Evaluate a group from the inside. Step 1: Identify a group to which you are a member. This group might be a formal group (such as a sports team) or an informal group (such as a group of friends). Indicate if this group is one of your primary groups or secondary groups. Explain the difference. Does this group function as an expressive group, instrumental group, or both? Explain. Step 2: Group membership Who are the members of this group? (DO NOT USE GROUP MEMBERS REAL NAMES) How is membership determined? How are members chosen? Who ispart of the "in-group"? Who is excluded from the group? How is exclusion determined? How does the group use the "out-group" to control group members' behaviors? Is there an outside "reference group" used by the group? Explain. Step 3: Group size, communication, relationships, and power Describe the size of the group. Analyze the communication patterns that exist within the group. What subgroupsare formed? Do people often create dyads and triads? Who seems to have the most power in these relationships? Give examples. Do people act differently in the presence of the whole group versus in small groups, triads, or dyads? Do you? Explain. Step 4: Group Leadership Analyze the group leadership. Who is the "group leader"? How did this person come to be the leader? Often groups will have a formal leader and an informal leader. Are there multiple leaders in this group? What leadership style does the leader assume? Explain. How do group members respond to the leader? Do people conform to the leader's wishes? Why or why not? Explain. What do group members say about the leader when the leader is not there? Are there others in the group who would like to be the leader? Is there competition for this position? Explain. Step 5: Conformity Identify how the group encourages conformity. What happens to group members if they fail to conform to the expectations of the group? How responsive are members of the group to expectations of conformity? What would happen if no one followed the group's expectations? Give an example of group conformity. Part 2: Analyze and observe a group from theoutside. Step 1: Choose a group that you can observe from the outside. Also, choose a social location where you can make these observations. When choosing the group to observe, consider the research question that you are working on for the semester. While making the observations of the group, base your observations on the research question. An outside group is a group to which you DO NOT belong. Choose a group (such as a group of friends) that can be observed in a public place (such as a cafeteria). Plan a time when you can watch the group's interactions. Your observation should last at least 30 minutes. (If you can observe the group longer and/or over multiple times, your results will be better). Step 2: Identify the members of thegroup. If you do not know the people in the group, create "identity markers" for each group member. You could use things like "tall boy in red shirt", or "red-headed girl in skirt." Assign a name to each person, such as Boy A = tall boy in a red shirt Step 3: Group size, communication, relationships, and power Describe the size of the group. Analyze the communication patterns that exist within the group. What subgroupsare formed? Do people often create dyads and triads? Who seems to have the most power in these relationships? Give examples. Do people act differently in the presence of the whole group versus in small groups, triads, or dyads? Explain. Step 4: Group Leadership Analyze the group leadership. Who is the "group leader"? How did this person come to be the leader? Often groups will have a formal leader and an informal leader. Are there multiple leaders in this group? What leadership style does the leader assume? Explain. How do group members respond to the leader? Do people conform to the leader's wishes? Why or why not? Explain. Step 5: Conformity Identify how the group encourages conformity. What happens to group members if they fail to conform to the expectations of the group? How responsive are members of the group to expectations of conformity? What would happen if no one followed the group's expectations? Give an example of group conformity. Part 3: Summary Step 1: Compare the analysis of your group with the analysis of the group that you do not belong. What was similar between the two groups? What was different? Step 2: Explain what you learned about groups by doing this assignment. How important are groups in organizing society? How important are groups in determining an individual's behavior? What are some good things that come from group behavior? What are some bad things that come from group behavior? Step 3: Problem of exclusion What do you think would happen if a person did not belong to ANY groups? Use examples. Provide references Include in-text citation