For this assignment, write a paper on your own family and how it functions as a group. The objective of observing your family in a group activity (e.g., eating dinner, participating in family meetings, conducting a garage sale, etc.) is to observe, recognize, identify, and label healthy and dysfunctional group behaviors. In addition, determine whether various groups applied the correct techniques for reducing tensions and accomplishing the goals of the group.

Tasks:

Create a 10- to 12-page paper analyzing these characters and their functioning within the group in the family. In your paper, address the following points:

• Identify the key characters in the family and their roles.
• Determine what types of leadership are displayed in the family.
• Identify the group’s leader and explain why he or she is perceived to be the leader. Identify the source of his or her influence.
• Critique the group’s decision-making and problem-solving processes.
• Determine how others’ expectations affect these groups’ perceptions of themselves and their actions.
• Explain how the members’ ascribed statuses are affected by other people’s perceptions.
• Describe the groups’ norms and their evidence.

• Analyze these groups from a systems perspective. Use the systems theory to describe how a human services professional might respond to the needs of the characters in the family.

Note: Your paper should rely upon at least 4–6 professional literature that are cited in APA format. The literature may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, or .gov).