Robert Freed Bales (March 9, 1916 – June 16, 2004) was an American social psychologist.[1] He specialized in small group interpersonal interaction and developed the SYMLOG (SYstematic MultiLevel Observation of Groups) method of group observation.[2]
Bales was born in Ellington, Missouri on March 9, 1916.[1] He received a B.A. and M.S. in sociology from the University of Oregon. In 1945 he received a Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University. Bales then became a professor at Harvard,[2] working in the university's Laboratory of Human Relations.[3] In 1950, Bales published a book titled Interaction Process Analysis: A Method for the Study of Small Groups in which he described in great detail his musings of human interaction within small groups.[4]
The goal of this method was to capture direct face-to-face interaction as they takes place, then to analyze the interactions into useful information. In order to capture an interaction, Bales’ method utilized observers. The observer's job is to interpret and categorize the observed behavior. This is not without error as the observer must infer intent and meaning of the observable action. The observer is supposed to be well trained on the variables they are categorizing and they should be able to do it effortlessly; however, human raters bring with them their own preconceived schemas and heuristics. Human raters are subject to subconscious biases and fallacies. To circumvent this pitfall, Bales’ method makes use of multiple observers and an inter-rater reliability is then derived from both raters’ produced data. Bales’ method was formed under two assumptions. The first assumption is that the observer must assume that all small groups are similar in that any given group contains a variety of people, or follows a normal distribution of variance. These group members share task problems that materialize in relation to their situational context, but also socio-emotional problems that materialize in the interaction with other members of their group. The second assumption is that each individual's behavior can affect those problems. Observers must categorize each individual's behavior continuously, capturing behavior as a sequence of events through time. The unit of measure is the smallest discriminable segment of verbal or nonverbal behavior the observer can differentiate and classify. He referred to the content of these categories to be “process content” as opposed to the topical content. Bales claimed process content, which later became known as group process, was at the core of small groups; what remained when situational variance was stripped away. [5]
SYMLOGedit
The use of SYMLOG and the certification of SYMLOG consultants is now maintained by the SYMLOG Consulting Group, whose formation Bales supported.[6] In 2016 the group honoured the centenary of Bales' birth by publishing excerpts from a video interview which he gave in 1996.[7]
Awardsedit
Distinguished Career Award of the American Association of Specialists in Group Work (1982)[2]
Bales, R. F., (1950), Interaction Process Analysis; A Method for the Study of Small Groups, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Press
Bales, R. F., (1950), "A Set of Categories for the Analysis of Small Group Interaction" in American Sociological Review, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr., 1950), pp. 257-263
Hare, Alexander Paul, Edgar F. Borgatta, and Robert Freed Bales. Small groups. Knopf, 1965.
Bales, Robert Freed. "Personality and interpersonal behavior." (1970).
Bales, Robert Freed, Stephen P. Cohen, and Stephen A. Williamson. SYMLOG: A system for the multiple level observation of groups. New York: Free Press, 1979
Parsons, Talcott, Robert Freed Bales, and Edward A. Shils. Working papers in the theory of action. Greenwood Press, 1981.
Polley, Richard Brian, Hare A. Paul, and Stone Philip J. The SYMLOG Practitioner. Applications of Small Group Research. Praeger, 1988.
Bales, Robert Freed. "Social Interaction Systems: Theory and Measurement: Book review." (2000): 199.
Referencesedit
^ abc"Robert Freed Bales Obituary". San Diego Union-Tribune. June 22, 2004.
^ abcde"Robert Freed Bales : Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Memorial Minute". Harvard University Gazette. November 22, 2005.
