A Study of Human Relations Training Groups

Abstract

Five human relations training groups were studied using a theoretical model developed by Andrews (1978, p. 86) to assess group leaders' styles and to predict outcomes. Participants'gains were assessed from changes in self-esteem (self-ideal discrepancy reduction) and social sensitivity (self-other discrepancy reduction) over the course of the group. Participants also responded to a questionnaire about the most significant learning that occurred for them during the group. The results showed two distinct types of group experience: One involved leaders who used more interpersonal interventions. Members gave each other more feedback and showed more gains on the sensitivity measures and less on the self-esteem measure. They also reported more "critical incidents "having to do with increased awareness of how others viewed them and tended to be more critical of the experience. The other type involved leaders with a more interpersonal style, with members giving each other little feedback. Here, members showed more gains on the self-esteem measure and none on the social sensitivity measures.