First of all, it’s necessary to define the term of cohesiveness. This term relates to the part of psychology which studies group dynamics and has the notion of special connection with exists within certain group of people which are united by some objective, general aim. Scientists assume that group cohesiveness depends in good measure on the ability and willingness of every individual to play his roles in such ways as to enable other individuals to play their own roles successfully. In short, much of the satisfaction that a person finds in belonging to a group is derived from his opportunities to play his role as one of its members.
Men all over the world are gathered in groups with different aims. We live in a society where one can’t live apart from other people therefore communication skills constitute the most important part of human’s everyday activities and his whole life. The way that individuals behave in groups is distinct in every case, and it defines the level of education, social development etc. Individuals participate in some group activities because there is no other way to perform these activities.
Here the term of motivation must also be mentioned. Individuals are motivated toward group belongingness, further, because it gratifies their need for social status, for recognition by others, especially by outsiders. Social status is a potent factor in the image which others form of us and in our image of ourselves.
According to the definition of Festinger, Schachter, and Back, cohesiveness is the attraction of the group to its members. We can often hear such words from the members of friendly groups as “We’ll always stick together”, “We feel comfortable together”, “We are a perfect match”. All these phrases are characteristic to the phenomenon of cohesiveness.
What happens when one enters certain group of people? Psychologists say that after entering the group, the individual does not behave as he pleases, and he does not satisfy his motives arbitrarily. The dominant norms of the group give him a standardized interpretation of his own experiences, and as long as he remains a part of the group, he adheres to the meanings which its norms provide.
Therefore, people in group act almost commonly, just as the main principles of group dictate. We can make a conclusion that higher cohesiveness in a group leads to higher group Productivity. But there is one only: ONLY if motivation of group members is high enough too. In other cases the productivity won’t be very high. Motivation is the main key to high productivity within the group.
