Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Group weariness and group negativism: Emerging attitudes in working life? Report on a project in progress.

Jern, Stefan LU (2007) The Xth European Congress of Psychology
Abstract
Primary aim of project: to examine if Group Weariness (GW) exists, a concept defined as a n e g a t i v e a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s w o r k i n g i n g r o u p s b a s e d o n p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e s o f t h e w o r k i n g f o r m, and the meaning and consequences of the phenomenon. Secondary aim: to explore differences between those who experience GW and those who do not.



In the projects first part a factor analyzed questionnaire was developed to identify the attitude of GW, its relation to group and organizational variables and its psychosocial consequences. The study was conducted on 120 educationalists and headmasters at 4 different schools in Sweden. All statistics are non-parametric.

... (More)
Primary aim of project: to examine if Group Weariness (GW) exists, a concept defined as a n e g a t i v e a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s w o r k i n g i n g r o u p s b a s e d o n p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e s o f t h e w o r k i n g f o r m, and the meaning and consequences of the phenomenon. Secondary aim: to explore differences between those who experience GW and those who do not.



In the projects first part a factor analyzed questionnaire was developed to identify the attitude of GW, its relation to group and organizational variables and its psychosocial consequences. The study was conducted on 120 educationalists and headmasters at 4 different schools in Sweden. All statistics are non-parametric.



Results indicate: 1/ that the definition of group fatigue can be verified. Individuals exist who experience GW; 2/ the subjects experience pressure to work in groups; 3/ high pressure correlates with more frequent work in groups against the subject’s preferences; 4/ individuals who experience GW find the expectations demanding, while individuals who do not, interpret them as stimulating; 5/ a relation exists between negative psychosocial effects and negative attitudes towards working in groups; 6/ differences in psychosocial effects between individuals who experience GW and those who do not are not significant.



In a second study 65 persons in geriatric care and in psychiatry were studied with an improved questionnaire. Main results indicate: 1/ that GW is a reaction by the individual towards the working group and the organization; 2/ individuals experiencing GW dissociate themselves from groups, if possible, as a kind of self-preservation; 3/ a new attitude, group negativism, was differentiated from GW; 4/ a difference in attributing style between individuals experiencing GW and those who do not was identified.



In-depth interview studies exploring the subjective experience of GW and its consequences for psychosocial wellbeing are in preparation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Group Negativism, social psychology, Group Weariness, group, attribution, Grouop Fatigue, psychosocial stress, small group, attitude, team
conference name
The Xth European Congress of Psychology
conference dates
2007-07-03 - 2007-07-08
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
67e1a027-e299-4f7a-95d7-3956b1d82bc7 (old id 809660)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 14:36:09
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:21:15
@misc{67e1a027-e299-4f7a-95d7-3956b1d82bc7,
  abstract     = {{Primary aim of project: to examine if Group Weariness (GW) exists, a concept defined as a n e g a t i v e a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s w o r k i n g i n g r o u p s b a s e d o n p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e s o f t h e w o r k i n g f o r m, and the meaning and consequences of the phenomenon. Secondary aim: to explore differences between those who experience GW and those who do not.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
In the projects first part a factor analyzed questionnaire was developed to identify the attitude of GW, its relation to group and organizational variables and its psychosocial consequences. The study was conducted on 120 educationalists and headmasters at 4 different schools in Sweden. All statistics are non-parametric.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Results indicate: 1/ that the definition of group fatigue can be verified. Individuals exist who experience GW; 2/ the subjects experience pressure to work in groups; 3/ high pressure correlates with more frequent work in groups against the subject’s preferences; 4/ individuals who experience GW find the expectations demanding, while individuals who do not, interpret them as stimulating; 5/ a relation exists between negative psychosocial effects and negative attitudes towards working in groups; 6/ differences in psychosocial effects between individuals who experience GW and those who do not are not significant. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
In a second study 65 persons in geriatric care and in psychiatry were studied with an improved questionnaire. Main results indicate: 1/ that GW is a reaction by the individual towards the working group and the organization; 2/ individuals experiencing GW dissociate themselves from groups, if possible, as a kind of self-preservation; 3/ a new attitude, group negativism, was differentiated from GW; 4/ a difference in attributing style between individuals experiencing GW and those who do not was identified. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
In-depth interview studies exploring the subjective experience of GW and its consequences for psychosocial wellbeing are in preparation.}},
  author       = {{Jern, Stefan}},
  keywords     = {{Group Negativism; social psychology; Group Weariness; group; attribution; Grouop Fatigue; psychosocial stress; small group; attitude; team}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Group weariness and group negativism: Emerging attitudes in working life? Report on a project in progress.}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}