Abstract
Group dynamics are the influential actions, processes and changes that take place in groups. Much of the world's work is accomplished by people working with others in groups, and the processes that take place within these groups--the continual vying for social status, the give-and-take collaboration between members, the pressure of the group on the atypical individual, and the eruption of conflict and discord that can shatter the group--significantly shape members' experiences as well as their accomplishments. It was the eminent social scientist Kurt Lewin (1951) who used the term 'group dynamics' to describe the powerful and complex social processes that emerge in groups.
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2008
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2008 Routledge. This book chapter first appeared in Leadership: The Key Concepts.
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Recommended Citation
Forsyth, Donelson R. "Group Dynamics." In Leadership: The Key Concepts, edited by Antonio Marturano and Jonathan Gosling, 71-74. London: Routledge, 2008.