How is group-as-a-whole behaviour experienced by the individual in working groups in organisational contexts?

The research on which this dissertation is based was conducted in two steps. In an in-depth literature review, various approaches to group-as-a-whole phenomena from psychoanalytical and non-psychoanalytical perspectives were identified and described. The second step comprised interviews with six participants in working groups in organisations. Interpretation of their reported experiences revealed group-as-a-whole behaviour patterns, which can be made visible with a model that differentiates between task-oriented and non-task-oriented behaviour and between active and passive behaviour. Use of the psycho-social perspective showed that it is not only the researcher who is in contact with a number of anxieties around groups; this phenomenon affects other group participants as well. The usual defence mechanisms are keeping one’s distance and trying to control the group.