Group Dynamics in BASE

[leroydb 0]

As stated by Wikipedia, "The term group dynamics implies that individual behaviours may differ depending on individuals' current or prospective connections to a sociological group."

How do you feel that group dynamics affects us as a whole? Obviously, they can be either positive or negative, but lets go deeper?

I feel that by looking at group dynamics and getting a better understanding of how how they affect us, we can help limit the affects of group dynamics in a negative manner and encourage the positive aspects among ourselves.

How can we accomplish this? Communication thru teaching and learning by increasing our interpersonal, problem solving, negotiating, and decision making skills. I feel all of these play a big role in the realization and accomplishment of this goal.

I ask for your thoughts on how we can use Group Dynamics in a positive manner to facilitate the development or progress of BASE as a whole.

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[Faber 0]

i think its a bad thing thats it

Perhaps as most of my jumps are solos i feel like this..

Dont get me wrong i love to meet other jumpers and jump whith them,but i hate what happens at example perrine were "you aint a real BASEjumper unless you completed in 50 jumps and made serval arials"(well might over dramaticed,but you are americans)
I think that people progress too hard as other do stuff then this new person also wants to..
People tends not to beabel to step back or climb down.. how do you trust a person who dont trust his own awardness?

But thats my feeling about it.. feel free to flame away if it make you(genneral) better it wont change my mind..

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[johnfulk 0]

Leroy, I think its up to people as a whole to come to the realization that everone has different characteristics. So you habg out with people that have characteristics that seem to be comfortable and compatable. Some people take longer to feel compatable with whiler others are an ionstant hit. My method in which to solve this problem is to give people a chance and see if their easy to deal with and cool. Then if someone doesnt like me id say fuck it, i dont need their arms or legs to get to an exit point. Everythings always gonna be good as long as you dont make a big deal out of anything.

[leroydb 0]

Quote

people progress too hard

Progression is an important part of Group Dynamics.

I ask you, what is progression defined as?

I think there is an important difference between progressing at a "natural" rate, versus someone who progresses just because they can. Now of course this is all subjective, but this is where having that self-awareness and being able to climb down comes into play.

I think that progress should not necessarily "be movement, as toward a goal or to advance,” but moreover looked at in the mindset of "development or growth" Basically this is to say not to advance because you have a goal in mind, but to advance because you are ready, and to add to that, you don’t necessarily have to progress. Some people are dead set on flat and stable jumps for their whole BASE-jumping career and there is NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

How easy this does sound, but yet we continue to see people advancing faster than they "should" or the generally accepted rate of advancement. Those people sometimes sure seem to think that their skill-set are above par and they are not under the norms. Sure some do progress faster than others and have a natural ability, but there is nothing natural about BASE. There is a reason that other wuffos don’t understand why we jump and do the things we do. It may feel natural, but understand that we all have a primordial fear built.

How does this apply to Group Dynamics? Progression is an important part of Group Dynamics, because it obviously has an impact upon it. If a person does not have the ability to properly self-assess ones self and his or her abilities, they may fall victim to their own actions.

I finish this post as follows: Ultimately to jump or not is their decision, but as a group (the BASE Jumping community) I think we should help take care of our own but utilizing positive Group Dynamic aspects. We can’t necessarily control those people, but we can do our best to give them the information, in conjunction with
positive Group Dynamic aspects to give them the best chance for success<--(generally speaking)

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[stitch 0]

Quote

***

I finish this post as follows: Ultimately to jump or not is their decision, but as a group (the BASE Jumping community) I think we should help take care of our own but utilizing positive Group Dynamic aspects. We can’t necessarily control those people, but we can do our best to give them the information, in conjunction with
positive Group Dynamic aspects to give them the best chance for success<--(generally speaking)

Good example; See #63 on the list.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[leroydb 0]

Further:
What I am trying to convey is that collectively we can use group dynamics, the cohort effect (the particular impact of a group bonded by time or common life experience), and peer pressure in a positive way to help those jumpers who advance before they are truly ready to perhaps take a step back and reevaluate.

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[hollyhjb 0]

I don't know if this is what you're going for, but on a recent trip, my friends and I were somewhat disappointed at the lack of jumpers. There was about 75% less jumpers than I had seen there at the same time last year.
It was pretty windy while we were there, and one day, when the winds were calming down, I turned to a friend and said, "I'm pretty glad there isn't as many people here as usual. There is something to be said for the mob mentality. I know that if so many people were here it would be more likely one person would decide, 'Hell, I'm jumping' and get the whole group going."
About 30 minutes later a group of people arrived, looked at the landing area, and talked to us about how the winds had been earlier that day.
One jumper decided, Hell, I'm jumping, and that's all it took for all of us to grab our gear. The winds at this time were not bad, just slightly questionable. Enough that if it was a solo, I don't many of us would have gone. Yet, all the jumps were uneventful.

That one jumper ended up dying at a different site not long after.

Yes, There is something about group dynamics (aka the mob mentality) but I don't think it's a good thing.

Holly Joan

"I reject your reality and substitute my own" ~Adam Savage