This "wikified lesson" is written for post-patient recovery. As such, everything in it can be viewed in terms of successful adaption through the group process by patients who have been emancipated from institutions, or, conversely, unfortunate maladaption. It is not, however, about group psychology, as nearly everything in it has been gleaned from group organizational resources that hope to help improve work productivity. As such, the structure here should apply in nearly any group environment.

The "thinking" that had previously been done on behalf of the emancipated patients by others, such as health-care aides, now needs to be done by the group members as individuals. As you will see, however, there are no individuals in the emerging group context. Also within this paradox is the challenge for the helper to "let go," to be a facilitator, and to trust in the natural interrelation system, which is empathy.

Keywords: group, emergent, distal, proximal, task, process, relationship

Note: this document is also available for printing (and corporate distribution) in ms word doc format: GO_Group_outcomes.docx

Group outcomes

Group outcomes depend on individuals' satisfaction and commitment to stay resulting from group efficacy in the proximal dimension, where success, or agency, is currently described as group emergence

Task interrelation
Proximal emergence
Distal agency

Important to emergence is the health of group members' relationships so as to mediate the group's processes and thus beneficial group outcomes

Dimensions (states)

emergent
- efficacy
proximal
- task
- process
- relationships
distal
- agency

Emergent dimension (group dynamism)

personal satisfaction
- commitment
motivation
trust
interrelation
- understanding
distal outcomes (agency)

Emergent task mediated by group values

Interdependence beyond structure

- unspecified
- open
  - suggests that friendships help outcomes

Task-interdependence

high-quality interpersonal relations
extensive learning from each other
shared responsibility for performance outcomes

What emergence is not

independent
no close interaction

Low emergence characteristics

no shared activity
unharmonious
Learning from others is rare
Individuals are motivated to self-develop expertise to impress others
- skills
- knowledge

Individual paradox

Group emergence is often defined in terms of emerging leadership
- how an individual can exploit outcomes by destroying group values (Lewis Mumford)

Proximal (state)

Proximal emergent states are based on relationships

intragroup trust
group cohesion

Viability (as measured individually)

satisfaction
commitment
identification
organizational citizenship
positive affect

Performance (links to distal state)

innovativeness
decision quality
efficacy
effectivness

Proximal functions

task
process
relationship

Task

The action of emergence is described in terms of the emergent task

Task types

Creativity tasks, which require

idea generation,
innovation, research, and/or
development of new ideas

Decision-making (emergence leadership)

develop direction
without known path

Project tasks

problem solving
generating plans

Activity tasks

routine
- physical
- intellectual
quality standards

Process (activity, existential)

creating better life outcomes (making change happen) in small steps as part of tasks
process experiences in the context of community to prevent isolation (and thus depression)
- open processes (allowing and embracing new members)
- processing in the context of the group's values

as a group task

meaning
definition
tangible outcome

achieved through

social interrelation
learning

Process mediation (facilitation)

help a process move along

Mediation questions

what mediates the processes?
what is the purpose of the group?
what processes (activities) achieve the purpose?

Group process mediates conflict

In-groups/out-groups

in-groups -- sub-groups within the super-set group (organization)
no external out-groups, so the super-set may be named as an out-group
- marginalizing the central organization from group membership
- if factions develop (through relationships) out-groups may be named
  - suggests where friendships may be damage outcomes

Individuals

isolation
self-development (to impress others)
marginalization

Distal process

Activity assurance

effort
- planned
- actual
value proportion
- benefits
  - budget
- compliance
  - emergent values

Relationship

Group

friendships
resources
labor
status hierarchies

Friendships

- self-disclosure
- similarity
- emotions
- activity types

Intra-group

In-group

we-ness
- open or closed to new members

Out-group as viewed by in-group

no identification with other group (thought may be same)
- fear creates conflict

Friendship relationships

least exclusive
partnership style similarities
- communication
  - roles
  - labor
- resources
- activity styles

