Find over 25,000 psychological definitions


equilibrium model of group development

in general, any conceptual analysis that assumes that the processes contributing to group development fluctuate around, but regularly return to, a resting point where opposing forces are balanced or held in check. For example, U.S. social psychologist Robert Freed Bales (1916–2004) suggested that groups vary over time in the extent to which they stress the accomplishment of group tasks relative to the improvement of interpersonal relationships among group members.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

September 17th 2024

buffering

buffering

n.

1. the protection against stressful experiences that is afforded by an individual’s social support.

2. in industrial and organizational theory, any practice by which an organization protects its operations from environmental uncertainty, for example, by accruing excess inventory to provide a safety margin. —buffer vb.