IDENTIFYING OBSTACLES TO SMALL-GROUP DEMOCRACY

This pair of studies examines some of the obstacles groups encounter in their attempts to practice small group democracy. Through a critical case study, a number of problems are identified, including excessive meeting length, unequal involvement in the group, unequal commitment to group goals, cliques and ''miniconsensus,'' differences in communication skills and styles, and protracted interpersonal conflicts. The second study tests the external validity of the first study's findings, suggesting that these obstacles may, indeed, be common and formidable barriers to small group democracy.