¶ … Rise and Fall of Peoples Temple From a Group Dynamics Perspective
The paper will cover the concept of group dynamics by analyzing power, status, role, and authority with an aim to establish what was actually happening to the individuals who joined the Peoples Temple. Following Jim Jones as their leader will also be analyzed in an attempt to understand why they were willing to follow him to the grave. This paper will attempt to answer the question that most people have when they hear or remember the events that took place in Guyana. This topic is vital because it allows us to have a concrete understanding of how groups form, and how they are influenced, which would explain some of the events that have taken place in the past relating to groups and their followers.
The Peoples Temple was a religious movement that was founded by Jim Jones in 1955 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Peoples Temple was used by its founder to spread messages that had a combination of social politics and Christianity elements, which mainly emphasized on racial equality. The events of November 18, 1978, where 909 Americans died in a mass murder/suicide at the Peoples Temple remote settlement in Guyana is what is best known about Jim Jones. In order for one to understand what led people to participate in the mass suicide, one has to analyze the organization from a group dynamics perspective. The psychological processes and system of behaviors that occur within a social group is what is referred to as group dynamics (Coleman, 2013). Studying group dynamics would allow us to better understand the decision-making behavior within groups. Group dynamics is concerned with how groups form, how they function, and their structure and process. Group dynamics can be used for both formal and informal groups of any type. There are various concepts that come into play when analyzing groups from a group dynamics perspective. The concepts of power, status, role, and authority will be used to explain and analyze the Peoples Temple. These concepts will better explain the different aspects that led individuals to leave their families and join the Peoples Temple. Following a single individual and doing as he commands will be better understood when one has a clear grasp of the four concepts. The events that took place at Guyana can be described by many as unacceptable and brainwashing, but looking at the event from the power, status, role, and authority one can be able to understand the kind of effect that a group leader can have on his followers.
B. Thesis Statement
This paper will attempt to explain what was happening using the four concepts of power, status, role, and authority in order to create a better understanding of how Jim Jones managed to lead such a huge group. The paper will demonstrate the effects of power in individuals and how if not checked it could lead to disaster. We intend to show how a simple group can grow and have loyal followers willing to do whatever the leader ask of them without question. The Peoples Temple group will be analyzed to determine the reason for them joining the group in the first place.
The paper will sequential and will begin with the synopsis of the documentary, the definition of the four concepts in relation to the Peoples Temple, the application and analysis of the concepts with examples from the documentary, and finally...
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Group dynamics in such an environment produce psychological and energy changes "fuelled by the underlying forces of motivation and anxiety"(Tyson, p.47). Stacey (1998) maintains that study of group dynamics in an educational setting is important because group interaction is seen as a "interaction is a "critical variable in learning and cognitive development" (1990 p.43 in Stacey, 1998, p.77) specifically in the "socio-emotional variables of group interaction, including motivation, satisfaction and
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Yet the film ends on an optimistic, even triumphant note, with the raised hand of Bender symbolizing victory over the stereotypes subject to which the characters began the film. Conclusion The film "The Breakfast Club" contains myriad examples of group dynamics at play. Doing a close reading of the film was valuable in that it provided insight into how narratives can be shaped by psychological principles. In dissecting the actions of
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