ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on small-group processes, because this is where most of the social psychological research on groups centers. L.A. Zurcher's friendly poker-playing group fits the definition of a group and nicely illustrates aspects of group structure. A group's structure is like the bone structure of a human, binding it together as a unified whole. Typically, a group's structure includes features such as norms, roles, and status. One of the major contributions of social psychologists to the study of group processes is the theoretical work of Richard Moreland and John Levine on group socialization. Group socialization describes how an individual and group negotiate their relationship from the time that an individual considers joining the group to the point that the individual leaves the group. For the past two decades, some of the most fascinating research in social psychology has been conducted by Kipling Williams on social ostracism. Social ostracism occurs when one is ignored or excluded by a group.
