Name of Institution

T Group or Sensitivity Training or Laboratory Training

History
The origins of sensitivity training can be traced as far back as 1914, when J.L. Moreno created "psychodrama," a forerunner of the group encounter (and sensitivity-training) movement. This concept was expanded on later by Kurt Lewin, a gestalt psychologist from central Europe, who is credited with organizing and leading the first T-group (training group) in 1946.

Name of Institution

Introduction

Name of Institution

The most commonly used Organizational Development intervention is sensitivity training. It is called laboratory training as it is conducted by creating an experimental laboratory situation in which employees are brought together, in groups, to interact in an unstructured environment.

The members are encouraged to interact with new members and new individual behaviors.

Name of Institution

Designed to provide members with experiential learning about group dynamics, leadership and interpersonal relationships. Its basic aim is to change the standards attitudes and behavior of individual using psychological techniques and programs.

Involves group confession where the individuals problems become the problems of the group which in turn tries to find the solution.

Definition

Name of Institution

Sensitivity training or T-group training means development of awareness and sensitivity to behavioral patterns of oneself and others. It is a learning laboratory; it focuses on learning how to learn; and it distinctively does so via a 'here-and-now' emphasis on immediate ideas, feelings, and reactions." - Robert T. Golembiewski

Objectives

Name of Institution

To help its members learn how groups actually work. To help people understand themselves better. To create better understanding of others. To gain insight into the group process. To develop specific behavioral skills. To give each member of the group a chance to discover how other people interpret and are affected by his own behavior.

Goals Of Sensitivity Training:

Name of Institution

To have intense experiences leading to life-changing insights, at least during the training itself and briefly afterwards. Teaching more effective work practices within groups and with other people, Focus on three important elements: immediate feedback, hereand-now orientation, and group process. Make people aware of themselves, how their actions affect others, and how others affect them in turn. Focus on being sensitive to and aware of the feelings and attitudes of others. Customize training experiences to meet the needs of specific companies.

Process of Sensitivity Training

Name of Institution

Unfreezing the old values It requires that the trainees become aware of the inadequacy of the old values. This can be done when the trainee faces dilemma in which his old values is not able to provide proper guidance. Development of new values The reasoning of the feedbacks are discussed which motivates trainees to experiment with range of new behaviors and values. Refreezing the new ones This step depends upon how much opportunity the trainees get to practice their new behaviors and values at their work place.

Process of Sensitivity Training

Name of Institution

Pattern of sensitivity training

Name of Institution

Cummings and Worley 1997 has suggested a pattern how sensitivity training is conducted is given below: Consists of 10-15 trainees previously unknown to each other. Initially the trainer briefs about his or her role or some ground rules and then lapses into silence.

The leadership role and the agenda of the session is not mentioned clearly, Resultantly, a dilemma of leadership and agenda is generated and the T-Group has to work towards the end filling the void left by the lack of a leader role or group objectives.

Pattern of sensitivity training:

Name of Institution

As the group discussion progresses the individual members try out different behaviors and roles, some are acceptable and successful and some are not. During this process the trainer intervenes and comments about the group activities. The group members are encouraged to understand their own feelings and behavior and the impact of the behavior of themselves and others. At the end of the session individual members are able to generate and nurture openness mutual trusts and support among group members.

Benefits

Name of Institution

Increased self-awareness and sensitivity. Enhanced ability to interpret accurately the emotional or noncognitive bases of interpersonal communication. Increased insight into the process that facilitates or inhibits group functioning and intergroup interactions. Higher level of skill to diagnose group interpersonal and intergroup situations. Increased skills to act and/or intervene in group situation with a view to increasing members satisfaction , effectiveness or output. Ability to analyses continually ones own behavior with a view to achieving more effective and satisfactory relationships.

Limitations

Name of Institution

There is no proof that the managers who have been to laboratory do their jobs better than before. It may cause psychological harms to some people. It is alleged to be an invasion of privacy and damaging a trainee emotionally.

It is difficult to predict the outcome of training for a particular individual.

Name of Institution

There is a fundamental conflict between the values taught at a laboratory and the values inherent in the structure of the business. It is of little practical use. It may badly hurt the emotional feelings of trainee.

Name of Institution