A Study on Group Dynamics and Conflict Managment

Running head: GROUP DYNAMICS & CONFLICT MANAGMENT 1

An Analysis of Group Dynamics

And

Conflict Management

Leonardo Camarca

Beijing Foreign Studies University

Leonardo Camarca is an undergraduate student at the Beijing

Foreign Studies University, department of Journalism and

International Communications in Beijing, China.

2GROUP DYNAMICS & CONFLICT MANAGMENT

Correspondence concerning the article should be addressed to:

Leonardo Camarca, 北北北北北北北北北北北 2 北北，709, 100080; Phone: +86 130 1104

1422; Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The History of mankind shows that humans are best equipped for

survival when they function in a group, for it allows for

fundamental support means that increase the chance of survival for

all group members. However, conflicts among group members could

represent the failure of the group system in its whole (Uchino,

2014). Within an ideal efficient team, each individual must have a

cooperative mindset and cultivate interpersonal relations, while is

the leader’s duty to prevent or manage potential friction (Kottler,

2001). The purpose of this paper was to determine whether modern

individuals lean toward collectivism or individualism, while also

mailto:[email protected]


clarifying the role that a group leader assumes in conflicts

management. This study can lead to an improvement of teamwork

systems.

Keywords: group system, conflict management, team leader


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to express his gratitude to his loyal cat Gatto

for it has never left his side during the long nights of work and

its silent encouragement throughout the research.

The cuteness and support of Gatto are greatly acknowledged.


1. INTRODUCTION

Background

1.1. The Group Concept and the Individual

The Greek philosopher Aristotle suggested that “Man is by

nature a social animal; anyone who either cannot lead a common life

or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not

partake of society, is either a beast or a god” (Aristotle, n.d.).

The developments that mankind has achieved throughout its History

are attributable to the ability of individuals to cooperate when

organized in groups. According to Cambridge Dictionaries, the term

teamwork denotes the ability of a group to work well together

(2015), its primary benefit consists in allowing said group to

achieve certain objectives that an individual alone could not

possibly reach. The efficiency of a group arises from several

factors: clarification of the common goals and purposes, upraise

and reward of the team as a whole, clarify each person’s role in

achieving the common purpose, application of leadership models

(Bakker, 2007; Zeynep, 2014; Uchino, 2014; Kottler, 2001),etc.

Substantial consideration has been given to the latter, more

specifically to the approach that a team leader should assume


towards potential conflicts among the group members. This review

will not cover the behavioral sphere that a leader should adapt for

use within a teamwork in order to make it effective, but rather

focus on problem solving strategy.

1.2. The craving for a group system: the Gregarious Instinct

The Aristotelian conception of Man as a social animal is taken

up again by Grotius, who continues by saying that humans, as

rational and social beings, are by nature meant to live organized

in groups, for they could not survive otherwise (1625). Over a

century ago, the English psychologist William McDougall named this

phenomenon Gregarious Instinct, arguing that humans are inexorably drawn

to “the vast human herd,” which “exerts a baneful attraction on

those outside it” (1926). Modern human behavior related to the herd

instinct, is explained by evolutionary psychologists through

Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection (1859). It is assumed

that throughout the evolutionary process of development of certain

biological and anatomical traits, humans have also refined

psychological and social idiosyncrasies, which increase adaptive

comportments instead of non-adaptive ones. Humans’ preference for

living in groups rather than alone, may also be sustained by


psychological and biological mechanisms that evolved over time to

help individuals solve basic survival problems (Forsyth, 2009).

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Efficacious Teamwork & Conflict Management

Elisabeth Bakken, a Manpower Professional Executive, explains

in the article Twelve Ways to Build an Effective Team, how to structure a

solid and effective team. It is proposed to apply a soft approach

to the team, for which sharing common goals and developing

interpersonal relations is fundamental; thus, “the members of the

group are efficient because tasks are assigned in a way that takes

into account each member’s skill and interest,” and “team members

work cooperatively,” for “they have worked out ways to resolve

conflicts when occur” (p.1). The biggest obstacle to an efficient

group is the friction that could occur among members of the team.

