Robert K. Conyne

Effects of Direct Experience and Vicarious Experience on Group Therapeutic Attraction.

The focus of behavior change research has gradually been shifting away from concern with psychotherapy per se toward an awareness of it as but a special case of dyadic interpersonal influence within the context of a broad psychology of behavior change (Goldstein, Heller, and Sechrest, 1966; Krasner, 1962; Strupp and Bergin, 1969). In keeping with this trend, major attention has been placed on the variable, &dquo;psychotherapeutic attraction&dquo; (Cashdan, 1973; Goldstein, 1971). The dyad has, as a rule, been the unit of interest for investigators of psychotherapeutic attraction (Goldstein, 1971; Goldstein and Simonson, 1971). However, the continuing proliferation of small group approaches to behavioral intervention would seem to offer convincing justification for attention to nondyadic units, too. The

Facilitator- and Self-Directed Groups A Statement-by-Statement I nteraction Study

The labels &dquo;group explosion&dquo; (Hurst, Delworth, and Garriott, 1973) and &dquo;human potential movement&dquo; (Howard, 1970) have been used to describe the upsurge in the availability of group experiences in this country. The 1960s evidenced this dramatic emphasis on groups, with the advent of growth centers and national attention given to groups through the communications media. The 1970s have brought a continued but more subdued

A HIM-G Interaction Process Analysis Study of Facilitator--and Self-Directed Groups.

Research evidence of group experience process and outcome often raises questions related to practice. One such current issue focuses on the contribution of the group leader (trainer, facilitator) to process and outcome variables. Gibb ( 1971 ), in his research review of Human Relations training group effects, observes that trainer behavior can make an important difference in group effectiveness. The results of Lieberman, Yalom, and Miles’ (1973) comparative study of several types of encounter groups generally supports this observation as well. While research has tended to document the importance of the group leader, groups which function without predesignated leaders are being used with increased frequency. These leaderless groups have recently garnered increased attention (Bednar and Lawlis, 1971; Seligman and Desmond, 1973). Self-directed (SD) groups are a subcategory of leaderless groups. Many use programmed stimulus materials, such as tape recorded instructions, in lieu of a designated leader. Research on these groups has yielded somewhat contradictory results (e.g., Berzon and Solomon, 1964; Salzberg, 1967; Seligman and Sterne, 1969). When comparing SD groups with leader-led or facilitator-directed (FD) groups,