The Psychology of Groups
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Researchers in group psychology and group psychotherapy rarely consider each other’s work, despite their clear areas of common interest. This book demonstrates how these separate but related lines of research can be used to inform and enrich each other.
Led by two past presidents of APA’s Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy, this book features expert contributors who examine the interface between social or organizational research on groups and clinical research, as well as the application of findings in each area.
They reveal that different kinds of groups are far more similar than they are different, and illustrate how group psychology as a line of inquiry and practice benefits from improved dialogue among its domains.
For example, there is growing literature on how individual personality factors such as attachment can affect group processes and outcomes in group psychotherapy. Similarly, research on expectations of social inclusion and ostracism in groups has a long history in social psychology, and there is great potential for these areas of inquiry to inform future research in both clinical and social contexts.
The book will inspire greater collaboration among researchers.
Preface
- A Review of Research Synergies (and Lack Thereof) Between Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy
Craig D. Parks
- Inclusion, Exclusion, and Group Psychotherapy: The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Approach
Eric D. Wesselmann and Leandra Parris - Composition and Compilation: A Selective Review and Applications to Therapy Groups
Michael R. Baumann and James C. Deller - Principles of Cooperation: Implications for Group Psychotherapy
Craig D. Park - Social Influence Theory and Research: Implications for Group Psychotherapy
Donelson R. Forsyth - The New Psychology of Leadership: Informing Clinical Practice
Michael J. Platow, S. Alexander Haslam, Stephen D. Reicher, Diana M. Grace, Tegan Cruwys - Group Influences in Sport and Exercise Settings: Applications to Therapy Groups
Kevin S. Spink
II. Group Psychotherapy Research: Implications for Group Psychology
- Attachment and Group Psychotherapy: Applications to Work Groups and Teams
Giorgio A. Tasca and Hilary Maxwell - Group Cohesion: Empirical Evidence from Group Psychotherapy For Those Studying Other Areas of Group Work
Cheri L. Marmarosh and Amy Sproul - Mutual Influence in Group Psychotherapy: A Review and Application to Group Psychology
D. Martin Kivlighan and Rayna C. Narvaez - Forgiveness and Group Therapy: Current Research and Implications for Group Psychology Research and Practice
Nathaniel G. Wade and Meredith V. Tittler - Group Therapy Development: Implications for Non-Therapy Groups
John S. Ogrodniczuk, Joanna Cheek, and David Kealy - Change Processes of Interpersonal Functioning in Group Therapy: Implications for Team Functioning
Martyn Whittingham
Craig Parks, PhD, is vice provost for system innovation and policy and professor of psychology at Washington State University. He is a former president of APA Division 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy) and former editor of Group Dynamics.
His areas of expertise are human cooperation and group decision making, with a particular interest in the roles of personal traits, social comparison, and information processing in cooperative choice.
He lives in Pullman, Washington.
Giorgio A. Tasca, PhD, is a full-time professor in the School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada, and director of the Psychotherapy Practice Research Network. He is past president of APA Division 49 (Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy), an APA fellow, and editor of Group Dynamics.
Dr. Tasca teaches at l’universita degli studi di Bergamo, and is scientific director of la Scuola Psicoterapia Integrata in Bergamo, Italy. He conducted several randomized controlled trials of group psychotherapy and published on advanced statistical modeling for group research.
He lives in Ottawa, Canada.
Visit his profile pageopens in new window and follow @giorgiotasca.

