Conference Told About Behaviour Of Groups

Press, Volume C, Issue 29651, 23 October 1961, Page 12

Conference Told About Behaviour Of Groups

“In the Western world the emphasis is on democracy and democratic leadership; with such a philosophy one must become concerned with groups, the way groups make decisions, and, in general, how groups function," said Miss N Kinross, a tutor sister at the Christchurch Hospital, to about 25 persons attending the study conference during the week-end which has been organised by the adult education department of the University of Canterbury and the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Speech and Drama. Miss Kinross recently returned from the United States, where she took a master of science degree at the University of California Her lecture was entitled. "Language, Communication and Group Dynamics.” Miss Kinross explained that the study of how groups function had been given the name of “group dynamics,” The interaction between members of the group depended on communication which could be L. s verbal and non-verbal which made both language and feeling important parts of the study. Not enough attention was paid to the way in which something might be said, as well as what was said. The feeling in the tone of voice was important, she said. Some of the possible reasons for the growth in interest in groups were the growth in knowledge in the behaviour sciences, the emphasis on democracy in the Western world, which was essentially government by a group, and the interest in metal health and psychiatric work generally, she said.

In effective group work, she said, various roles would be played by members. One would summarise, another initiate, another encourage, another harmonise, one would express the values of the group, one would follow; and another would co-ordinate. "These roles may all be played by the chairman or in effective group discussion will all be played by various members,” Miss Kinross said. Group members would also take the opportunity to express their own feelings and personalities. Thus, most groups would include an aggressor; someone who at. tempted to block plans; some, one who sought recognition; a self-confessor: a playboy who made a display of his lack of involvement in the activity of the group; someone who sought to dominate; a seeker of help, who attempted to call forth sympathy from the other group members; and someone who pleaded for special interests, cloaking his own individual bias with, tor instance, a plea for the test interest of the community. - “It has become important to understand thait certain behaviour can be predicted of a group,” Miss Kinross said. Minor Fires.— -A small fire in the kitchen of the home of Frederick Charles Lowe at 29 Colombo street was attended by units of the Central and Sydenham stations at 8.27 a.m. yesterday. Slight damage was done to one wall. A fire in an electric motor at the New Zealand Road Services’ garage in Victoria street was extinguished by a unit from the Central station at 11.17 a.m.