Group Processes:  Understanding the Social Dynamics of Camp

Over the past few months, I’ve become interested in group processes and dynamics (admittedly my slight obsession with “Survivor” and “The Real World” has something to do with it…).  I spent some time doing research and reading, and the knowledge I gained has definitely given me new insight into the social dynamics of campers and staff, and all the group processes that occur in a camp setting.  If you think about it, at camp we are always dealing in groups – campers are split into cabin groups, age-groups, activity groups, and then there is the whole camp as a group.  Even as staff we are almost always working as part of a group: the counselling/speciality staff group, age section groups, evening program/Panasmugs groups, and also as part of the staff group as a whole.  I hope this summary of group-based information sparks your interest!  I’ve also added a list of references and suggestions for further reading at the end if you want to investigate some of these ideas a bit further.   

Back in 1965 Dr. Bruce Tuckman, an American psychologist, published one of his theories of group dynamics.  He argued that the phrases in group development he outlines in his theory are all critical and unavoidable for a group to be able to develop and progress, and ultimately to be able to meet challenges, solve problems and deliver results.  This theory has been used as the basis for many subsequent developments in the field of group dynamics and management, and is very popular in discussions of teambuilding.  His model is probably the most frequently discussed in relation to group dynamics in a summer camp setting. 

His five stages are:  forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning.  Each stage is associated with a certain set of characteristic behaviours by group members, and requires certain input by supervisors to deal with the challenges and lead the group towards development.  I will briefly overview the five stages and try to link them to the summer camp experience.  I’m sure that most of you will be able to link these descriptions to a real-life example you have experienced.

Forming

When a number of individuals come together to form a group, a period of information-gathering takes place.  Members of the group are investigating and forming impressions of each other, their environment, their leaders, and the goals of the team.  At this stage people are generally focused on themselves and behave fairly independently.  Team members are usually on their best behaviour which results in this stage having little conflict, but also little creativity.  Team leaders/supervisors need to give a lot of direction during this phrase.  For campers, this is a time when they “test” to identify boundaries in interpersonal relationships and expectations set by the counsellor.        

Storming

During the storming phase conflict and polarization develops around interpersonal issues.    At this stage people open up more to one another, and people with different ideas start to compete for consideration.  With campers there may be resistance to group influence and tasks that they are required to do (e.g.; morning dip!).  During storming small conflicts may develop, and may be ignored because group members want to return to the good initial feelings that the group had during the forming stage.  This phase can be destructive to the group if small conflicts are allowed to simmer and get out of control.  Without proper guidance an immature group may become ‘stuck’ in this stage.  As a counsellor it is very important to deal with what could be seen as ‘minor issues’, and use problem-solving techniques to ensure that all members of the group feel listened to and valued.  This a good stage to help group members develop their own problem solving and conflict resolution skills.  It is important that group members are led to become tolerant of differences and patient with others.  For the group to progress it is critical that they have a good understanding of the rules, structure and expectations for group living and camp.

Norming

At some point (hopefully!) the group will enter the norming stage where members alter their behaviour in order to move away from resistance and begin to become a more cohesive group.  This change in behaviour is often prompted by working together to agree on rules and group expectations.  Group members begin to trust one another, develop a sense of group identity, and motivation increases as a result.  Children and youth have a great ability to move forward past disagreement and conflicts if the right conditions enable them to do so.  It often takes a lot of hard work to get to this stage, but if the alternative is to be stuck in the storming stage then the work is well worth it!  With working groups it is important to make sure that the group doesn’t revert back to the beginning stages where they were focussing too much on avoiding conflict at the expense of creativity.  This is the stage when your cabin group feels fun to be with, and is a relief after the emotionally and physically draining storming stage.

