Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The present study is proposed to investigate the conditions under which people want to change group norms in small groups. Literature suggests that people may want to change norms when they do not work well, either because the norms are problematic or because the environment has changed, but there is very little research on norm change in small groups. The current study examines how type of group norm development and the experiences of success or failure at group task performance affect group members' willingness to change their group norms. In Study 1, a group norm directed toward how to perform a group task was determined by group member opinions, an experimenter, or an inherited custom. After working on a first trial of the task, participants received success or failure feedback, and were asked whether they personally wanted to change the group norm or retain it. As expected, participants wanted to change the group norm when they failed compared when they succeeded. However, expected effect of type of norm was not found. \nIn Study 2, minimal group paradigm was employed to produce feeling of groupness which may be lack in Study 1. Type of group norm development and group task performance were manipulated in the same way of Study 1. After receiving success or failure feedback, participants were asked whether they personally wanted to change the group norm or retain it, as well as whether they wanted to accept a new member to the group. Likewise Study 1, participants who received failure feedback were more willing to change the group norm than were those who received success feedback. More importantly, results indicated that participants wanted to change the group norm when it was determined by the experimenter rather than either group member opinions or an inherited custom. In addition, participants who believed the group norm was determined by group member opinions were more reluctant to accept a newcomer to the group compared to participants in other conditions.
Author: Young-Mi Kwon
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2527030544