The study of group communication has never been more critical, as recent national and international events point to the fragility of group life. An emerging perspective, the bona fide group perspective, offers hope for improving group communication, for it recognizes that any group--a family, community group, expedition team, social support group, organizational work group, interorganizational collaboration, or international team--must be studied and understood within the multiple contexts in which it is embedded and that significantly affects who is considered to be part of a group, what occurs within that group, and how that group interacts with other groups.
In the second edition of his award-winning volume, editor Lawrence R. Frey showcases original research studies conducted on and about communication in bona fide groups, demonstrating the conceptual promise of the bona fide group perspective as realized in research practice. Divided into six sections, the chapters cover a wide range of new or relatively understudied groups--including youth community groups, Internet support groups, climbing expedition groups, families, neighborhoods, and school boards--and demonstrate the wealth of methodological approaches that can be used to study bona fide group communication--including survey methods, interviews, textual analysis, content analysis, participant observation, and discourse analysis.
Group Communication in Context: Studies of Bona Fide Groups, Second Edition shows that the bona fide group perspective has the power to transform our thinking about groups and group communication and, in time, the practices in which groups and group members engage. The volume is intended for use in group communication courses, as well as a reference for group scholars. It is also appropriate for classes in psychology, social work, counseling, sociology, anthropology, and related disciplines.
Industry Reviews
Praise for the first edition:
"The volume is scholarly and informative;...the articles make significant contributions to the study of small group communication....The studies...take communication practices seriously and serve as evidence of the centrality of communication action in group life....Readers unfamiliar with speech and communication as approaches to the study of group life may well discover a series of pleasant surprises in this work."
-Contemporary Psychology
Praise for the first edition:
"Frey...has artfully brought together case studies that illustrate actions and consequences that characterize communication within-and between-small groups....This is a 'must read' for professionals working with small groups."
-Public Relations Review
Praise for the first edition:
"Good balance is achieved among interest, substance, and methodology. The text will serve as a useful reader for college and graduate courses on group processes, from both a theoretical and a methodological point of view....Many chapters contain excellent theoretical discussions. The general reader will enjoy the range of natural groups taken from everyday life and the descriptions of their dynamics."
-Science Books & Films
"Overall, Frey's text engages the reader to want to know more about, or conduct one's own study, via the bona fide group perspective. The applicability of this text is useful for educators, medical practitioners, and corporate managers, among others, who are interested in understanding how the internal and external contexts impact and affect all facets of group decision-making. The text is also excellent for students, as it not only identifies the variety of small group contexts, but also demonstrates a variety and an equal balance of methodological approaches to studying group communication..."
-Communication Research Trends
