Cultural Influences on Group Communication
Imagine you and a few classmates meet regularly to complete a project together. What term describes a small set of people who interact over time to reach shared goals?
What is a group?
Picture yourself focused on finishing the task in a group assignment, even if others are more social. What do we call this kind of goal focus?
What is task orientation?
During a group chat, someone constantly shuts down every idea and refuses to cooperate. What role are they playing?
Who is the Blocker?
Imagine your team makes a clear rule like “everyone must turn in their research notes before Friday.” What do we call these officially stated guidelines for how a group works?
What are rules?
Imagine being in a group where someone mainly wants to be liked, respected, or admired. What kind of goal is this person showing?
What is social orientation?
Imagine a group member who drifts away during online discussions — daydreaming, ignoring the topic, or going silent. What role are they showing?
Who is the Deserter?
Think of a time when you wanted something personally while working with others. Maybe recognition, a grade, or a certain role. What do we call these personal motives that influence behaviour in groups?
What are individual goals?
Suppose you join a book club whose only purpose is to learn more about a topic together. What kind of group is this?
What is a learning group?
Picture a teammate who keeps criticizing others, bragging, and trying to make themselves look better. What role is this?
Who is the Aggressor?
Recall a group project where everyone agreed on one big outcome — like finishing the project well or winning a competition. What do we call these shared outcomes the whole group is working toward?
What are group goals?
Imagine hanging out with friends mainly because you enjoy each other’s company, not to achieve a larger task. What kind of group is this?
What is a social group?
In a video call, one person keeps joking around and is not taking the work seriously. What role are they playing?
Who is the Joker?
Think about unspoken expectations, like “we always let everyone share before making a decision.” What do we call these shared values and behaviours that guide a group’s operation?
What is a Norm?
Think of a group like a support circle where the main goal is to help members understand themselves better, even if there’s no group project. What kind of group is this?
What is a growth group?
Imagine someone in your online group who always says, “This will never work.” or something like that. What role is that?
Who is the Cynic?