Canadian Medical Guide > Psychiatry and Psychology > Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms > Psychology, Social > Group Processes Terms and Definitions

Group Processes

	Consensus - General agreement or collective opinion; the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned.
	Group Structure - The informal or formal organization of a group of people based on a network of personal relationships which is influenced by the size and composition, etc., of the group.
	Peer Group - Group composed of associates of same species, approximately the same age, and usually of similar rank or social status.
	Peer Review - An organized procedure carried out by a select committee of professionals in evaluating the performance of other professionals in meeting the standards of their specialty. Review by peers is used by editors in the evaluation of articles and other papers submitted for publication. Peer review is used also in the evaluation of grant applications. It is applied also in evaluating the quality of health care provided to patients.
	Role - The expected and characteristic pattern of behavior exhibited by an individual as a member of a particular social group.
	Sensitivity Training Groups - A group of people who meet in an unstructured setting to learn about themselves, interpersonal relationships, and group processes and about larger social systems.

Group Processes Medical Definitions and Terms