26.1: Group Dynamics in Sport
- Page ID
- 112142
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Groups are widespread throughout life and group memberships strongly influence individuals (Forsyth, 2018). Humans are innately social beings and seek out group memberships for various reasons, including fulfilling an embedded human need to belong, accessing social networks, or even enjoying activities like sport (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Groups are so important that we experience psychological benefits when we belong to groups. Simply the act of identifying with a group (i.e., belonging to one or more social groups that are important for one’s sense of self)delivers a sense of meaning and purpose to people (Haslam et al., 2009).
The pervasiveness and importance of groups translate to sport settings, to the extent that groups often characterize the experience of sport. Next time you attend or watch a sport event, observe the many types of groups that are evident. At a competitive youth soccer (football) game, for instance, athletes form separate teams that compete against one another, parents cluster together to the side of the pitch, and officials work collectively as a small group. We reinforce these groups by creating barriers to become a member (e.g., fee to be involved, tryouts), and then we bind members through special colors and team names, as well as by constructing norms that lay out what is expected from members. In many of these cases, individuals with different personalities and characteristics come together to form a group, develop a collective identity, and collate their efforts to achieve shared goals.
Sport is an especially rich environment to study group dynamics because teams and clubs possess many of the characteristics required for defining a collective as a group. Forsyth (2018) defined groups as collections of “two or more individuals who are connected by and within social relationships” (p. 3) and discussed several characteristics that underlie groups. According to Forsyth, group members:
- Share instrumental goals (e.g., winning a competition).
- Constantly interact with one another. In sport, athletes often stay together as a team and interact with one another throughout a season or across years.
- Depend on one another for task achievements. In sport, members often rely on one another to perform.
- Are embedded within a social structure that consists of norms and roles.
- Collectively identify as a distinct entity from other groups.
Because these characteristics are apparent in many of the groups that emerge in sport, it is evident that: (a) considering group-related aspects is important for understanding and enhancing individuals’ sport experiences, and (b) sport can be a powerful setting to learn about groups in ways that translate to other settings like workplace, classrooms, and health promotion interventions. The following sections explore some fundamental concepts and how they have helped advance our understanding of sport groups. Then, some of the key considerations pertaining to developing effective groups will be provided, including practical suggestions that can help enhance groups.