A Contribution toward Understanding of Cohesiveness in Small Groups

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Abstract
To highlight the importance of internal representations of group processes, group cohesiveness was investigated in two independent ways: by a behavioral measure and through cognitive impressions of members using four new measures designed to tap cognitive images of group structure and member interaction. Ten face-to-face groups, totalling 154 members, were carefully observed to obtain behavioral ratings of cohesiveness which were measured by a questionnaire. Two of the new measures correlated significantly with the behavior ratings, one relation was curvilinear, and one was contaminated by sex and age. Only one of eight previously reported cohesiveness tests correlated with the rating, and two others did when the sample was shrunk to seven more homogeneous groups. The results confirm the importance of cognitive mediators of group behavior, when real face-to-face groups are studied.

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