Creating Cohesive Group Interventions

Groups are comprised of individuals. Every individual is different, has a different personality, attitudes, values, experiences, and way of dealing with people. No two people perceive or react to life in exactly the same way. Even identical twins react to the world differently (Segal, 1999). Situational influences are constantly changing. The individual person lies at the center of this constant flow of influence.

Individuals structure and interpret the world in which they live through their perceptions. Regardless of whether these perceptions are correct or incorrect, they become the perceived reality of the individual (Rogers, 1951).

When we join a group, we bring our entire field of experience with us. We bring our perceptions, misperceptions, attitudes, fears, values, social experiences, and feelings. It is by evaluating our feelings that we make decisions (Damasio, 1994). Therefore, to understand individual differences, we must understand the individual’s self-image or perceived view of self. From our perception of self we form our projected image. It is this projected image that we bring with us when we join a new group; who we want to be or who we want others to think we are is called our projected image.