12 Angry Men Essay

Group Dynamics and Group Stages
Rebecca A. Thrush
Group Counseling Theories and Techniques
Lamar University

Group Dynamics and Group Stages The 1957 film, 12 Angry Men, illustrates the process of group communication. After viewing this film, I decided to analyze these dynamics with the stages provided by Tuckman and Jenson (1977). This film clarifies the positives, as well as the negatives, of the stages of team growth and group development. The stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning, are eloquently performed in a way in which to identify and understand naturally.
Forming
The forming stage represents a time where the group is just starting to assemble and is characterized with anxiety and vagueness. …show more content…
I chose to categorize the roles of the group members by labeling them as either facilitators/builders, maintainers, or blockers. Facilitators/builders in a group are the information and opinion seekers, the coordinators, and the initiators of action. This role adds to the functioning of the group in a positive and constructive way. The jurors I felt were facilitators were the foreman (juror 1), Davis (juror 8), the stock broker (juror 4), the man from the slums (juror 5), the house painter (juror 6), and McCardle (juror 9). Each of these men sought to gain information, or initiated action with their thoughts and theories. They did not remain stagnant and chose to create change. Maintainers are encouragers, commentators and followers. They contribute to the general well-being of the group. I believe that the banker (juror 2), the watchmaker (juror 11), and the indecisive advertiser (juror 12), are the maintainers of this group. These members stayed neutrally positive, attempted to stray from any true conflict, and tried to remain “people pleasers” throughout the film. Lastly, the blockers are dominators, self-righteous, and aggressive (Gladding, 2012). The angry man (juror 3) and the bigot (juror 10) were particularly easy to identify for this role. Juror 7 was sarcastic and careless throughout the movie. His inability to support the progress of the group labels him a …show more content…
A sense of community is established and the group remains focused on the group's purpose and goal. Members are flexible, interdependent and begin to trust each other. According to a document on Florida State University’s website, “Members are willing to change their preconceived ideas or opinions on the basis of facts presented by other members, and they actively ask questions of one another” (n.d.). Leadership is shared, and members are willing to begin resolving conflicts. I believe that this stage began when juror 10 lost control and exposed his extreme prejudice and lasted just over ten minutes. This was the moment in the film when the group began performing more like a team. A crucial piece of this stage was the information being brought to light that the woman must have worn and needed glasses but chose not to wear them to court. The older juror explains that the woman could not have been wearing her glasses to see the crime. All but one juror joins in the excitement that this is proof that her testimony is false. Other than the display of disapproval towards the bigot, this is the group’s first encouraging and supportive performance

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