Consider This 8.1

Sometimes a member’s culture can affect that member’s ascribed status in a group. Cultural variables (ethnicity, sex, birthplace, etc.) influence how others perceive you. What specific cultural variables can affect a member’s status in the group and how might they affect other members’ perceptions? Does that variable increase or decrease the member’s status? What could you do if a cultural characteristic of yours is negatively affecting your group status? What could you do if you perceive that another member’s group status is being affected by a particular cultural characteristic?

Consider This 8.2

Fantasy is one way groups create a common vision. In what other ways do you think groups create a common vision? What differences might there be between visions created through fantasy and visions created in other ways?

Consider This 8.3

How cohesive is a particular group you belong to? To assess your own feelings, take the brief Perceived Cohesion Scale below, using the following scale: strongly agree, 7 points; quite agree, 6; slightly agree, 5; neither agree nor disagree, 4; slightly disagree, 3; quite disagree, 2; strongly disagree, 1.

Add up your points. The higher the number, the more cohesiveness you feel. You may want to ask your fellow group members to take the scale and discuss results within the group. To what extent do you believe this scale captures what you think of as cohesiveness?

Consider This 8.4

If you had been Coach DiCicco and your team had lost the 1995 World Cup, what would you have done to build the team back up? Why do you think DiCicco’s methods worked? Think of a group that you belong to or that you know. What would you want teambuilding activities to accomplish for this group, and why?