Case Study #2

Small Group Communication

Group Leadership

You will need the CD-Rom that accompanies the text. Access the video entitled: Small Group Communication and watch the short video about six jurors deliberating on a civil lawsuit.

It will help to give some names to faces. Sal is the man who initially votes “not sure”; Nancy, is the professional woman sitting at the head of the table acting as the foreperson; Greg, a young businessman, sits to the left of Nancy; Louise, a grandmother-type woman, sits to the right of Sal; Rita, the nail-filer, is sitting to Louise’s right; and Maury is the sports fan.

For your case study, use the individuals in the video to discuss the following:

1. For each person in the video, identify the specific task, maintenance, and/or dysfunctional roles (see pp. 248-250) he/she portrayed. Each person will have multiple roles (i.e. initiator, regulator, and harmonizer) so be sure to identify all roles displayed by each person.

2. How do group members use power to influence one another? (see p. 259)

3. How does the group almost succumb to groupthink? (see pp. 239-240)