"The only book that integrates all important small group communication topics into a single comprehensive conceptual model, this text pioneered the systems approach for the group communication course. Each chapter begins with a brief preview, followed by a glossary of terms and a real life case...

We model individual identification choice as a strategic group formation problem. When choosing a social group to identify with, individuals appreciate high social status and a group stereotype to which they have a small social distance. A group's social status and stereotype are shaped by the...