The Science and Practice of Groups and Teams

Groups, and the ways in which they function, are of fundamental importance to human life. This engaging textbook offers a comprehensive introduction to group processes for students across the social sciences. Covering topics such as social influence, leadership, creativity, and intergroup relations, this book blends foundational work with up-to-date research to help students navigate the key theories and principles in a wide variety of contexts. Designed with teaching and learning in mind, each chapter features an outline, a chapter summary, review and discussion questions, and suggested multimedia and further reading resources. Recurring box features provide opportunities for deeper engagement with the issues raised. With an interdisciplinary focus throughout, this textbook is an ideal resource for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, as well as courses in business, communication, and related fields.

Table of Contents:
Part I: 1. Introduction to groups and teams: themes, theory, and research methods; 2. Groups and teams: forms and functions; Part II: 3. Social influence in groups and teams; 4. Power and status in groups and teams; 5. Leadership in groups and teams; Part III: 6. Group decision-making; 7. Group performance; 8. Group creativity and innovation; 9. Intragroup conflict; Part IV: 10. Intergroup conflict; 11. Intergroup conflict and prejudice reduction; 12. Collective action and group extremism; 13. Culture and groups.

About the Author :
Jared B. Kenworthy is Lewis Hollweg Endowed Professor of Industrial–Organizational Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he has taught social psychology and group processes for nearly two decades. His research focuses on group dynamics, intergroup relations, creativity, and social networks, and he has published over 75 peer-reviewed publications, chapters, and books. He has held research appointments at the University of Oxford and received sustained external funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Defense. Prof. Kenworthy is an active member of INGRoup and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), where his work bridges theory, data, and real-world group challenges. Paul B. Paulus has been affiliated with the University of Texas at Arlington for more than five decades, where he served as Chair of the Department of Psychology and Dean of the College of Science. He is now Distinguished University Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus. He has authored or edited multiple books on group processes, creativity, and human relations. He has also published over 160 journal articles and book chapters, primarily on group and creative processes. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Experimental Social Psychology.