Bakken elaborates an innovative method to handle conflicts between

team members. Considering the possibility that honest disagreements

could turn into a heated personal issue, the author suggests to

“let problems come to the surface” (p.2) and rationally deal with

them by giving the possibility to each team member involved to

express its own point of view without being interrupted, mocked or


intimidated (Bakken, 2007). The problem arises when this soft touch

fails its objective and the conflict degenerates into a potential

threat for the team stability. Zeynep Ilgaz, president of the

company Confirm BioSciences, observes that sometimes the best way to

handle conflict is to prevent the problem from the outset, “…the

typical manager spends 25-40 percent of her time dealing with

workplace conflicts, just think about how much productivity is

being wasted!” (2014). Ilgaz highlights few warning signs, such as

sudden change in employee behavior, body language and verbal tone,

as well as increased absence and reduction of productivity. An

observant team leader should recognize them and consequently

intervene right away (Ilgaz, 2014). A different approach to this

issue is presented by Professor Uchino of the University of Utah,

Department of Psychology, who argues that the best way to avoid

conflicts among the group members is to preclude from accessing the

teamwork group individuals who manifest low level on emotional

stability, like frustration, anxiety and depression. Uchino states:

“Successful groups are composed of individuals with specific

personality profiles that reflect both task engagement

(conscientiousness) and interpersonal orientation (agreeableness)”

(2014). A study realized by Michael Mount and his colleagues has


shown how emotional stability and agreeableness have the strongest

association with performance in situations that involve teamwork;

therefore, it is possible to assert that individuals who presents

high scores on conscientiousness and agreeableness, and low on

neuroticism (emotional instability), fit well with work context

involving teamwork (as cited in Uchino, 2014). The three methods of

handling potential threats for the effectiveness of teamwork

illustrated above are all equally legitimate within a teamwork

environment. The first promotes the dialogue and rational problem-

solving after the conflict has already manifested itself; the

second tends to prevent conceivable distressful scenarios through

the intervention of the team leader at the first sight of potential

friction; the third and last one precludes any possible

complication by scientifically creating an emotionally stable

condition in the first place. The model applied varies depending on

the kind of team leader, who will choose what suits him best.

However, no matter the method chosen, the duty of the group leader

is to individualize at once signs of distress within his or her

team; in order to do so, “the experienced group leaders must leave

linear thinking behind and learn to think recursively and

systematically” (Kottler, 2001). This implies “not only diagnose


the individual difficulties but also assess interpersonal patterns,

group stages, systemic functioning, coalitional alliances, and

other dynamics that are important to understand. In a sense,

effective group leaders, for effective teams, learn to see the

forest and the trees.” (p.58).

3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

3.1. Questionnaire. Part 1

1. He who works by himself does the work of three people.

2. I need other people around to feel accomplished.

3. Teamwork contributes to achieve higher results.

4. Working in a team could enrich oneself.

5. I prefer to be alone rather than with people that I don’t

know.

6. I could live apart from society.

7. I like to meet new people.

8. I gladly rely on others help to solve a difficult problem.

9. Group activities make me feel awkward.

10. I enjoy the feeling of being part of a group/society.

3.2. Questionnaire. Part 2


Question: Considering the possibility of a conflictual situation

among group members, the group leader should:

Wait that the problem comes to the surface and then deal

with it through dialogue between group members.

Intervene at first sight of disagreement in order to prevent

further complications.

Preclude potentially conflictual individuals from joining

the group in the first place.

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1. Participants

Participants to the survey were sampled randomly from

different areas of Beijing. Various socio-cultural backgrounds were

taken into consideration, both Chinese and foreigner. Among the 40

candidates chosen for the study, with an age range that went

between 18 and 45, 19 were females and 21 were males. The

participants occupation was also collected, with the result of 22

students (55%) and 18 workers (45%). To the question: Within your

working/studying environment, are you: the leader or a group member; 57.5% of the


candidates stated that they were leaders in their fields and 42.5%

were instead group members. The type of jobs and fields of studies

were not taken into consideration for they were irrelevant to the

purpose of the research.

