role differentiation

in groups and other social systems, the gradual increase in the number of roles and the decrease in their scope that tends to occur over time as each role becomes more specialized. For example, in many cases the leadership role divides, over time, into two: the task leader role and the relationship leader role. See coleadership.

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Psychology term of the day

May 8th 2024

ontogeny

n. the biological origin and development of an individual organism from fertilization of the egg cell until death. Also called ontogenesis. Compare phylogeny. See also recapitulation theory. —ontogenetic adj.