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Group as a Unit of Analysis

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Complex Human Dynamics

Part of the book series: Understanding Complex Systems ((UCS))

Abstract

A group can be viewed as an assembly of individual members but also as a collective entity with its own characteristics and dynamics. We argue that in order to understand connections between the individuals and the group-as-a-whole, one has to assume that groups are systems which can be analyzed at multiple, not just two levels. Below the level of the ‘group-as-a-whole’, there are many intermediate levels built one on top of one another. At each level of abstraction, a new organization emerges which has some causal power over the elements at lower levels. Higher level phenomena can be described as patterns built from elements at lower levels. In this chapter we review the existing theories that take a multilevel perspective on groups and conclude that this approach enables a well-founded empirical study of emergence of group as a collective entity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Stawki 5/7, Warsaw, 00-183, Poland

    Karolina Lisiecka

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  1. Karolina Lisiecka
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Correspondence to Karolina Lisiecka .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Stawki 5/7, Warsaw, 00183, Poland

    Andrzej Nowak

  2. Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Hum, Chodakowska Street 19/13, Warsaw, 03815, Poland

    Katarzyna Winkowska-Nowak

  3. Institute for Social Studies, University of Warsaw, Stawki 5/7, Warsaw, 00183, Poland

    David Brée

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Lisiecka, K. (2013). Group as a Unit of Analysis. In: Nowak, A., Winkowska-Nowak, K., Brée, D. (eds) Complex Human Dynamics. Understanding Complex Systems. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31436-0_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31436-0_12

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-31435-3

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