4.2. Questionnaire design

A questionnaire was designed as the instrument for data

collection. The survey was divided in two distinct sections. The

first one focused on the group dynamics, more specifically, it was

aimed to clarify whether an individual prefers to live in a group

rather than alone (McDougall, 1926; Grotius, 1625). The second part

was related to the strategy that a team leader should apply in a

conflictual situation between group members. Participants had to

choose between three options selected on base of previous studies

concerning conflict management within a teamwork context. The

conceptualization of human as a social animal (Aristotle, n.d.),

the innate necessity for the group environment (McDougall. 1926),

and three strategical approaches to conflicts between group members

designed respectively by Bakken, Ilgaz, and Uchino, were studied to

ascertain the validity of the questionnaire content. The survey was

conducted between the 11th and 15th of June 2015. In total, 47

participants partook in the questionnaire. With the exclusion of 7


incomplete surveys, 40 valid questionnaires were used in the

statistical analysis, giving to the survey an 84.2% confidence

level for it had a 15.8% margin of error given by 1/√N, where N is

the number of participants (Niles, 2006). Two types of surveys were

generated, one was a paper questionnaire, which provided 15 valid

questionnaires, and the second, was an online version of it, made

with the purpose of reaching more potential participants. All the

participants were previously informed of the academic purpose of

the research and that the information gathered would be used for

research only. All the surveys were anonymous. In order to obtain

relatively accurate answers based on an instinctive choice, the

online survey was set so as not to be possible to change the first

given answer. The data concerning the group dynamics were retrieved

through the use of a five-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly

Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4 = Agree,

5 = Strongly Disagree) based on the agreement level regarding 10

different statements. Four of the statement proposed to the

participants were against the concept of group, when six of those

focused on a positive attitude towards it. Regarding the

information concerning the conflict management, instead, a question

involving a multiple choice type of answer was elaborated in order


to ascertain the best strategical approach among the three

previously listed in the literature review.

5. RESULTS

5.1. Group Dynamics

The first part of the research conducted was based upon the

Aristotelian concept of Man as a social animal and the theory of

the gregarious instinct that every human is subjected to

(McDougall, 1926); therefore, considering the human race in its

whole, data concerning gender, age and social status were

overlooked. This first part of the questionnaire was related to the

group dynamics, aiming to clarify whether humans are instinctively

driven into seeking for the group environment (collectivism) or

they prefer an individualistic existence (individualism). In the

first table are reported the results of the four statements pro-

individualism. Data is reported in percentage through the use of

the proportion a : N = x : 100, where a is the amount of candidates who

has given a certain answer, N is the total amount of candidates

(40), and x is the value to be found in percentage.

a : N = x : 100 => x = a∗100N


Example. 18 candidates disagreed with the statement I could live apart

from society. In order to find the percentage of candidates who

disagree with said statement, the procedure is the following:

18 : 40 = x : 100 => x = 18∗10040 => x = 45

The average (also known as mean), is obtained by dividing the sum

of observed values by the number of observations, n. Although data

points fall above, below, or on the average, it can be considered a

good estimate for predicting subsequent data points. The formula

for the mean is given below as equation:

Table 1.1. Results of the statements pro-individualism.

StronglyDisagree

Disagree

NeitherAgree norDisagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

He who works byhimself does thework of three

2.5% 32.5% 42.5% 20% 2.5%

I prefer to bealone rather thanwith people that I

don’t know

15% 35% 15% 22.5% 12.5%

I could live apartfrom society 27.5% 45% 10% 10% 7.5%


Group activitiesmake me feel

awkward10% 32.5% 35% 15% 7.5%

Average 13.75% 36.25% 25.6% 16.8% 7.5%

Figure 1.1. Participants mostly disagree with the pro-individualism statements.

Regardless the 25.6% of the candidates is neutral, the first table

shows how the percentage of disagreement towards the statements

listed above is greater than the agreement one; hence, it proves

that most of the participants disagree with an individualistic

state of mind.

Table 1.2. Pro-collectivism statements.

StronglyDisagree Disagree


Agree StronglyAgree

I needotherpeople

around tofeel

accomplished

20% 22.5% 32.5% 17.5% 7.5%

Teamworkcontributes toachievehigherresults

0% 2.5% 32.5% 35% 30%

Workingin a team 0% 12.5% 15% 47.5% 25%


couldenrichoneself

I like tomeet newpeople

0% 7.5% 22.5% 40% 30%

I gladlyrely onothershelp tosolve a

difficultproblem

17.5% 35% 27.5% 15% 5%

I enjoythe

feelingof beingpart of agroup/soc

iety

0% 5% 22.5% 40% 32.5%

Average 6.25% 14.1% 25.41% 32.5% 21.6%

As shown in the table number 1.2., an average of 21.6% participants

highly agrees with the concept of group and society whereas the

6.2% highly disagrees. This table reflects how the candidates,

independently from gender, age or profession, prefer the group

environment rather than the individualistic setting.

