Group Dynamics of the Classroom

The classroom is a collection of interdependent individuals. The dynamics of their interrelationships depend on the roles which have been established through interaction. Whenever there is a change in the expected behavior of any group member, the dynamic interrelationships of the entire group must necessarily change. The pressure on role behavior is so great that if a group has certain expectations about an individual’s behavior, that individual usually responds in a way which is consistent with those expectations. The group’s expectations become a self-person group, or dyad, the expectations the behavior of the subordinate member. Suppose a mother is convinced that red hair causes a child to have a quick temper. She will then tolerate the temper tantrums of her red-haired child, while at the same time extinguishing these same responses in her blonde or brunette children. Or, suppose a high school student complains that his other treats him as if he were a child; an objective analysis of the student’s behavior may reveal that he indeed doesn’t let his mother down—he acts like child. Or, imagine a husband who complains that his wife is domineering. During the conversation he mentions that he recently dropped one of his wife’s plant pots and was thereupon banished to the cellar, where his son later brought him his supper. In each case, the dynamic relationship between the people involved could exist only if both members played their expected roles. If the student who was being treated like a child stopped acting like a child, his mother would have to change her expectations and, thus, her behavior toward him. The man with the domineering wife must have played the role of a dominated husband to the hilt. Why else would he meekly allow himself to be served dinner in the cellar? In the words of a once-popular song, “It takes two to tango.” There can be no tango, or any other consistent form of interaction, unless both partners play their expected roles.

The same phenomenon can also be observed in larger groups. In an educational psychology course taught by one of the authors, the power of role behavior was demonstrated in the following way:

Two students, selected at random, were chosen as subjects and asked to leave the room and wait in the corridor. During their absence, roles were assigned to them: one student was given the high-status position of a world famous cultural anthropologist, and the other student was given a low-status position of a college dropout who could not find a job. The class was instructed to discuss a certain topic, keeping firmly in mind the roles that had been assigned to the two naïve subjects. The two subjects, unaware of their roles, then rejoined the group. The group consistently treated the high-status student with dignity and respect, and the low status subject with derision and inattention. Within 15 or 20 minutes the group’s expectations began affecting the subjects’ behavior. The high-status subject began dominating the discussions, even pontificating grandly for minutes at a time. He later explained that he had thoroughly enjoyed himself and would like to take part in more group discussions. The low status subject, especially during the early stages of the discussion, made repeated attempts to become involved, but as time went by these became more infrequent. His behavior showed general signs of regression; the pitch of his voice even rose perceptibly until it bordered on a preadolescent squeak. During the final five minutes of the discussion he withdrew totally and sat stiffly in tight-lipped silence!

This demonstration of the influence of a group’s expectations on individual behavior has been tried a number of times. In each case the results have been generally similar, though not always as dramatic as the case just described: personality differences cause differences in the ways subjects respond to the group’s pressure. The point, however, is that consistent and predictable behavioral effects occur despite the personality differences.

In a classic case reported by the famous learning theorist, Edwin R. Guthrie, a group of male college students decided to make an all out effort to cater extravagantly to a shy, socially inept coed. They made sure she was invited to all the social functions, constantly flattered her with gifts and attention, and in general saw that she was the “belle of the ball.” By the end of the college year she had developed an easy, confident manner and had become a popular campus favorite even among those not aware of the original plot. Says Guthrie, “What her college career would have been if the experiment had not been made is impossible to say, of course, but it is fairly certain that she would have resigned all social ambitions and would have found interests compatible with her social ineptitude.”

The influence of group expectations on individual behavior can also be seen in the area of racial prejudice. Though prejudice is primarily learned in the home, teachers may also implant prejudice, especially during the first few grades. They may not directly teach hatred, but the message still comes through loud and clear. The teacher’s differential treatment of minority races and religions sets the stage for differential student responses. Black children, for example, can hardly be expected to act maturely in the classroom when they are not treated with dignity and respect. The mass media have also helped communicate this social distortion. Until the last few years movies typically cast blacks in subservient roles, as maids and servants. They also played up stereotypes, often characterizing a black as a wide-eyed, frightened fool. This sort of thing could hardly lend dignity to the black race.

Group expectations can be so powerful that the minority group members may learn to hold the prejudices and stereotyped attitudes toward their own group that the majority group holds. This can be very destructive to the minority group member’s self-image.

The classroom teacher is obviously a potent reinforcer and through the judicious use of social approval can shape the behavior of the entire class. The teacher must realize, however, that the classroom is a social unit with a dynamically balanced set of role relationships. Any shift in the role of one student necessarily results in a change in the social balance of the entire group. If the teacher clamps down on the class jokester, for example, the social climate could shift in a negative direction. The jokester may be fulfilling the important role of relieving group tensions in moments of social stress. Removing that function could lead to a far more anxious social climate where the conditions for learning could deteriorate. By the same token, shutting off the antics of a loud-mouth who is motivated more by compulsive attention seeking then by reducing class tensions could produce better learning conditions for the rest of the class. Some tinkering and adjusting can be attempted, but remember that changing the role of any individual in the group produces changes in the whole group.   

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Category: Psychology