The extended group situation theory (EGST), social decision schemes, models of the structure of communication in small groups, and specific effects of minority influences and self-categorization: An integration

Group situation theory has been developed as a general-framework in order to integrate different theoretical approacbes in the area of small group research. Ist development is based on some fundamental assumptions combining normative influences with an information integration process of the individual group member. Under these basic assumptions as guidelines the social impact theory has been integrated into the group situation theory which results in an extended group situation theory. After this extension of the otherory the similarities of this approach with the social decision schemes has been discussed. The predictions are very similar, but the kind of theories are different: Social decision schemes is a family of descriptive models predicting the transformation of a group members\u27 distribution after discussion using qualitative choices; EGST is a family of information integration processes giving an explanation why a given change has happened after discussion using also quantitative choices. As a next step the BALES\u27 research tradition on interaction frequencies and their influence in group decisions has been integrated in EGST to find their specific place in a broader theoretical concept