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Regulation and socio-emotional interactions in a positive and a negative group climate

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Abstract

Collaboration in an online environment can be a socially and emotionally demanding task. It requires group members to engage in a great deal of regulation, where favourable emotions need to be sustained for the group’s productive functioning. The purpose of this cross-case analysis was to examine the interplay of two groups’ regulatory processes, regulatory modes, and socio-emotional interactions that contribute to or are influenced by emotions and socio-emotional climate perceived in the group. Specifically, this study compared a group of 4 students unanimously reporting a positive climate to a group of 4 students unanimously reporting a negative climate after completing a 90-min online text-based collaborative assignment. By drawing on two data channels (i.e., observed regulatory actions and socio-emotional interactions during collaboration and self-reported data about emotional beliefs and perceptions), four contrasting group features emerged: (a) incoming conditions served as a foundation for creating a positive collaborative experience, (b) regulation of emotions during initial planning, (c) negative emotions served as a constraint for shared adaptation in the face of a challenge, and (d) encouragement and motivational statements served as effective strategies for creating a positive climate. Implications for researching and supporting emotion regulation in collaborative learning are discussed.

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Funding information

This study was funded by Social Science and Humanities Research Council Canada (Standard Research Grant 435–2012-0529 awarded to A. F. Hadwin; and Doctoral Fellowship awarded to E. A. Webster).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada

    Aishah Bakhtiar, Elizabeth A. Webster & Allyson F. Hadwin

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  1. Aishah Bakhtiar
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  2. Elizabeth A. Webster
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  3. Allyson F. Hadwin
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Correspondence to Aishah Bakhtiar.

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Conflict of interest

A. F. Hadwin and E. A. Webster have received research grants from Social Science and Humanities Research Council Canada. A. F. Hadwin is a current member of Metacognition and Learning Journal Editorial Board.

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Table 7 Code frequencies (and proportions) across coding categories
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Bakhtiar, A., Webster, E.A. & Hadwin, A.F. Regulation and socio-emotional interactions in a positive and a negative group climate. Metacognition Learning 13, 57–90 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-017-9178-x

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