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Assignment : (RA 2): Group Behavior Case Study

You learned that group behavior can influence human behavior and society as a whole. You will now have an opportunity to apply your understanding of the dimensions and theoretical perspectives that influence human behavior and identify services that promote healthy functioning. In this assignment, you will generate a case study on group behavior that resulted in a negative outcome. You will then create a report applying two behavioral theories and provide recommendations for effective behavioral strategies or other services.

Tasks:

In an 8-page paper:

• Describe a case example of group behavior that resulted in a negative outcome (for example, hazing or bullying) in a community or social service setting. Explain the rationale for selecting this group and setting.

• Identify a minimum of two behavior models and theories that apply to the example and highlight the manner in which the setting influences the behavioral outcomes. Justify your chosen models and theories.

• Recommend specific effective behavioral strategies and services that can improve healthy functioning of the group.

Here are some notes that can help with writing this paper down below

Virtual Groups

Virtual groups are those where members do not meet face-to-face, meeting instead by telephone or through the Internet. Any of the discussed group types can and has used technology, either as the primary format for running the group or as a supplement to a group that meets face-to-face. Technological advances have made it possible to have telephone conversations among a number of people at very little cost. During the past 2 decades, some social workers and other helping professionals have been using the telephone to offer therapeutic and support groups (Toseland& Larkin, 2010; Toseland& Rivas, 2012). During this same time period, computer-mediated support groups have proliferated in the United States and around the world (Jones & Meier, 2011). We'll look first at telephone-mediated groups and then at computer-mediated groups.

Telephone-mediated groups have not been rigorously evaluated to date, but a number of good case studies have been reported. Toseland and Rivas (2012) reviewed 19 studies of telephone support groups. They found that these groups are most often used with persons with chronic and long-term illnesses or with caregivers of frail older adults. Their review found both advantages and disadvantages of telephone-mediated groups, but the findings were overwhelmingly positive for the types of groups noted earlier. Some researchers found that in some situations, telephone-mediated groups are more cohesive than face-to-face groups. They found that in telephone groups members no longer focus on personal features such as skin color or other social status cues. Other advantages of telephone groups include convenience of meeting in one's own home, reduced time needed to participate because of no travel time, ability to reach people in rural areas and across greater distances, ability to reach people who are homebound or caring for someone who can't be left alone, and greater levels of self-disclosure.

Disadvantages of telephone groups include difficulty for leaders to track individual participation and interpret subtle verbal cues; difficulty for group members to gauge each other's reactions because of the lack of visual cues; and distortions related to technological problems or background noise. Some researchers noted more hostility in telephone-mediated groups than in face-to-face groups, and others noted less hostility. Toseland and Larkin (2010) provide useful guidelines for developing and leading telephone groups. They suggest that social group workers use the same skills in telephone-mediated groups as with face-to-face groups but need to to be more active to ensure clear communication because of the lack of visual cues.

Computer technology offers several potential support group outlets, including e-mail-based groups, chat rooms, news groups, videoconferencing, and discussion forums. Computer-mediated support is particularly attractive to younger people for whom electronic communication is their primary means of communication. Computer-mediated groups may provide benefits to some of the same groups of people that benefit from telephone-mediated groups: people living in rural areas, people who are homebound, and caregivers who cannot leave their care recipients (Jones & Meier, 2011). As with telephone-mediated groups, some researchers have found that computer-mediated groups can speed up the process of group cohesiveness and heighten the sense of interdependence among members (Michinov, Michinov, &Toczek-Capell, 2004). Group identity and group cohesiveness do not appear to require member co-presence. On the other hand, miscommunication has been found to be more frequent in computer-mediated team meetings (Levi, 2014). Jones and Meier (2011) note that like face-to-face groups, computer-mediated groups must develop "coherent and compelling missions, recruit and retain members, establish and enforce group norms, and mange conflict" (p. 103).

Some people enjoy the anonymity of web-based groups. In some of these groups, the use of pseudonyms and withholding other identifying information is appealing for persons who desire support but don't want to feel too vulnerable. Social workers who refer clients to web-based groups may want to first discuss the potential negative consequences of using such groups. For example, because of the anonymity of the site, participants may engage in hostile or bullying behavior to an extent they would not do in person. A good group moderator will intervene in such behavior. Also, cyberstalking is another danger for those who desire to participate in web-based groups (Hitchcock, 2006).

It is a challenge for social workers to stay current with constant technological advances. Jones and Meier (2011) provide a case study of a computer-mediated support group that demonstrates the need to adapt to changing technology. They studied an online support group called Parents of Suicides (POS). The group started in 1998 as an e-mail-based mailing list of about 10 people. In the beginning, the group stayed small and developed quick bonding and a strong sense of identity. In the first year, however, the group grew substantially and lost some of its intimacy. In 2000, new technology allowed POS to add a web-based discussion forum to its e-mail-based list. A separate website was developed to create a memorial wall to honor members' deceased children. Along the way, an online newsletter was developed and then a chat room. As the group numbers grew into the hundreds, conflict and complaints grew. These new challenges were addressed through formalized rules and the formation of subgroups. This case study reminds us that many online support groups are quite large and are better characterized as e-communities than as e-groups. E-communities are discussed in Chapter 13.

In deciding whether to use virtual groups, social workers must also give thought to groups that do not have access to telephone and computer technology or who do not have the skills to use the technologies (Mann, Belchior, Tomita, & Kemp, 2005). The digital divide is shrinking but still exists. Students facilitating groups using social network sites need to be particularly careful of potential ethical issues, especially personal privacy, boundaries, safety, and client confidentiality (Barsky, 2013; Judd & Johnston, 2012). Students should act differently on their professional social network sites than their personal ones; on a professional social network site, students need to be especially aware of "the presentation of a professional self" (Judd & Johnston, 2012, p. 7). The picture you thought was hilarious of you during spring break in Cancun may not sit well with clients. Therefore, privacy settings on students' personal social network sites should be monitored in case clients happen upon their personal sites.

(Hutchison 392-393)

Hutchison, Elizabeth D..Dimensions of Human Behavior: Person and Environment, 5th Edition. SAGE Publications, Inc, 10/2014. VitalBook file.

The citation provided is a guideline. Please check each citation for accuracy before use.