Defining Group Cohesiveness

Abstract

Cohesiveness remains a critical group-level variable, and while it may seem unnecessary to suggest that investigators should link their nominal definition of this construct with its operationalization, few researchers make this important connection. Group cohesiveness has proven to be astonishingly difficult to define precisely and consistently. Perhaps as a consequence, many contemporary researchers leave this construct undefined. Many others rely on classic definitions of cohesiveness developed during the 1950s, without necessarily being aware of the confusion and inconsistencies embodied in these definitions. Greater focus on the definitional issue should improve the quality of future research.

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