Students of the Dutch bachelor’s programme, see Groepsdynamica
Entry requirements
Students are strongly advised to first follow the first-year (propaedeuse) course in Social and Organisational Psychology.
Description
The course focuses on analysing group phenomena – such as group cohesion, group and sub-group formation, conformity, influence, leadership, joint activities, decision-making and intra- and intergroup conflicts – from the perspective of different theories of group dynamics. The focus lies not only on acquiring knowledge and understanding of different theoretical approaches, but also on how to apply these and develop good writing skills.
Course objectives
At the end of the course:
Students can recognize and identify general theories in the field of group dynamics, as well as of the methodological foundations the discipline.
For their future career, students can conceptualize problems and offer solutions based on knowledge from the field of group dynamics.
Students can design a simple research study in order to assess their theoretical analyses and recommendations (proposed interventions).
Students can clearly formulate and structure their evidence-informed analyses and recommendations (see above) in writing for colleagues in the field and a wider audience (including potential clients).
Students can recognize and identify the group dynamic aspects of project-based collaboration in teams.
Timetable
For the timetable of this course please refer to MyTimetable
Registration
Education
Students must register themselves for all course components (lectures, tutorials and practicals) they wish to follow. You can register up to 5 days prior to the start of the course.
Exams
You must register for each exam in My Studymap at least 10 days before the exam date. Don’t forget! For more information, see the enrolment procedure.
You cannot take an exam without a valid registration in My Studymap.
Carefully read all information about the procedures and deadlines for registering for courses and exams.
Students who take this course as part of a LDE minor or a premaster programme, exchange students and external guest students will be informed by the education administration about the current registration procedure.
Mode of instruction
Lectures: in 7 lectures, different theories of group dynamics are explained and applied to everyday group phenomena. The written assignments that students produce at different times during the course (in pairs) are also the subject of plenary discussions in the lectures. The lectures also pay attention to ethics in group dynamic research.
Two written assignments, which are available via Brightspace, must be completed during the course: in these students apply theoretical insights to group phenomena, as described in William Golding’s (1954) novel Lord of the Flies. This should lead to a concrete recommendation on how to solve these real-life or fictional problems. The analyses and recommendation should be clearly formulated, for colleagues and a wider public. In order to help the students master the above skills, these assignments focus on the following: formulating causal models in which theoretical analyses of particular group problems culminate in specific recommendations for group dynamic interventions; clearly formulating analyses and recommendations for colleagues and a wider public.; and developing simple designs to assess the value of the students’ own analyses and/or recommendation, and designing a simple study to assess the value of the students’ own analyses and/or recommendations.
Assessment method
Knowledge and understanding are being assessed by the exam.
Application of knowledge and understanding is assessed in the two written assignments, in which writing skills (the ability to clearly formulate analyses and recommendations in wording that can be understood by colleagues and a wider audience) are also assessed. In one of the written assignments, skills in developing a simple research designs are assessed. When the aggregate grade for the written assignments falls below 5.50, one of the two written assignments may be re-submitted as a resit. Since all pairs of student received elaborate collective as well as individual feedback on the assignments, the maximum grade for the re-submitted assignment is Satisfactory (6.0).
The examination counts for 60% of the final mark. The mark for the two written assignments counts for 40% of the final mark.
The Institute of Psychology uses fixed rules for grade calculation. It also follows the policy of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences to systematically check student papers for plagiarism with the help of software. All students are required to take and pass the Scientific Integrity Test with a score of 100% in order to learn about the practice of integrity in scientific writing. Students are given access to the quiz via a module on Brightspace. Disciplinary measures will be taken when fraud is detected. Students are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of these two policies.
Reading list
Forsyth, D.R. (2019) Group dynamics. Cengage Learning, Chapter 1, 2, and 16 not included. An alternative for this printed study book is the e-book with extra digital materials offered by the authors of this book. Available via MindTap on www.cengage.com
Golding, W. (1954). Lord of the Flies. Faber & Faber (or a later English edition or Dutch translation, for example by Uitgeverij Athenaeum – Polak & Van Gennep, Amsterdam).
Assignments, timetable and regulations, available via Brightspace.
Contact information
Dr. Anouk van der Weiden, a.van.der.weiden@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
Dr. Arjaan Wit Wit@fsw.leidenuniv.nl