ABSTRACT
The study of small groups has been part of experimental social psychology almost from its inception (Jones, 1998). Across this history, small groups researchers have primarily focused on the task activities of the groups they study, which was evidenced in some of the earliest studies on small groups. For example, Triplett (1898), who is often credited with conducting the first experiment in social psychology (and by extension, small groups), was concerned with demonstrating that working in groups enhanced individual performance. Lewin, Lippitt, and White’s (1939) classic studies also examined group productivity, but focused on the consequences of different leadership styles. Finally, Marjorie Shaw’s (1932) research comparing group and individual problem solving initiated an extensive inquiry into the factors that facilitate and inhibit group productivity. There were, however, some notable exceptions to the focus on task issues. LeBon (1895/1960) drew on the notion of a “mob mind” in describing the behavior of people in crowds, certainly not an aspect of task performance. Bales (1950) emphasized the importance of both task activities and social-emotional activities to group problem solving. Affective or emotional issues were central to a number of theories of group development, such as Tuck-man’s (1965) “storming” stage of group development. However, beginning in the 1960s, small group researchers began to turn away from affective processes even more strongly, as the cognitive revolution began to shape the field of social psychology.
