Groups are at the heart of nearly every sphere of life, from family to work to play to politics. Scholars have studied how people communicate in a wide variety of groups, and this course helps reveal what makes groups cohesive, effective, and inspiring—but also potentially divisive, delusional, and self-defeating. This writing-intensive course covers a broad range of theories and perspectives concerning the role of communication, particularly in decision-making and problem-solving groups.
Course Objectives
- To reveal the various facets of group life and learn the theories that account for group communication
- To review recent research on groups and learn how to conduct original group research
- To learn how to critically assess theory and research on groups
- To help students theorize about their own past and future experiences in small groups.