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Understanding ‘Average’

9. W. J. Reichmann in his book ‘The Use and Abuse of Statistics’ states :—
“The average man does not exist. The average applies to a set of data and not to an individual. If
the average man could exist he would be such an odd specimen that by his very uniqueness he
would deny his own title”. We now come to GROUP TESTING.
As opposed to test individuals in isolation, group testing attempts to evaluate individuals in the
context of a group. From this one seeks to observe and evaluate an individual’s group effectiveness or
in other words, the sum total of an individual's contribution to the group and to the tasks.
In order to appreciate the value of this technique one ought to understand the underlying rational
that is man is, fundamentally, a social being. There probably exists no such being as an individual in
isolation. As such a clear understanding of a man’s behaviour and personality can be achieved through
the study of his social surroundings.
This is because a man’s personality and character traits are largely determined by the
social field in which he finds himself. Since the social field in which a man finds himself
conditions his behaviour and personality to a great extent his personality might be termed as a
reaction to that field.
The study of personality which relates individuals to social surroundings
gathers added support from the fact that the development and growth of
personality is the result of its passing from simpler to larger and complexer
fields, from family to school, neighbourhood and ultimately into the greater
community. Some of these fields will inhibit a man’s personality in some aspects;
others will expand it, but all will modify and shape it.
Therefore, one might say that since man’s personality and behaviour is affected and moulded to a
large extent by his environment, then, if one can choose and control these environments, one may hope
to control and influence the personalities in them. In our context the word ‘Social field” or environment
has been substituted by the word ‘Group’ It is in the context of the group subject to stresses of time and
problem, that individuals are tested. It is considered that if one can control the stresses to which a small
group is submitted, one can hope to provide its members both opportunities for leadership and
conditions that limit these opportunities. From the ability of a person to take advantages of these
opportunities and his adjustment to the limiting conditions, one can draw tentative estimate of the
person’s ability. What one seeks to observe and evaluate is called an individual’s ‘group effectiveness’
the sum total of an individual’s contribution to the group and its tasks.
Group effectivenss can be differentiated into the following three components :—

(a) Effective level of (b) Group cohesiveness : (c) Stability : Ability to
functioning : Ability to Ability of the members of the stand up to the resistance and
contribute towards the group to relate emotionally to frustration without serious
functional aspects of the each other and to the task and impairment of effective level
common task by planning to bind the group in the of functioning and of group
and organising available direction of the common task. cohesiveness.
resources.

A procedure of testing, must cater to the requirement of the job but at the same time, it would be
fair to the assessee in so far as it would provide him sufficient opportunity to show his best in the time
available. For this purpose the Group Testing Technique consists of subjecting group and its members to
a number of different situations based on ‘free-for-all’ i.e., leaderless group tasks in which the individuals