You are going to read an extract from a magazine article about psychology. Five paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-F the one which fits each gap (36- 40). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.
Unless you're a loner, you're probably a member of many different groups. Some are long lasting, like your family, while others, such as a football crowd, are temporary. Every group functions in different ways but there are still some common psychological features to any group.
(36) __________
Being part of a group changes the way you behave. The presence of others has a generally arousing effect on the nervous system. This is natural-you don't know what they will do. They may move about, speak to you, or even attack you, and your brain has to pay attention to all these messages. Having others around is just distracting. It divides your attention, so you can't focus on the task in hand.
(37) __________
But when it comes to complex tasks, the prospect of not being evaluated may free you from anxiety, so encouraging you to perform better. To test this, psychologists asked volunteers to carry out a complex computer task in separate rooms. Some were told performance would be evaluated individually - causing performance anxiety - while others were told the results would be averaged with the rest of the group. As expected, the second group did better than the first.
(38) __________
The problem becomes even worse when individuals are disguised with war paint or uniforms. Analysis shows that the more people there are in a mob, the greater the antisocial behaviour. Being 'submerged' within a group does have many negative connotations but it's not always a bad thing. Instead of thinking about a rowdy mob, think of relaxing, dancing and enjoying yourself at a party where you are also just a part of the crowd.
(39) __________
But surprisingly, research has shown that the use of this technique by groups isn't that effective in either the number or quality of ideas generated. You get better results if you set people to work individually on a problem. We also tend to assume that decisions made by groups are better than those made by individuals, which is why we form committees.
(40) __________
But any group can get a decision badly wrong because their thought processes can go awry. This is a process psychologists call 'groupthink'. A close-knit group of advisers isolated from argument and criticism can grow to believe they can do no wrong. The group then becomes more important than the individuals who are part of it. Further, a leadership style which concentrates on the group rather than the individual can contribute to this.
For a group and its behaviour are shaped by who is in charge and the roles the other members play. A good front man or woman is persuasive, not directive, communicates and speaks clearly, listens well and appeals to group members' emotions and feelings as well as thoughts and ideas. Many, but not all, leaders show dominance in the group. But the dominant person in the group doesn't always make the best leader, and it isn't necessarily true that having the smartest people always makes for the most successful group.
A. This lack of individual accountability may lead to people letting go of their inhibitions - a process known as 'deindividuation'. Sometimes this is dangerous, releasing violent and impulsive behaviours that individuals would never dream of indulging in alone.
B. They have a need for power, characterised by talking a lot, wanting to be listened to and to make decisions. In a group it can be easy to spot the dominant people. They make eye contact, point and even touch people but don't encourage return gestures. Such behaviour studies have been key in shaping business organisation.
C. For example, in general, humans are social animals, that's why we get together in groups in the first place. Important elements of our individual identity come from being part of a group. Most people enjoy being in a group - it's a way of forming emotionally satisfying relationships.
D. But it has to be a carefully selected team, not a randomly generated group, if creative decisions are to be made. In fact, theory on team building has shown that it is better if people work in small teams of complementary pairs. Big teams don't get anything done, even though people like them.
E. So, how does all this stimulation affect achievement? It has been argued that people do better on simple well-rehearsed activities when they're with others than when they are alone. Also, if their individual efforts within the group are not being monitored, there's a tendency to relax and merge into the crowd.
F. Another positive feature of groups is that they generate ideas and opinions, and use these to make decisions. That's why the modern trend in teaching is for students to work in small groups to prepare presentations and why brainstorming is so popular in the work context.
(36) __________
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