The Title : Group Beliefs
A Conception for Analyzing Group Structure, Processes and Behavior
The Author : Daniel Bar-Tal
Publisher : 1990 by Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Danie Bar-Tal, the author, began to write the book "Group Beliefs : A Conception for Analyzing Group Structure, Processes and Behavior" in January 1985 when Yaacov Trope from the Hebrew University of Jerussalem called and asked him to give a colloquium about his work in Political Psychology. It cause him to try to integrate these separate ideas into one coherent framework. It was then that he began to use the term group believers.
From the present perspective, his first proposal was not successful. But the next opportunity to come up with a better conception of group beliefs came with the help of Jeff Rubin, who agreed to include his presentation about it in the international society of political psychology (ISPP) program for the 1986 meeting in Amsterdam after working on the manuscript for several months, he sent the draft of the paper for review. The critical reactions came quickly, and three months before the meeting, the presentation was still disjointed. Then, the paper was quickly written and presented at the ISPP meeting. He began a period of collecting material, expanding ideas and forming new ones. After through some revision in write this book, finally, the staff of Springer-Verlag deserves special thanks for encouraging him to write the book.
The author, write the book which its title is "Group Beliefs : A Conception for Analyzing Group Structure, Processes and Behavior" after through some revision of his framework. It began when Yaacov Trope called and asked him to give colloquium about his work in political psychology. It he tries to integrate these separate ideas into one coherent framework. It was then that he began to use the term group beliefs. He consider that by this work, the topic about group beliefs will be interest for the reader.
In this book, Group Beliefs, the author present book attempts to call attention to cognitive products of a s group characteristics. Specifically, it introduces a new concept of group beliefs that accounts for the fact that group members share beliefs and consider some of them as defining their groupness. Moreover, it suggests that the proposed conception of group beliefs sheds a new light on the structure and processes of groups. That is, the conceptual framework presented here can be used not only as a description of group characteristics, but also in the analysis of changes that a group may go through.
The author, can appear his creation clearly explanation. He explain clearly about Beliefs, such as Nature of Beliefs, Historical Perspective on Shared Beliefs, formation and maintenance of group beliefs, Group Beliefs and Group change etc. He Also give summary in every sub title, in order to give understanding to the reader.
This book infite the readers to learn and understanding about beliefs. Beliefs that are known to be shared by group members as individuals and for the group as a whole. Specifically, these beliefs may contribute to the explanation of the behavioral direction that the group takes, the influence that group members exert on the coordination of group members with certain attitudes. First of all, however, shared beliefs have the distinctive potential for determining the boundaries of the group. Thus, it is suggested that in the same way that understanding an individual attitudes and behavior requires knowledge of their personal beliefs, understanding a group's structure, attitudes, and behaviors requires a cognizance of the group's beliefs. The book begins with the discussion of beliefs, including their epistemological foundation, definition, and characteristics in chapter 1. In chapter 2, reviews various past attempts to deal with the cognitive group products. It focuses on conceptions proposed at the end of the previous century and the beginning of the present one. Using this basis, the conception of group beliefs is presented in chapter 3. This chapter not only defines the concept and indicates ways to study it, but also discusses its implication for a group perspective. In chapter 4, subsequently, the contents of group beliefs are illustrated and characteristics of group beliefs are described.
Chapters 5 suggests that the formation and maintenance of groups is based, among other factors, on group beliefs. That is necessary condition for group formation and existence is the formulation and preservation of group beliefs. Chapter 6 analyzes group change such as group mergence, subgrouping, split, and disinteration as being underlain by the dynamics of group beliefs. Chapter 7 provides an example of group beliefs. The selected case illustrates group beliefs of a nation. The case discusses the delegitimizing beliefs of Germans about Jews during the Nazi era. It tries to demonstrate that group beliefs are a useful conceptual tool that can also explain large group's behaviors. In the last chapter (chapter 8), discusses the implications of the presented conception for the study of groups. In this discussion a special attempt is made to point out the contribution of the presented concept for social psychology in general. Finally, the post script suggest that the present framework may be useful in analyzing the group dynamics of scientists, as they produce scientific knowledge. In some respects, this part brings the volume full circle, since the first chapter outlines the philosophical basis of the present conception.
