ABSTRACT
In May 1948 a follow-up investigation was begun with the control group. Its aim was to discover whether the introduction of group activities would bring about improvements in individual status and group cohesion comparable to those which had been observed in the experimental group. It was realised that many factors must have contributed to the social development of Group E—factors such as the influence of the form mistress, social experiences outside the English lesson (in the laboratory, in the gymnasium, on the playing field), and the particular social configurations and personality patterns within the group itself—and that it could not be assumed that the group method was wholly responsible for these changes. Moreover, the construction of sociograms for nine forms in the school at the time when the new canteen arrangements were introduced (in January 1948) had shown that Group C was exceptional in having such a large proportion of isolates, and this discovery, it was felt, to some extent invalidated the group as a control in the experiment. If, however, this high proportion of isolates were reduced after a term of group activities, and the triangle and chain relationships became more inclusive, it might then be claimed that the experimental method had proved socially beneficial to two different classroom groups and might be expected to prove so with other children of this age-group.
