Transcript Social Fitness

Social Fitness in the Military
December 2009
Ian Coulter Ph.D.
Paul Lester Ph.D.
Definitions
When we apply the concept of
fitness (or health ) to a group we
are using the concept as a
metaphor. Clearly these are
characteristics of individuals.
Cohesion however is a group
characteristic.
Definitions: Cohesive Groups and
Social Cohesion
“Groups are socially cohesive
when group-level conditions
are producing positive
membership attitudes and
behaviors and when group
members’ interpersonal
interactions are operating to
maintain these group-level
conditions.
Thus, cohesive groups are
self-maintaining with respect
to the production of strong
membership attractions and
attachments.”
“Social cohesion refers to the
nature and quality of the
emotional bonds of
friendship, liking, caring, and
closeness among group
members. A group is socially
cohesive to the extent that its
members like each other,
prefer to spend their social
time together, enjoy each
other’s company, and feel
emotionally close to one
another.”
Definitions: Task Cohesion
“Task cohesion refers to the shared commitment
among members to achieving a goal that
requires the collective efforts of the group. A
group with high task cohesion is composed of
members who share a common goal and who
are motivated to coordinate their efforts as a
team to achieve that goal. Social cohesion
refers to whether the members like each other.”
Alternative Terms
Cohesion has been captured in a
variety of terms: stick together,
solidarity, harmony, commitment,
connectedness, “we-ness”, tightly
coupled, in-group, strong ties. Some
have conceptualized cohesion as the
field of forces that keep the
individuals in a group and others as
the resistance to disruptive forces.
Operationalized
“The construct
cohesiveness has
thus far proven to be
undefinable.”
legacy of
confusion”
Instrumental attractiveness
the degree to which they
liked the people
Intrinsic attractiveness the
degree to which they liked
the values of the group
“a
At the individual level the
way cohesion has been
measure is individual
attitudes towards the
group the individuals’
behaviors
Measurement Instruments



Mutual Stimulation and Effect (MSE)
Commitment to the Group (COMMIT)
Compatibility of the Group (COMPAT)
From the participant item analysis there are three
factors:
Positive Qualities (POS QUAL); Personal
Compatibility (PER COMPAT); Significance as a
Group Member (SIG).
From the leader items three factors:
Positive Qualities (POS QUAL); Dissatisfaction
With the Leaders Role (DISSAT); Personal
Compatibility (PER COMPAT)
Problems
1. Studies use varying
definitions
2. Studies use varying
measures
3. The results are
variable
4. Reducing cohesion to
an aggregate of
individual measures
1. Group cohesion over
vastly different
settings and subpopulations within the
settings. The active
combat unit clearly
has quite different
demands and needs
than a support unit
might.
2. Intervening variables
Results
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Task cohesion and social cohesion are two
distinct dimensions
Performance has been more highly correlated
with task cohesion
Conflict can be both positive and negative
Social cohesion might be more supportive for
the military personnel
Intervening variables between cohesion and
performance includes leadership, group norms
Cohesion is a multi-dimension variable
Dilemma
The challenge is whether priority should
be placed on the importance of cohesion
for productivity/effectiveness and/or
performance in which case the object
should be to develop task coherence. Or
should the focus be on the support of the
military personnel and social cohesion.
Strategy
Lack of
cohesion is
problematic
but too much
cohesion may
also be
problematic.