definitional group com

Tim Borchers of Moorhead State University defines a small group as a group with at least and no more then 15 members where, "members must be able to communicate freely and openly with all of the other members of the group. Groups will develop norms about discussion and groups members will develop roles which will affect the group's interactions. A group must have a common purpose or goal and they must work together to achieve that goal. The goal brings the group together and holds it together through conflict and tension." (http://www.abacon.com/commstudies/groups/definition.html). 

Tubbs & Moss discusses four different types of groups: social or casual groups, learning or educational groups, work groups, and self-directed groups. To begin, a casual or social group consists of people with whom we socialize, such as, family, friends, neighbors, fraternity and sororities. These relationships can be short-lived, but also the foundation for how we indirectly communicate our identification to others. Furthermore, members of a learning or education group come together to learn something about a given subject. This kind of group can extend outside of the classroom; Tubbs and Moss give examples of a Quarterback Club and Film groups. It has been suggested that these groups are "'enlightenment groups,' in which members may attempt to solve problems but have no authority implement their decisions" (Tubbs & Moss 387). Next, a work group consists of individuals who may have little in common other than their job because they come together with specific goals to achieve, mostly in a work environment. The fourth type of small group is the self-directed work team: "a group of employees who have day-to-day responsibility for managing themselves and the work they do with a minimum of direct supervision (Tubbs & Moss 388). Undoubtedly, any type of interaction we have with more than one other person and less than 15 other people, the communication can typically fall under one of these small group categories.