ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with what happens in groups, and how this can be influenced by programme. It discusses the concept of programme, and the general considerations and questions which arise; the natural process of groups and the stages of development which they may follow; the range of activities available for programme planning, and some of their possible uses; and finally, some indications of programme technique which can be used to help manage problematic situations, including scapegoating and 'stuck groups'. Psychodrama is one of several drama-based techniques which use live enactment of personal or social experiences. Sociodrama works on similar principles to psychodrama, but the focus is on a context of social interaction rather than on an individual's personal 'problem'. A group is a dynamic interacting system in which each individual's role and behaviour is in varying degrees a function of the group-as-a-whole and of group process as well as an individual characteristic.
