Week 2, Post 2: Phase Space

*3). Pick one concept from the reading assignment this week (Ch.2) that you found interesting or useful and discuss it. Please discuss a concept that has not already been discussed this week so far.

While in this chapter the concept of what's called "phase space" is just in the beginning stages of being explained (looking forward to reading the more in-depth on this subject in ch. 4!) I still found this concept to be interesting all the same. It was interesting to read of the different stages/phases in small group communication, which are listed as: Introduction/forming, Conflict/storming, Emergence/norming, and Production/performing. With the introduction stage the group is getting to know each other, learning each other's names, etc. It's interesting that right after this stage comes the conflict stages, which is "nicknamed" so brutally-sounding "storming." I see the introduction stage as everyone in the group being polite, since they are just meeting each other, and yet it's funny that the next stage is conflict, where I picture the group members arguing and having difference of opinions.
However, as the book hints, conflict is a very necessary stage of small group communication yet I think a lot of people try to avoid conflict of any kind especially in new situations. For example, in small groups I've been in a lot of times the members will all agree on someone else's opinion/statement just to be polite and not wanting to go against them. I know this happened to me in one of my classes. Myself and this other early-twenties guy were teamed up with two older ladies for this group project and this sort of took the reigns and took over themselves. Myself and this other gentlemen were hesitant in giving our opinions and input since they were older than us, more experienced, etc. To close, I'll offer one of the book's quotes: "Out of the knowledge of their different perspectives, conflict often emerges and can lead to a greater understanding on which the group can predicate its productive decision-making and problem-solving processes" (P. 38).