^Bales, R. F., (1950), Interaction Process Analysis; A Method for the Study of Small Groups, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Press, Preface
^Bales, R. F., (1950), Interaction Process Analysis; A Method for the Study of Small Groups, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Press
^Bales, R. F., (1950), Interaction Process Analysis; A Method for the Study of Small Groups, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Press
^SYMLOG Frequently Asked Questions, accessed 27 September 2018
^Video Exceprts from "An Interview with Robert Freed Bales - 1996", accessed 27 September 2018
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Robert Freed Bales March 9 1916 June 16 2004 was an American social psychologist 1 He specialized in small group interpersonal interaction and developed the SYMLOG SYstematic MultiLevel Observation of Groups method of group observation 2 Contents 1 Biography 2 Interaction Process Analysis 3 SYMLOG 4 Awards 5 Bibliography 6 ReferencesBiography editBales was born in Ellington Missouri on March 9 1916 1 He received a B A and M S in sociology from the University of Oregon In 1945 he received a Ph D in sociology from Harvard University Bales then became a professor at Harvard 2 working in the university s Laboratory of Human Relations 3 In 1950 Bales published a book titled Interaction Process Analysis A Method for the Study of Small Groups in which he described in great detail his musings of human interaction within small groups 4 Bales died in San Diego California on June 16 2004 at the age of 88 1 Interaction Process Analysis editThe goal of this method was to capture direct face to face interaction as they takes place then to analyze the interactions into useful information In order to capture an interaction Bales method utilized observers The observer s job is to interpret and categorize the observed behavior This is not without error as the observer must infer intent and meaning of the observable action The observer is supposed to be well trained on the variables they are categorizing and they should be able to do it effortlessly however human raters bring with them their own preconceived schemas and heuristics Human raters are subject to subconscious biases and fallacies To circumvent this pitfall Bales method makes use of multiple observers and an inter rater reliability is then derived from both raters produced data Bales method was formed under two assumptions The first assumption is that the observer must assume that all small groups are similar in that any given group contains a variety of people or follows a normal distribution of variance These group members share task problems that materialize in relation to their situational context but also socio emotional problems that materialize in the interaction with other members of their group The second assumption is that each individual s behavior can affect those problems Observers must categorize each individual s behavior continuously capturing behavior as a sequence of events through time The unit of measure is the smallest discriminable segment of verbal or nonverbal behavior the observer can differentiate and classify He referred to the content of these categories to be process content as opposed to the topical content Bales claimed process content which later became known as group process was at the core of small groups what remained when situational variance was stripped away 5 SYMLOG editThe use of SYMLOG and the certification of SYMLOG consultants is now maintained by the SYMLOG Consulting Group whose formation Bales supported 6 In 2016 the group honoured the centenary of Bales birth by publishing excerpts from a video interview which he gave in 1996 7 Awards editDistinguished Career Award of the American Association of Specialists in Group Work 1982 2 Cooley Mead Award of the American Sociological Association 1983 2 Distinguished Teaching Award of the American Psychological Foundation 1984 2 Bibliography editBales R F 1950 Interaction Process Analysis A Method for the Study of Small Groups Cambridge Massachusetts Addison Wesley Press Bales R F 1950 A Set of Categories for the Analysis of Small Group Interaction in American Sociological Review Vol 15 No 2 Apr 1950 pp 257 263 Hare Alexander Paul Edgar F Borgatta and Robert Freed Bales Small groups Knopf 1965 Bales Robert Freed Personality and interpersonal behavior 1970 Bales Robert Freed Stephen P Cohen and Stephen A Williamson SYMLOG A system for the multiple level observation of groups New York Free Press 1979 Parsons Talcott Robert Freed Bales and Edward A Shils Working papers in the theory of action Greenwood Press 1981 Polley Richard Brian Hare A Paul and Stone Philip J The SYMLOG Practitioner Applications of Small Group Research Praeger 1988 Bales Robert Freed Social Interaction Systems Theory and Measurement Book review 2000 199 References edit a b c Robert Freed Bales Obituary San Diego Union Tribune June 22 2004 a b c d e Robert Freed Bales Faculty of Arts and Sciences Memorial Minute Harvard University Gazette November 22 2005 Bales R F 1950 Interaction Process Analysis A Method for the Study of Small Groups Cambridge Massachusetts Addison Wesley Press Preface Bales R F 1950 Interaction Process Analysis A Method for the Study of Small Groups Cambridge Massachusetts Addison Wesley Press Bales R F 1950 Interaction Process Analysis A Method for the Study of Small Groups Cambridge Massachusetts Addison Wesley Press SYMLOG Frequently Asked Questions accessed 27 September 2018 Video Exceprts from An Interview with Robert Freed Bales 1996 accessed 27 September 2018 nbsp nbsp This biography of an American psychologist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert F Bales amp oldid 1213330581, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
