Group dynamics as a hybrid of organization and interaction - A system-theoretic analysis of staged personal communication

Using Niklas Luhmann's system theory and respectively its typical sociological distinctions, this article analyses the professional self-conception as well as the societal benefit of group dynamics. An understanding of the 'group dynamics seminar' as hybrid "organized interaction" is developed which combines both the 'organization' and 'interaction' social forms. Consequently the 'group' understanding of as opposed to 'organization' has to be abandoned. This form of reconstruction does not only allow a realistic description of the challenges and potentials of group dynamics for participants and trainers as a specific form of learning by experience, but does as well permit a more comprehensive connectivity of learning results to communication within teams in working- and other organizations. Accordingly the impact and relevance of group dynamics can be argued more convincingly.