Groups as Systems. Zajonc states, Synergy can take either a physical or a mental form. The physical presence of others is often arousing, so more work is accomplished. Even ants work harder when there is more than one of them on the job (Henman, n.d., p.2). In the mental sense, synergy forms when a type of collective intelligence and shared memory begin to develop as the group matures.
Reflect on a group experience where you noticed this shift to synergy with your group. (Some ideas: at a human services agency where you work, a different occupation, serving on a committee, a group in college, etc.) Describe this experience as vividly as possible, with plenty of detail and analysis of as many group members (in regards to their contributions to attaining synergy) that you can recall.
Reference
Henman, L. (n.d.). Groups as systems [PDF file]. Retrieved from