This stage also touches on the positive role conflict can play in a group setting when the negative aspects of it can be channelled effectively.  Barker et al (2001) talk about the advantages of conflict.  Conflict can improve the quality of decisions made by ensuring that lots of different viewpoints are aired.  Conflict can also stimulate involvement in the group: group apathy is a problem, but it can be countered by excitement – even if the excitement is anger-based at least it has got people’s heart rates up!  Finally, conflict can build cohesion when the group is able to successfully resolve the disagreement.  It is important to note though, that for conflict to lead to positive outcomes, the conflict must be overcome, which is why it is critical that group members are taught these skills.  Using conflict resolution skills successfully leads to the difference in group dynamics between the storming and norming stages.

Performing

The performing stage is characterised by a sense of pride in the group, and interdependence between group members.  Everyone feels that they can rely on each other and there is a strong sense of trust.  At this point, the group knows each other well enough to be competent in decision-making and working towards common goals without unnecessary conflict.  Oppositional viewpoints are accepted so long as they are channelled in a way that the group finds to be acceptable.  At this stage, supervision of the group is unusually participative as the group tends to be creative and capable enough to make most of the decisions.

The interdependence aspect of this stage brings both strength and vulnerability with it.  A group functioning interdependently tends to be much more effective and resilient, and the members of the group feel much more supported.  The systems approach to groups demonstrates that the group system is made up of integrated elements all of which impact one another.  This means that if something changes somewhere in the system, this change will eventually impact all other aspects of the system.  This can have both positive and negative consequences: if someone in the group is making a conscious effort to be unbeat and enthusiastic despite feeling tired this will positively impact the group as a whole, however, if a member of the group is in a bad mood and snapping at everyone they come into contact with, the negativity will quickly infiltrate the entire group.

Adjourning

As the end of the session or summer approaches, campers and staff can feel a sense of loss.  Sometimes there may be a premature sense of disengagement, especially if any member of the group leaves early.  This is why we try to avoid this at all costs by strongly discouraging parents taking their children home with them on visitors’ day.  A challenge for the group leader at this point is to try and make sure the group maintains its sense of identity and cohesiveness.  To enable group members to move through all the developmental stages of the group process, it is important for the group leader to make sure that group members recognise their accomplishments and achievements during their time as a part of the group.    

Even the most effective teams will revert back to earlier stages of group processes under certain circumstances, and many teams that are in place for prolonged periods of time will go through many cycles to deal with different situations.  A change in leadership, for example, will alter the dynamics of the group and may lead to the group re-entering the storming phase to adjust to this change.

Another issue I have been thinking about, although not much seems to be written about it, is the implications of having groups made up of some members who know one another, and others who are completely new to the group.  This is virtually always the case at camp with campers and staff members.  A fairly frequently occurring challenge at camp is trying to avoid pre-existing friendships developing into unhealthy cliques.  From what I have read, the input of the group leader during the forming stage is imperative to forming solid foundations for a healthy group, and making sure that the successive stages in group development can be successfully encountered.  Jim Cain has lots of really great ‘team building’ activities that are well suited to all the different stages to aid progress.

I hope that this article, which touches on some of the interesting discussions centring on group processes and dynamics, has captured your interest.  I definitely think that a greater understanding of group processes can help us develop more cohesive cabin groups, staff groups, peer groups, etc.  If you have any books, articles or websites about group processes you think others may find interesting, or have any comments, please feel free to add them below!

References and Suggestions for Further Reading:

Barker, Larry, L; Wahlers, Kathy, J.; and Watson, Kittie, W. (2001) Groups in Process: An Introduction to Small Group Communication, 6^th Edition, Allyn and Bacon: Toronto.

Cain, Jim and Jolliff, Barry (1997) Teamwork and Teamplay, Kendall Hunt Publishing Co.

Cain, Jim and Smith, Tom (2002) The Book on Racoon Circles, Learning Unlimited Corp.

Tuckman, B.W. (1965) ‘Developmental Sequence in Small Groups’ in Psychological Bulletin, Number 63: 384-399.

Tuckman, B.W. and Jensen, M. (1977) ‘Stages of Small Group Development Revisited’ in Group and Organizational Studies, Number 2: 419-427.

www.teamworkandteamplay.com – Jim Cain’s website contains downloadable activities and resources in addition to other interesting information.