According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary online, "Group dynamics is the interacting forces within a small human group." (www.merriam-webster.com, 2000) It includes the sociological study of these forces. The term was first introduced in the U.S. by the German-American psychologist Kurt Lewin, who established the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1945. One of his findings was that group behavior affects many aspects of life. Group dynamics is concerned with the structure and functioning of groups and with the types of roles played by members. Roles are flexible and may change with changing goals or activities. "The study of group dynamics is important in order to understand and facilitate this movement so that it will be productive and beneficial to society." (Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1998) In the following paragraphs, information and examples is presented on how groups form, how they are motivated, and how they !
             can be classified into two distinct classifications.
             Groups are caused by various factors, but are broken up into two distinct categories, voluntary groups and involuntary groups. Each group has many separate categories that can be explored. However, the difference between voluntary and involuntary groups will be exploited first. Voluntary groups are those in which an individual chooses to become a part of such as: hobbies, political action, social consciousness, racial rights or special interest groups. People become members of these groups to feel accepted in society. Sometimes these groups cause hatred and conflict amongst other groups, yet members remain because they feel their cause is just. An example of one that exists is the special interest group on e-commerce (SIGecom). Specifically, it encourages research and advanced applications relating to electronic commerce and the sharing of new ideas and experiences. (www.acm.org, 2000) This grou...