Beliefs, viewed as units of knowledge, are defined as propositions to which a person attributes at least a minimal degree of confidence. There are many characteristics of beliefs, but the ones that are of special importance for the present analysis are : confidence, centrality, interrelationship, and functionality. Confidence differentiates beliefs on the basis of truth attributed to them: centrality characterizes the extent of beliefs' are accessibility in individuals' repertoire and their use in various considerations that individuals make: interrelationship indicates the extent to which the belief is related to other beliefs: functionality differentiates beliefs on the basis of the focuses of social scientists, especially social psychologists, who have devoted much effort to studying acquisition and change of beliefs, their structure, their contents, and their effects mainly on individuals' affect and behavior. Sharing indicates neither that group beliefs are supernatural concepts nor that they exist outside of individuals. It merely means that group members hold the same beliefs due to similar experiences, exposure to common contents, and the influence of social processes. Group beliefs are imparted to new group members through conceptional socialization systems. But group members may at any time revise the group beliefs by adding, changing, or subtracting beliefs.
The concept of group beliefs as a framework for analyzing groups. Group members share group beliefs, are aware of this sharing, and believe that group beliefs define their "groupness". The fundamental group belief indicates that the group exists. Group beliefs can be of any content, since the numerous human groups differ in their experiences, composition, goals, structure, and environment in which they act. Indeed, the provided examples of group beliefs illustrate the variety of possible contents. Social scientists have used concepts to describe groups, but none of them corresponds to the proposed concept of group beliefs.
This book explain about the formation of the fundamental group belief is based on the social, perceptual, and cognitive processes in which individuals find out about the commonality among them and categorizes themselves as being group members. Group beliefs fulfill various needs of group members, and on their basis individuals may decide whether to form a group. Group members develop various ways of disseminating group beliefs in order to consolidate group existence.
There are many different ways to look upon the formation of groups and the transformations they go through. The present conception suggests looking at the cognitive products of group members as a framework for understanding group organization and change. Group members form group beliefs that serve as a uniting bond for their existence. Subsequently, these beliefs function as a prism through which it is possible to comprehend various dynamics of group changes.
The presented analysis of scientists' group beliefs indicates that their study is an important direction of emphasis in the sociology and philosophy of science. This focus may contribute not only to the understanding of how groups of scientists organize themselves and change, but also to how scientific ideas develop. Scientific ideas often serve as group beliefs and therefore their examination may shed light on why some ideas persist and others disappear.
This book describe to the reader by make a summary in every sub title in order to give understanding to them when they read it. So that, the summary can help them to study about group beliefs and its contents. The author, Daniel Bar-Tal try to explain to the reader about the contents of this book clearly. Such us when the author explain about change of group beliefs, he make an example to explain it. The example to explain it is Hostetler's written. He wrote:
The general influences of American culture, both material and non-material, gradually find their way into segments of the Amish. The methods used to keep the community in bounds, described earlier, are not 100 per cent effective in keeping the outside out. The following changes have occurred in one or more communities: Ball bearings have been adopted on carriage wheels. Dairy barns have been remodeled to conform to standards required for selling fluid milk. The young man have changed from black to brown shoes. Hair is cut shorter than the previous generation. Mothers have changed from cotton to nylon material for some woman's garments.
However the author make an example in every sub title, but sometime the example can not make the author understand what they have read. Because some example not clearly and it still abstract for the reader. For example when the author explain about contents of group beliefs. In this sub title, he make the following examples that provide illustrations of the diversity of contents. The American Sunbathing Society published the following principles, which can be considered as its group belies:
We believe in the essential wholesomeness of the human body, and all its function.
We endeavor to foster the desire to improve and perfect the body by natural living in the out-of-doors.
We believe the sunshine andfresh air in immediate contact with the entire body are basic factors in maintaining healthy bodies.
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