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Peer Groups: Expanding Our Study of Small Group Communication

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Clans, cliques, clubs, or classmates: Students of group communication should be encouraged to think critically about concepts to the groups that matter to them most—peers. Peer Groups is the first textbook to explore group communication dynamics with this vital group. Drawing on a combination of traditional and new theories, Dr. SunWolf uses an inviting writing style, shares the words and provocative thinking of real world group members, and draws on research from social psychology, communication, and group dynamics. This innovative book offers suggestions for critical thinking and new behaviors in students’ own peer groups and will inspire further exploration of small group dynamics.

  • Front Matter

  • Chapters
    • Chapter 1: Peer Group Lenses
    • Theoretical Lights That Illuminate Peer Group Dynamics
    • Symbolic-Interpretive Perspective
    • Social Comparison Theory
    • Structuration Theory
    • Decisional Regret Theory
    • Social Identity Perspective
    • Group Dialectical Perspective
    • The Bona Fide Group Perspective
    • Beyond Theories
    • Using Multiple Theoretical or Conceptual Lenses
    • Critical Thinking about Group Theories and Concepts
    • Chapter 2: Peer Groups in Childhood: Learning the Rules of Peer Play
    • Communication Processes in Early Childhood Peer Groups
    • Communicating Values about Group Rules in Early Childhood Peer Groups
    • Gender Differences in Childhood Groups
    • Strategies Children Use to Gain Entry to Playgroups
    • Leadership in Children's Playgroups
    • Silent Childhood Stresses
    • Tales of Peer Group Rejection
    • Conceptualizing Peer Group Interventions
    • Storytelling and Peer Modeling
    • Co-Constructing New Classroom Rules
    • New Theoretical Lenses
    • Critical Thinking about Children's Peer Groups
    • Chapter 3: Peer Groups in Adolescence: The Power of Rejection
    • Freaks, Geeks, Jocks, and Stars Communicating Group Values in the Culture of Adolescent Peer Groups
    • Strategies That Adolescents Use to Attempt to Gain Entry to Peer Groups
    • Bittersweet Peer Power
    • Adolescent Group Boundaries
    • Conceptualizing Peer Group Interventions
    • Behavioral Journalism
    • New Theoretical Lenses
    • Critical Thinking about Adolescent Peer Groups
    • Chapter 4: Peer Groups in Neighborhoods: Hoodies, Homies, and Gansta Girls
    • Homeboys and Hoods
    • Visual Peer Talk
    • Playing the Dozens
    • Gansta Girls
    • New Theoretical Lenses
    • Critical Thinking about Neighborhood Peer Groups
    • Chapter 5: Peer Groups That Super-Task: Hot Groups
    • Hot Groups
    • The Hot Group State of Mind
    • Fast, Focused, and Wide Open
    • Conductors, Patrons, and Keepers of the Flame
    • Standing in the Fire
    • When the Flame Fizzles
    • Embeddedness
    • Workin' from Can't to Can't
    • “They Just Wouldn't Take Our Picture!”
    • Symbolic Communication
    • “I Gotta Nickel, You Gotta Nickel”
    • “Today's Cowboy, Yesterday's Cowboy, Day-Before-Yesterday's Cowboy”
    • New Theoretical Lenses
    • Critical Thinking about Peer Groups That Super-Task
    • Chapter 6: Peer Groups as Decision Makers: Juries
    • Scene: Courthouse Jury Assembly Room
    • Historical Juries
    • Enacting Group Leadership
    • Structuring Member Communication
    • The Work of Jury Work
    • When Peers Disagree
    • Regret Among Peers
    • Conceptualizing Peer Group Interventions
    • New Theoretical Lenses
    • Critical Thinking about Juries and Decision-Making Peer Groups

  • Back Matter
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