The Learning Potential of the Dominant Personality Within Small Intensive-Training Groups

In: Group & organization studies, Band 6, Heft 4, S. 456-468

Abstract

The author investigates the proposal that in an unstructured, small-group training situation, participants who have dominant behavioral characteristics learn more than do other members. Two such groups, with a total membership of thirteen, were studied. Personality tendencies were established by analyzing verbal behavior during the first three hours of participation. Leary's (1957) interpersonal-behavior model was used to define the behavioral categories. Two measures of learning level were used: the Problem Expression Scale, based on Roger's (1958) model of therapeutic learning, and group members' ratings of self and others. These measures confirmed the original proposal, and the findings are discussed in relation to the origins of small-group work.