Edelson and Berg use stories to present, reflect on and learn from experience. The authors deplore the tendency to rely on individual psychology for understanding problems in groups or organizations and so, emphasizing the psychopathology of individuals, to blame them for what is going on.
In this informative, informal and intergenerational dialogue on the psychology of group processes, Marchall Edelson and David N. Berg use and test current theory, laying practical guidelines for realizing the constructive possibilities of groups and organizations.
They argue that pernicious processes in groups can be avoided by the development of a complex understanding of the factors and identities which influence and create a group. In a group setting, change or learning occurs through the active participation of all group members. They suggest that, rather than theoretical ideas, humans use stories as tools to understand and share experiences. Within this conceptual framework, they discuss key themes, such as the practice and teaching or group psychotherapy and group dynamics; group identities-gender, generation, race, ethnicity; the problem of scapegoating in groups; and the nature of authority.
Rediscovering Groups is an interchange of ideas between two individuals from different generations, who recount and compare their experiences of groups and organizations. This detailed and personal analysis thus both describes and enacts its dual themes of narrative and collaboration. It presents an authoritative image of group processes which applies to all who work with groups.