5.2. Conflict Management

The second section of the questionnaire was created in order

to clarify the best strategy that a leader should apply when

conflict among group members occurs. Participants were provided


with a multiple choice type of answer to a single question. The

result of the second part of the survey in illustrated in the

following table. (2.1.)

Table 2.1. Conflict Management.

Considering the possibility of a conflictual

situation among group members, the group leader

should:N° %

Wait that the problem comes to the surface and then

deal with it through dialogue between the group

members.

13 32.5%

Intervene at the first sight of disagreement in order

to prevent further complications.18 45%

Preclude potentially conflictual individuals from

joining the group in the first place. 9 22.5%

The results of table 2.1. demonstrate that the participants reputed

the instant approach to conflict among team member, for which the

leader must intervene at first sight of disagreement, the best

strategy for conflict management in a teamwork environment.


6. DISCUSSION

6.1. Collectivistic tendency

The analysis of the data retrieved trough the survey proposed

to the public proves that, at the 84.2% of probability, the ancient

Aristotelian theory is correct. In addition to an average of 21.6%

of candidates who strongly agreed, a remarkable 32.5% find

themselves in affiliation with the ideal of collectivism,

understood as the necessity to be organized in groups or societies

and where the individual places the prosperity of the many before

his own. The concept of the gregarious instinct elaborated by

McDougall (1926) argues that humans are, in fact, instinctively

driven into organize themselves in groups, and therefore societies.

The necessity for a cooperative environment is by nature

undeniable. The theory of natural selection ideated by the

psychologist Charles Darwin confirms this concept by asserting that

humans developed social and adaptive idiosyncrasies throughout

their evolutionary process, for they allow fundamental survival

support (1859); thus, the collectivistic instinct must be an innate

characteristic of most modern human being, either consciously or

unconsciously. De facto, merely 3 (7.5%) participants out of 40


strongly believe that they could live apart from society (Tab.

1.1).

The author suggests further researchers to collect a more

substantial number of samples in order to reduce the relatively

high margin of error obtained in this research.

6.2. Immediate problem solving

Conflict among group members may represent the greatest threat

to the group efficiency (Uchino, 2014). Three different strategies

to apply in the occurrence of friction between team members have

been studied in this paper, where all the relative exponents of

this conflict management theories hold a leadership position in

their fields. Among the three choices proposed in the

questionnaire, the participants, 55% of which have a leading

position themselves, have chosen as the most appropriate strategy,

the one elaborated by the president of the company Confirm BioScience,

Zeynep Ilgaz. The leader must intervene at first sight of friction

among his group members in order to prevent further complications;

furthermore, the leader has to dedicate 25 to 40 percent of his

time dealing with workplace conflicts, influencing the productivity

of the whole group (Ilgaz, 2014). Although 45% of the participants


reputed Ilgaz’s strategy the most effective, a considerable 32.5%

of them believes that allowing the problems to come to the surface

and then deal with them through dialogue, is instead the best

choice, for it brings the group members to a potentially positive

confrontation supported by dialogue that would not take place

otherwise if the leader steps in beforehand (Bakken, 2007).

Further research should focus on the different point of view that a

team leader and a group member might have concerning this issue,

and clarify whether the position within a group held by an

individual influences the opinion regarding conflict management or

not.

7. CONCLUSION

Social issues and economic problems of our age could be attributed

to the rising individualism of modern times. The consideration for

the next man is rapidly diminishing, in this dynamic and corrupted

world driven by avidity. However, it is comforting to realize how a

conspicuous component of individuals still believes in cooperation

and collectivism. This study was carried out in the hope that the

ultimate findings regarding group dynamics and conflict management


could inspire individuals worldwide to search for that innate

spirit of cooperation and unity.

8. REFERENCES

Aristotle. (n.d.) Politics. Retrieved May 18, 2015, from

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/183896-man-is-by-nature-a-social-

animal-an-individual-who

Bakken, E. (2007). Twelve Ways to Build an Effective Team. Ceridian Corporation.

Retrieved May 16, 2015, from

http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Twelve%20Ways

%20to%20Build%20an%20Effective%20Team.pdf

Darwin, C. (1859). On the Origin of Species: by means of natural selection. Oxford:

Oxford World’s Classics

http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Twelve%20Ways%20to%20Build%20an%20Effective%20Team.pdf

http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Twelve%20Ways%20to%20Build%20an%20Effective%20Team.pdf

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/183896-man-is-by-nature-a-social-animal-an-individual-who

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/183896-man-is-by-nature-a-social-animal-an-individual-who


Forsyth, D. (2009). Group Dynamics. Cengage Learning. [electronic version].

