Assessment 5: Group Observation

Introduction

This essay will analyse and observe the group of my family household. Through reflective questions the essay will answer what the goals of the group are, communication within the group, the different roles, the cohesion of the group, the differences, and the leadership within the group. We interact and communicate either in groups or with groups in all area of our lives, whether it is at work or in a household. This usually means you are communicating with a broad range of people, and don’t always interact with these groups in a conscious manner. Some group aspects will be outlined beneath the topic headings and these not only relate to my family household group, but they relate to all …show more content…

For example in this household group, if a member is not saying much, it is usually easy to tell how they are feeling through their body language. If someone is happy or excited then they may be singing for dancing around the house, but if they were stressed they might not be talking very much and ‘snap’ at someone when asked a question.

All communication channels are ‘informal’ in the household group. Informal channels are based on social connections and do not follow lines of authority, for example in a workplace group (formal channels). Informal connections depend on individual needs of the group members (Johnson, Donohue, Atkin, & Johnson, 1994). Informal communication is verbal and may be expressed even by a simple glance, small indication, or even silence. Informal communication is an unstructured channel, with various ways of expression, and the individual communicating usually communicates at impulsively on their own will (Johnson, Donohue, Atkin, & Johnson, 1994). The family group communicates informally because they don’t have delegated positions in the group and are free to say what they want, when they want, and how they want.

What one thing might be done to improve communication in this group?

The only main communication difficulty in the group is that Ben doesn’t usually start a conversation with his parents or offer them