Procedure 1. Form into groups of four or five members. In each group spend a few minutes reflecting on members’ typical entry behaviors in new situations and their behaviors when they are in comfortable settings.

2. According to the instructor’s directions, students count off to form new groups of four or five members each.

3. The new groups spend the next 15–20 minutes getting to know each other. There is no right or wrong way to proceed, but all members should become more aware of their entry behaviors. They should act in ways that can help them realize a goal of achieving comfortable behaviors with their group.

4. Students review what has occurred in the new groups, giving specific attention to the following questions:

1. What topics did your group discuss (content)? Did these topics involve the “here and now” or were they focused on “there and then”?

2. What approach did you and your group members take to the task (process)? Did you try to initiate or follow? How? Did you ask questions? Listen? Respond to others? Did you bring up topics?

3. Were you more concerned with how you came across or with how others came across to you? Did you play it safe? Were you open? Did you share things even though it seemed uncomfortable or risky? How was humor used in your group?

Did it add or detract?

4. How do you feel about the approach you took or the behaviors you exhibited?

Was this hard or easy? Did others respond the way you had anticipated? Is there some behavior you would like to do more of, do better, or do less of?

5. Were your behaviors the ones you had intended (goals)?

5. Responses to these questions are next discussed by the class as a whole. (Note:

Responses will tend to be mixed within a group, but between groups there should be more similarity.) This discussion helps individuals become aware of and understand their entry behaviors.

6. Optional individuals have identified their entry behaviors; each group can then spend 5–10 minutes discussing members’ perceptions of each other:

1. What behaviors did they like or find particularly useful? What did they dislike?

2. What were your reactions to others? What ways did they intend to come across?
Did you see others in the way they had intended to come across?
(Alternatively, if there is concern about the personal nature of this discussion, ask the groups to discuss what they liked/didn’t like without referring to specific individuals.)