Small Group Research

This report describes a small group program in a nursing curriculum utilizing the Theme-Centered Interaction model. This approach attempts to combine and balance the cognitive, subjective-affective, and interactional modes. In accordance with systematic and observational data, it is indicated that the method appears uniquely suited to the needs of student nurse clinicians who are expected to acquire and integrate psychomotor and affective skills as part of their socialization into a new role.

Newcomb's (1961) study of various individual and social factors influencing the development of friendship in a group of 17 male university students living in a fraternity house was reanalyzed (Newcomb, 1979) to test the hypothesis that individuals would gradually develop mutuality in their friendships. This reasonable hypothesis was, however, not supported by Newcomb's data. This article describes factors affecting the development of mutuality of attraction in natural small groups, and tests the hypothesis of the acquaintance process, Newcomb, (1961) with some new data. Female residents of three floors of a university dormitory were studied over the course of a year. Two floors showed definite increases in dyadic mutuality over time. Anomalous results for the third floor may have been due to a statistical ceiling effect. Some implications for applied small group research are discussed.

This article presents a format for the assessment, evaluation, and comparison of the impact of specifically described encounter groups. Based on the use of this format, the encounter group experience results in moderate changes in several dependent measures such as reduction in problem experience, and in no change in assertiveness. Group leaders need to determine the relative worth of a given approach, and use judgment as to the expected value of anticipated changes indicated by particular dependent measures. The format presented here can be used generally, and represents an attempt to measure changes in behavior and attitude resulting from specific group experiences.