The Effects of a T-Group Laboratory on Interpersonal Behavior

This is a study of 71 participants in the 1959 Western Training Laboratory in Human Relations. Both FIRO-B questionnaires (administered before, after, and six months later) and open-ended questions administered after six months (subjected to content analysis based on the method of dichotomous decisions) supported the hypothesis that the training laboratory changes people selectively, depending on their initial personality, the overly dominant becoming less dominant, the overly affectionate more discriminating, and so on. The hypothesis was also supported that change after a period of six months is in a positive direction with respect to the participant's self-concepts and behavior and feelings toward other people, as well as the behavior of others toward the participant. Despite methodological deficiencies in the study, results seem to support the assumption that intellectual and emotional benefits are derived from a T-Group workshop.