, students have to give a 5 minute talk to the class.
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15%
|
Learning outcomes and competencies |
Level of knowledge and analytical skills to the themes given.
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Multiple Choice Test. |
65%
|
Learning outcomes and competencies | Level of knowledge and contents integration. |
ONLY FOR STUDENTS THAT CANNOT ATTEND CLASSES. Written paperS from the English articles previously mentioned (Bibliography).
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35% |
Group structure.
- Social identity theory.
- Interdependence and categorization: Minimum Group Paradigm.
- Favouritism and self-esteem.
- Self-categorization.
Each block includes at least, one practical class.
Classes will be divided into two days, 4 hour a week. Both days theory and practice activities are programmed.
Access the bibliography that your professor has requested from the Library.
- Argyle, M. (1992). The Social Psychology of every day life. London: Routledge.
- Ber-Tal, D. (1990). Group beliefs: a conception for analysing groups structure. Processes and behaviour. New York: Springer.
- Bless, H., Fiedler, K., & Strack, F. (2004). Social cognition: how individuals construct social reality. Have (UK): Psychology Press.
- Cárdenas, M. (2010). Forms of ethnic prejudice: assessing the dimensionality of a Spanish-language version of the Blatant and Subtle prejudice scale. Psicothema, 22 (1), 118-124.
- Fiske, S.T, Gilbert, D.T. y Lindzey, G. (2010). Handbook of Social Psychology. Hoboken, N.J.: Jonh Wiley & Sons.
- Gómez, A. (2002). If my group stereotypes others, others stereotype my group, and we know. Concept, research lines and future perspectives of meta-stereotypes. Revista de Psicología Social, 17 (3), 253-282.
- Levine, M. & Manning, R. (2013). Social identity, group processes and helping in emergencies. European Review of Social Psychology, 24 (1), 225-251.
- Moreira, V. & Mirón, L. (2013). The role of gender identity in adolescents¿ antisocial behaviour. Psicothema, 25 (1), 67-72.
- Osca, A., Urien, B., González-Camino, G., Martínez-Pérez, M. D., & Martínez-Pérez, N. (2005). Organisational support and group efficacy: a longitudinal study of main and buffer effects. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 20 (3/4), 292-311.
-Urien, B, Osca, A, & Garcia-Salmones, L. (2017). Role ambiguity, group cohesion and job satisfaction: A Demands-Resources Model (JD-R) Study from Mexico and Spain. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 49, 137-145.
Classes wil take place in the multimedia classroom of Social Work department located in the basement floor at Las Encinas building.
Tutorials will be posted at Mi Aulario and at the Professor's office door before the semester begins (2nd floor, Las Encinas building).