Retrieved May 12, 2015, from https://books.google.com.my/books?

id=RsMNiobZojIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=group+dynamics&hl=en&sa=X&ei

=k89YVauSNMWeugSArIK4Cw&sqi=2&ved=0CB4QuwUwAA#v=onepage&q=group

%20dynamics&f=false

Grotius, H. (1625). De Jure Belli ac Pacis [On the Law of War and Peace].

Bassano del Gr., IT: Wolters Kluwer Italia.

Kattler, J.A. (2001). Learning Group Leadership: An Experimental Approach. Sage

Publication Inc. Retrieved May 15, 2015, from

http://www.sagepub.com/books/Book239296/toc#tabview=toc

Niles, R. (2006). Journalism Help: Statistics Every Writer Should Know.

RobertNiles.com. Retrieved June 14, 2015 from

http://www.robertniles.com/stats/

McDougall, W. (1926). An Introduction to Social Psychology. (pp. 303-308). Boston:

John W. Luce

Teamwork.2015. In dictionary.cambridge.com Retrieved May 16, 2015, from

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/teamwork

vonBertalanffy, L.(1968, March 18th). General System Theory: Foundations,

Developments, Applications. [electronic version]. Retrieved May 10, 2015,

from

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/teamwork

http://www.sagepub.com/books/Book239296/toc#tabview=toc

https://books.google.com.my/books?id=RsMNiobZojIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=group+dynamics&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k89YVauSNMWeugSArIK4Cw&sqi=2&ved=0CB4QuwUwAA#v=onepage&q=group%20dynamics&f=false




http://monoskop.org/images/7/77/Von_Bertalanffy_Ludwig_General_Syst

em_Theory_1968.pdf

Uchino, B.N. (2014, November 5th). Personality, Relationship Conflict, and Teamwork-

Related Metal Model. Retrieved May 15, 2015, from

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220921/

Zeynep, I. (2014, May 14th). Conflict Resolution: When Should Leaders Step In? Forbes.

Retrieved May 18, 2015, from

http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/05/15/conflict-

resolution-when-should-leaders-step-in/

9. APPENDIX

9.1. A Survey on Group Dynamics & Conflict Management

Conducted for academic research purposes in association with

Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Purpose: To analyze the degree of collectivism and individualism

among modern individuals, while also determining the best strategy

to manage conflicts among group members.

Instructions: The survey is divided in 2 sections, the first one

http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/05/15/conflict-resolution-when-should-leaders-step-in/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2014/05/15/conflict-resolution-when-should-leaders-step-in/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220921/

http://monoskop.org/images/7/77/Von_Bertalanffy_Ludwig_General_System_Theory_1968.pdf

http://monoskop.org/images/7/77/Von_Bertalanffy_Ludwig_General_System_Theory_1968.pdf


focuses on the concept of group, while the second one will be

related to conflict management. This questionnaire is anonymous.

Please insert some information about yourself:

Gender: F M Other Age____ Nationality:

_________ Occupation: ________

Within your working/studying environment, are you: the

leader a group member

Questionnaire. Part 1.

Group. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree

with the following statements by putting a in the appropriate

box.

StronglyDisagree

Disagree


Agree

StronglyAgree

1. He who works byhimself does the work

of three people

2. Teamwork contributesto achieve higher

results

3. I need other peoplearound to feelaccomplished


4. Working in a teamenriches oneself

5. I prefer to be alonerather than with people

that I don’t know

6. I could live apartfrom society

7. I like to meet newpeople

8. I gladly rely onothers help to solvedifficult problems

9. Group activitiesmake me feel awkward

10. I enjoy the feelingof being part of a

group/society

Part 2.

Conflict Management. Please mark the answer that most suits your

opinion.

Considering the possibility of a conflictual situation among group

members, the group leader should:


1. Wait that the problem come to the surface and then deal with

it through dialogue between the group members.

2. Intervene at the first sight of disagreement in order to

prevent further complications.

3. Preclude potentially conflictual individuals from joining the

group in the first place.

A Study on Group Dynamics and Conflict Managment

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