The purpose of the present study was to determine whether cohesion served to mediate the relationship between fitness leader behavior and an exerciser's affective state. The participants were 151 adults (115 females and 36 males) enrolled in various physical activity programs. Following one of their exercise classes, each participant completed a questionnaire that assessed fitness leader behaviors (commitment to service quality, interpersonal interaction, and task interaction), cohesion (individual attractions to the group-task and -social, group integration-task and social), and affect (positive affect, negative affect, fatigue, tranquility). Two specific mediation relationships were found: (a) Individual attractions to the group-task served to mediate the relationship between fitness leader behavior of task interaction and positive affect, and (b) individual attractions to the group-task served to mediate the relationship between exercise leader behavior of task interaction and negative affect. Based on the results, it would appear important that fitness leaders strive to develop more cohesive exercise classes through the use of team-building activities.

The present study focused on the examination of four group norms (communication, support, effort, and attendance) in an exercise setting. The purpose of the investigation was twofold: (a) to examine, through the determination of group consensus and strength, whether group norms were present in an exercise setting and (b) to assess the relationship between perceptions of group norms and task cohesion. Participants were sixty exercisers (M-age = 22.33 yrs.) who had been randomly assigned to 13 exercise groups (n = 4 or 5). All exercisers participated in a run/walk program and completed measures of exercise group norms and cohesion. Preliminary supportive evidence for the presence of group norms in the exercise domain was obtained. In addition, normative expectations were found to be related to both task cohesion dimensions (Individual Attractions to the Group-Task and Group Integration-Task). Specific findings are discussed and the need for further examination of group norms in different exercise situations is suggested.

The purpose of the study was to determine if perceptions of cohesion in exercise classes demonstrated sufficiently high consensus and between-group variance to support a conclusion that exercise classes are groups. Participants (N = 1,700) in 130classes were tested on either the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) or the Physical Activity Group Environment Questionnaire (PAGEQ). Results showed that exercise classes satisfied the statistical criteria necessary to support a conclusion that they are true groups; that is, they exhibited acceptable levels of consensus about cohesion within classes and acceptable differences in cohesion between classes. In addition, index-of-agreement values were significantly greater for participants completing the PAGEQ than for participants completing the GEQ. Finally, consensus was greatest when participants evaluated how the exercise class satisfied their own personal task needs (i.e., individual attractions to the group-task), and second greatest when participants evaluated the collective unity around the task objectives (i.e., group integration-task).

Objective: To examine the potential moderating influence of team norms on the cohesion-self-reported performance relationship.Design: Hierarchical linear modeling was used to (1) assess the individual- and group-level variability in self-reported performance, and (2) predict the variability in self-reported performance using three group-level predictors: cohesion, norms, interaction between cohesion and norms.Method: The sample-298 athletes (112 male, 186 female) from 24 university and club level interactive and coactive sport teams-completed the Team Norm Questionnaire, the Group Environment Questionnaire, and Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale in relation to competitions, practices, and the off-season training.Results: Athletes on teams perceived to have stronger norms for social interactions and higher team social cohesion (i.e. group integration-social (GIS)) reported the best performance. Contrary to the hypothesis, the poorest self-reported performance was reported by athletes on teams characterized by perceptions of lower social cohesion and a stronger norm for social interaction. Task-related norms and task cohesion were not related to self-reported performance.Conclusions: The interrelationship among team cohesion, team norms, and performance is complex and warrants further investigation. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ABRAMS, DOMINIC, see Hogg, M. A. AKIBA, DAISUKE, and FAYNEESE MILLER, “The Expression of Cultural Sensitivity in the Presence of African Americans: An Analysis of Motives,” 623. ALAVI, SEYYED BABAK, and JOHN MCCORMICK, “Theoretical and Measurement Issues for Studies of Collective Orientation in Team Contexts,” 111. ANCONA, DEBORAH C., see Wittenbaum, G. M. ARMSTRONG, STEVEN J., see Priola, V. ARROW, HOLLY, MARSHALL SCOTT POOLE, KELLY BOUAS HENRY, SUSAN WHEELAN, and RICHARD MORELAND, “Time, Change, and Development: The Temporal Perspective on Groups,” 73. ARROW, HOLLY, see Katz, N. BARGAL, DAVID, “Structure and Process in Reconciliation-Transformation Workshops: Encounters Between Israeli and Palestinian Youth,” 596. BRAWLEY, LAWRENCE R., see Carron, A. V. BRAY, STEVEN R., “Collective Efficacy, Group Goals, and Group Performance of a Muscular Endurance Task” [research note], 230. BRAY, STEVEN R., see Carron, A. V. BROERS, NICK J., see Strijbos, J.W. CARRON, ALBERT V., LAWRENCE R. BRAWLEY, STEVEN R. BRAY, MARK A. EYS, KIM D. DORSCH, PAUL A. ESTABROOKS, CRAIG R. HALL, JAMES HARDY, HEATHER HAUSENBLAS, RALPH MADISON, DAVID PASKEVICH, MICHELLE M. PATTERSON, HARRY PRAPAVESSIS, KEVIN S. SPINK, and PETER C. TERRY, “Using Consensus as a Criterion for Groupness: Implications for the Cohesion-Group Success Relationship,” 466. CHALIP, LAURENCE, see Whiteoak, J. W.

Group norms are agreed standards describing behaviours that should and should not be performed in a prescribed context. The purpose of this study was to examine, in the context of volunteer sport executive committees, the types and relative strength of perceived committee norms. A further purpose was to explore the influence of individual and group factors on those norms, and the relationship between perceived norms and individual behaviour. Volunteer sport executive committee members (N = 121) completed a questionnaire that measured perceptions of committee norms, various individual (position, tenure) and group (size, gender and tenure composition) variables, and individual behaviour (attendance, effort, intention to stay with the committee). Committee norms that reflect members′ expectations about how to treat each other (social norms) and how to work together (task norms) were perceived to be very strong. Only committee size explained any variation in perceived committee norms, where three norms were perceived to be stronger by members of large versus medium-size committees. Committee norms were mildly associated with member attendance and effort. The findings suggest there are strong expectations, with very little variation, for member behaviour in volunteer sport executive committees. However, those group expectations have only a modest influence on the individual behaviours examined here.

This study's primary purpose was to examine the degree to which individual perceptions of cohesiveness reflect shared beliefs in sport teams. The secondary purposes were to examine how the type of cohesion, the task interactive nature of the group, and the absolute level of cohesion relate to the index of agreement. Teams (n = 192 containing 2,107 athletes) were tested on the Group Environment Questionnaire. Index of agreement values were greater for the group integration (GI) manifestations of cohesiveness (GI-task, rwg(j) = .721; GI-social,rwg(j) = .694) than for the individual attractions to the group (ATG) manifestations (ATG-task, rwg(j) = .621; ATG-social, rwg(j) = .563). No differences were found for interactive versus coactive/independent sport teams. A positive relationship was observed between the absolute level of cohesiveness and the index of agreement. Results were discussed in terms of their implication for the aggregation of individual perceptions of cohesion to represent the group construct.