Here, the group is an aggregation of people in a face – to – face situation
For optimum impact:
• Group size should not be <6 or > 12 including
• One group leader who:
– initiates the subject discussion
– Helps proper progress of the discussion
– Prevents side – conversation
– Everyone to participate
– Sums up the discussion
• One recorder, a person to record whatever is discussed
– The recorder prepares a report on the issues discussed and agreements reached
• Participants sit in a circle, each is fully visible to others
• The members should observe the following rules:
– Express ideas clearly and concisely
– Listen to what others say
– Do not interrupt when others are speaking
– Make only relevant remarks
– Accept criticism gracefully and
– Help to reach conclusions
• GD is successful if the members know each other beforehand
• After a well conducted GD:
– The group may arrive at decisions which no individual member would have able to make alone
• Advantages:
– Very effective method of health communication
– Very effective in reaching decisions
– The decisions tend to adopted more readily as the group acceptance has a binding effect
• Limitations:
– The shy may not participate in the discussion
– Some may dominate the discussion
– Some members may deviate from the subject and render the GD irrelevant
• The leader should guide so as to minimize these limitations
Reference:
Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23rd ed
Channels of communication: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/channels-communication
Barriers of communication: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/barriers-communication
Types of communication: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/types-communication
Methods of communication: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/methods-communication
Methods of communication - Individual level approach: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/individual-level-approach-methods-communica...
Methods of communication- lecture (chalk and talk): http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/methods-communication-chalk-and-talk-lectur...
Methods of communication- demonstration: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/demonstrations
Group Discussion: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/group-discussion
Panel Discussion: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/panel-discussion
Delphi method: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/delphi-method
Work shop: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/workshop
Role-play: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/role-playing-socio-%E2%80%93-drama
Conference: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/conferences-and-seminars
Methods of Communication - Mass Approach: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/methods-communication-mass-approach
Flannel graph: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/flannel-graph
Flip chart: http://www.ihatepsm.com/blog/flip-%E2%80%93-charts