ABSTRACT
An introduction to a book on groups or group behaviour could begin by claiming that interest in the topic is natural given the importance groups have in all aspects of work life and social life. Yet the preoccupation with group activities in training and education has not always been as pronounced as it may seem to us at the end of the 20th century. Interest has mainly been a feature of the last 50 years or so, and particularly since the 1960s. Knowing why is not only a question of curiosity, it helps us to make sense of the range of group activities currently available to teachers and trainers and the quite different reasons for using them.
