Group Dynamics and Cohesion

What Group Dynamics and Cohesion covers

Group Dynamics and Cohesion is examined in Component 2, Psychological and social principles of physical education. It covers groups, teams, and task and social cohesion, Carron's four factors of cohesion, Steiner's model and the Ringelmann effect and social loafing and building team cohesion.

The 4 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Groups, teams, and task and social cohesionGroups and successful teams, group norms and dynamics, task and social cohesion in interactive and coactive teams, too much social cohesion, and Tuckman's four stages including storming.Open →
• Carron's four factors of cohesionCarron's environmental, personal, leadership and team factors, squad size and contracts, personal motives, the coach's style, team success, the promoted football team, the international rugby squad and role clarity.Open →
• Steiner's model and the Ringelmann effectSteiner's potential and actual productivity, faulty processes, coordination and motivation losses, the Ringelmann effect in a tug of war and a rowing eight, reducing coordination losses and teams of star players.Open →
• Social loafing and building team cohesionSocial loafing and Latané's findings, identifiability, leadership and task importance, the sucker effect, performance analysis, roles, goals and praise, and building cohesion through camps, player voice, breaking cliques and team identity.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Group Dynamics and Cohesion further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Task cohesion vs Social cohesion

  Task cohesion: working together to achieve a shared goal. Social cohesion: how much members like one another off the pitch.

• Social loafing vs Ringelmann effect

  Social loafing: a fall in individual effort within a group. Ringelmann effect: a fall in output per person as numbers grow, largely from poor coordination.

• Coordination losses vs Motivation losses

  Coordination losses: breakdowns in timing and teamwork between members. Motivation losses: reduced effort by individual members of a team.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What makes a set of people a group rather than a collection of individuals?

   Model answer

   Group members interact, share a common goal and have a collective identity. A collection, such as a queue at a stadium, shares none of these.

2. 2

   Give three characteristics of a successful team.

   Model answer

   Members share clear goals. Each player understands and accepts a role. Communication between members is open and frequent.

3. 3

   What are group norms?

   Model answer

   Group norms are the standards of behaviour a team expects of its members. Arriving on time for training is an example.

4. 4

   What is meant by group dynamics?

   Model answer

   Group dynamics are the interactions and processes that take place between members of a group. Group dynamics shape how well the team performs.

5. 5

   How can relationships within a team influence an individual player's performance?

   Model answer

   A supportive team can raise an individual's confidence and motivation. Conflict or exclusion can lower effort and increase anxiety.

6. 6

   What is group cohesion?

   Model answer

   Group cohesion is the tendency of a team to stick together while pursuing its goals. Carron described cohesion as dynamic, so it changes over time.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Group Dynamics and Cohesion revision questions

What does Group Dynamics and Cohesion cover in Edexcel A-Level Physical Education?

4 subtopics: groups, teams, and task and social cohesion, carron's four factors of cohesion, steiner's model and the ringelmann effect and social loafing and building team cohesion. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Group Dynamics and Cohesion organised?

By the Edexcel 9PE0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.