Group Cohesion
 When considering team success it is often said
that a winning team is more cohesive. What
does this mean?
 Does a group cohesion help develop a
successful team or does initial success in turn
create group cohesion?
 Big debate but certainly evidence to support the
statement that there is a positive correlation
between success and cohesion.
Defining Cohesion
 “A continuously changing (dynamic) process
which is shown by the tendency of a group to
stay together to in order to achieve certain
instrumental objectives, targets or goals or for
the satisfaction of its members”
(Carron et
al, 1998)
 Why are individuals motivated to stay together
as a group?
 Attractiveness of the group (desire to be
involved, values membership).
 The benefits they can gain from it (increased
recognition).
Task Cohesion
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What is a task?
Interactive and co-active tasks. Give examples.
Interactive (rugby, football, baketball).
Co-active (rowing, swimming, relays)
Developed into concepts of task and social
cohesion.
 Task cohesion relates to how well the team
works together to achieve common targets, i.e.
win the league. The level of desire to win and be
the best is directly linked to their level of group
effort and teamwork.
Social cohesion
 Relates to how much the members of the
team like each other and integrate socially.
 Do teams need both task and social
cohesion in order to be successful?
 Is one more effective than the other for
developing success?
Key terms
 Cohesion
 The dynamic forces that cause a team to stick
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together.
Task Cohesion
Found in a group that is bound together in a
drive to achieve a common objective.
Social Cohesion
Found in any group that is bound together by
social bonds, social attractiveness and
relationships.
Cohesion elements
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Carron proposed cohesiveness is founded of four elements.
Individual attractions to the group-task
(how much a team member is involved with the group’s task).
Individual attractions to the group-social
(how a team member feels about their personal social interactions
with the group).
Group integration- task
(how much a team member feels that the group is focussed and
unified in pursuit of an objective).
Group integration –social
(how much a team member thinks the group is unified socially.
Carron’s antecedents to the
development of group cohesion
 Antecedents (what must be present before
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cohesion can be fully developed).
Environmental factors
E.g. group size, age
Personal factors
E.g. Gender, similarity to the group
Leadership-based factors
E.g. style, team-leader relationship
Team-based factors
E.g. Focus on task, stability, ability, productivity
Strategies for to achieve cohesion
and therefore success
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Open communication
Goalsetting
Agreed norms
Role clarity and acceptance
Evidence personal contributions
Reward individual contribution
Consensus and commitment to all goals
Team meetings to resolve conflict
Use of formal and informal leaders within group.
Create identity and togetherness
E.g. kit, rituals, etc
Encourage self sacrifice