A Theory of Subgroups in Work Teams

Cliques in Sport: Perceptions of Intercollegiate Athletes

“…For example, the typology distinguishing between subgroups based on identity, resources, and knowledge (Carton & Cummings, 2012) appeared to be evident within athletes' descriptions, and this approach may help inform clique development within sport teams. For example, individual similarities (e.g., beliefs, interests, personalities) that influenced the development of cliques could be described as identity-based factors, in the sense that athletes seek others with similar values to simplify the social dynamics present within larger groups (e.g., Hogg & Terry, 2000).…”

“…Specifically, our proposed definition satisfies the classification criteria advanced by Carton and Cummings (2012) who suggested that subgroups must (1) emerge from within a larger group and (2) have identifiable differences with regard to interactions from the remainder of the group. The fact that athletes were readily able to discuss the cliques within their teams demonstrates their potential identification within the group (as a specific type of subgroup) as well as their relative prevalence in sport.…”

“…A semistructured interview guide was developed, which included a series of open-ended questions (see Appendix A). For the most part, these questions were based on the theoretical understanding that was acquired from previous subgroup research (e.g., Carton & Cummings, 2012;Henrich et al, 2000;Thatcher & Patel, 2012), and the interview process involved introductory questions (used to establish rapport and promote participant engagement), transition questions (used to introduce and begin the discussion of cliques), key questions, and closing questions (used to explore additional concepts or experiences and provide an opportunity for final thoughts; e.g., Patton, 2002). With regard to key questions, participants were asked to describe the nature of team cliques (e.g., "Could you describe in your own words, what a clique means to you?")…”

“…Specifically, Carton and Cummings (2012) proposed a typology for subgroups identifying three underlying factors: identity, resources, and knowledge. Identity-based subgroups involve individuals who have similar values and social characteristics and share a common sense of identity.…”

“…In broad terms, cliques can be considered tightly knit subgroups of individuals that contain reciprocating relationships (e.g., Henrich et al, 2000). In addition, Carton and Cummings (2012) advanced two criteria required for the classification of a clique. First, members must belong to the same total group where membership and task objectives are recognized.…”