1st Edition
Group Communication An Advanced Introduction
In this comprehensive, advanced introduction to group communication, the field’s leading experts summarize theory, methodological advancements, and current research in the field.
This book follows a coherent structure specifying clear objectives and evidence-based practical implications for the management of groups. Each chapter provides case study examples highlighting the role of communication for group functioning. The textbook takes a particular look at recent advancements in the research on virtual teams, the role of technology in group communication, and issues of diversity and inclusion, considering group communication in various situations including health and organizational contexts. It features theory-driven descriptions, an emphasis on empirical findings, and reflections on research methods.
The book is an integrative and coherent textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate group communication classes and a useful reference for students, scholars, and group communication professionals across different disciplines including communication studies, psychology, life sciences, business administration, management, and engineering.
Online resources include a sample course syllabus, discussion questions, lecture slides, and a test-bank. They are available at www.routledge.com/9781032114712
About the Editors
About the Contributors
1. Introduction: The Role of Communication in Group Scholarship
Torsten Reimer, Ernest S. Park, and Joseph A. Bonito
Part I: Foundations of Group Communication
2. The Importance of Groups
Ernest S. Park
3. Group Communication Theories: Guidelines for Their Application
Torsten Reimer, Christopher Roland, and Jeonghyun Oh
4. Researching Small Discussion Groups
Joseph A. Bonito
5. The Use of Technology in Groups
Emily A. Paskewitz and Mark E. Willoughby
Part II: Components and Processes of Group Communication
6. Characteristics of Successful Groups and Teams
Randy Y. Hirokawa
7. Groups as Systems
Andrew Pilny and Julius Riles
8. Diversity in Groups
Poppy L. McLeod and Y. Connie Yuan
9. Leading Groups and Teams
Stacey L. Connaughton, Nicholas B. Lacy, and Kayla J. Gerdes
10. Managing Conflict Within Groups
Laura W. Black, Jennifer Woody Collins, and Rizvan Saeed
11. Relational Communication in Groups
Joann Keyton and Stephenson J. Beck
12. Language and Social Influence
Lyn M. van Swol, Chen-Ting Chang, and Runzhi Mary Lu
13. Participation and Information Sharing
Gwen Wittenbaum and Joseph A. Bonito
14. Transactive Memory Systems and Learning
Leila Bighash and Michael Farzinpour
15. Group Decision Making
Torsten Reimer, Nathanael Johnson, and Juan Pablo Loaiza Ramirez
16. Creativity and Innovation in Groups
Roni Reiter-Palmon and Payge Japp
17. Social Networks and Groups
Seungyoon Lee and Bailey C. Benedict
Part III: Contexts of Group Communication
18. Groups in Organizations
Johny T. Garner
19. Function of Groups Within Society
Justin Reedy and Elizabeth H. Hurst
20. Online Communities and Big Data
Jeremy Foote and Sohyeon Hwang
21. Groups in Health Contexts: Online Health Communities
Stephen A. Rains
22. Groups in Medicine
Franziska Tschan et al.
23. Communication in Sports Teams
Jonas Akpetou and Philip Furley
24. Communication in Human-AI Teaming
Wen Duan, Nathan McNeese, and Rui Zhang
Glossary
Index
Biography
Torsten Reimer is a Professor of Communication and Psychology and Director of the Communication and Cognition Lab at Purdue University, USA.
Ernest S. Park is a social psychologist and an Associate Professor at Grand Valley State University, USA.
Joseph A. Bonito is a Professor of Communication at the University of Arizona, USA.
“Group Communication is an exceptional text, organized and targeted for use in seminars. It includes an extraordinary collection of chapters that describe the theory, research and methods of group communication. The chapters are authored by known and renowned scholars who offer unique perspectives on the modern landscape of group communication.”
Verlin B. Hinsz, Ph. D., Dale Hogoboom Presidential Professor of Psychology, North Dakota State University, USA.
"Great textbooks motivate readers to dive headfirst into a sea of knowledge. Group Communication: An Advanced Introduction does so by treating students as peers with their professors. Readers will learn the complexity of member diversity, virtual teams, group research, so much more. Jump right in.”
John Gastil, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Public Policy and Political Science, Penn State University, USA.