Distal (state)

perceptions of the group from others
- production
- quality
- values

Conflict (proximal)

Large negative effects

proximal
distal
exception: certain tasks at certain times

Poorest conflict outcomes

process
relationship

Conflict paradox

potential to benefit a broad variety of group outcomes
impairs both proximal and distal group outcomes

Task conflict surrounds the task

content,
opinions
ideas

can help

start
preparation
choices of actions

as proximal evaluations of

processes
tasks
resources
standards

Counterproductive when tasks are

well-understood
straightforward

Task conflict

Arises with assignments

task below expertise
personal insult

Task conflict has fewer

negative emotions
personal connotations

not necessarily disruptive for group outcomes
often indicates success (respect others' POV)

Process conflict

Conflict and self-verification theory

Challenges are interpreted as negative assessments

dissatisfaction
stress
rumination
- maintaining depression

Might improve group outcomes

who

does

what?

and

how things are done

Relationship conflicts

proximal and unmanageable,
tend to destroy emergence outcome

Resulting from

defensible threat (historically called ego)
hostility
intentions to leave

Lost are

identification
trust
member commitment

Relationship paradox

Friendships/partnerships are least exclusive
- mediate openness
Form factions
- mediate in-group/out-group conflict
  - organizational level

Approaches

found using the keywords for searches from the keywords: group, emergent, distal, proximal, task, relationship, process

Developmental

Developmental Psychopathology, Risk, Disorder, and Adaptation by Dante Cicchetti and Donald J. Cohen

During the childhood years, early relationships with primary caregivers affect several emerging psychological attributes and influence the negotiation of major developmental tasks; resolution of these tasks, in turn, ... On the positive side, strong relationships with those in one's proximal circle serve vital protective processes, for children as well as adults. ... factors that (in addition to the universals, such as warmth and discipline) are especially salient in particular ethnic minority groups.

Emotional

The Regulation of Emotion by Pierre Philippot, Robert Stephen Feldman

At the group level, it is necessary to distinguish one's ingroup from the outgroup for the purposes of coalition forming and resource distribution. ... In particular, positive emotions serve informative functions relevant to this relationship task. ... roles (e.g., teacher-student or coworker), emotions are one important proximal mechanism by which this task is completed. ... During this process, emergent properties of the relationship itself are developed — qualities not of the individuals, but the group itself.

Learning

Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning by Sanna Järvelä

The interaction unfolds presumably within the novice's zone of proximal development, namely with one of the ... theory that views thinking as a socially distributed process, with knowledge emerging form the language-mediated collaborative ... length of the task required to be done together, a parameter that affects the degree of involvement and relationship within the group.

Cultural preservation of/for the aging

Handbook of Adulthood and Aging by Susan Krauss Whitbourne and Martin Sliwinski

It is a process in which groups or organizations are guided towards preservation of culture or traditions. ... is taken up in two quite different ways: initially in terms of proximal family issues, and later in terms of other distal social roles. ... The period of emerging adulthood is distinct in five ways: It is an age of increased identity explorations and instability, ... is not linear, and that the process of identity formation and consolidation is a lifelong task.

Neural

Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation by Joel Stein

These processes are thought to represent the synaptic mechanisms responsible for learning and memory. ... The first study to directly examine this relationship used varying behaviorally demanding tasks to selectively activate specific ... These movements consisted of simultaneous executions of digit and wrist, or proximal movements at low ICMS thresholds, and ... the syndactyly, the new multi-digit representations appear as an emergent property of the plastic somatosensory cortex.

And even political

Politics in Organizations by Gerald R. Ferris, Darren C. Treadway

Emergent states can be considered both as team inputs and proximal outcomes. as inputs, emergent states may affect different team-level processes such as the political behaviors of team members. as an example of an emergent state and its relationship ... in the group” and was claimed to consist of three facets (i.e., member attraction,group activities or task commitment) and prestige or group pride.