Expectational Composition and Development of Group Cohesiveness across Time Periods

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Abstract
Effects of members' and leaders' expectations on development of group cohesiveness were studied. The relationship between gain in cohesiveness and the use of certain learning mechanisms also was assessed. Subjects were 41 students enrolled in an introductory class in group counseling. Students participated twice weekly as members of a growth group (3 hr. per week) for 25 sessions. Leaders for these groups were six advanced graduate students in counseling psychology. Members and leaders were assigned randomly to groups on the basis of an expectation scale, with three types of member groups (high, moderate, low) being conducted by leaders with high and low expectations. Gain in cohesiveness was measured during early and late periods. Analysis indicates that varying group members' expectations affects development of cohesiveness and that within early and late periods gain in cohesiveness changes depending on the group's expectational composition. A significant relationship between gain in cohesiveness and interpersonal learning mechanisms also was found. Implications are discussed in terms of pretraining of members' expectations.

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