Do groups enhance or impair performance?

 Do groups enhance or impair performance?

Introduction:

Does the thought of a “group project” send shivers down your spine?  If so, you aren’t alone.  Many students prefer working alone to working in a group.  But before you dismiss the benefits of working together, let’s explore what the research says about whether groups enhance, or impair, performance.

This assignment fulfills/Supports:

• Module Outcome: 1
• Course Outcome: 1, 2
• General Education Competencies: 1, 3, 5

The Assignment:

For this Discussion Board, complete the following steps:

Step 1:

1. Using the FTCC Library (either in-person or online), explore scholarly research on the following concepts:
   1. The social facilitation effect
   2. Social loafing
   3. Deindividuation
   4. Group polarization
   5. Groupthink

Step 2:

In your initial post, thoroughly discuss the following:

1. Based on your research, choose at least two of the concepts listed above and discuss how they could IMPAIR performance on a group task (identify a group task/activity and apply your discussion to that task).  Here’s an example: Social loafing is a common occurrence in academic group work.  When students are assigned a group project, there may be one or more social loafers in the group who do not complete their “fair share” of the work.  This happens because people who are part of a group feel slightly less responsible for the outcome and therefore don’t work as hard as they https://perfectwriterblog.com/education-homework-help/do-groups-enhance-or-impair-performance/ would if they were completing a project alone.  When this happens, other group members pick up the slack left by the social loafers.  Ultimately, this can impair group performance because…(explain how social loafing impairs group performance using the information from your research and your textbook). Remember- group work doesn’t always occur in an academic setting.  We work together in groups at our jobs, in our homes, and in social settings.
2. Next, discuss at least two ways that working in a group can ENHANCE performance on the same task you identified above.
3. Your discussion must be based on information from the scholarly sources you found through the FTCC Library.  However, you may add anecdotal information from your own life to justify your position.

Citing Sources:   You must use APA style to reference your source(s) at the end of your submission.  For this assignment, you must include reference information for your textbook and any articles or publications you use.  Information on how to format reference information (including a reference generator) in APA style can be found on the Purdue Online Writing Lab website at https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html (opens in a new window).

Acceptable Length: 300-500 word initial post; 2-3 sentence responses to at least two classmates.

Formatting Requirements:

• Use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font
• Use double line spacing in the document
• 1-inch margins all around

Grading criteria: For full points you must fully comply with each component of the Discussion Board Rubric.

Specifications: Post your initial response to the questions early in the assignment period so that others have time to respond to you. *NOTE*: You must submit your initial post before you will be able to view the posts of other students.  This prevents students from simply re-wording the posts of classmates.

To Submit: When you are ready to make your initial post, click on the “Module 2 Discussion Board” link above.  You will not see any other posts.  Click on “Create Thread” to type and post your initial post.  Once your initial post is submitted, you will be able to read and reply to your classmates’ posts.