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Book Review: New Perspectives on Encounter Groups

As a social caseworker from a traditional background, this reviewer read this book on encounter groups with interest, eager to learn what could be applied to an increasing practice in groups and community work. The editors, rather than offering a textbook with a unified point of view, have presented a compilation of articles by different authors, covering a variety of opinions and techniques including contradictory ones. Some articles are thoughtful and cautious, others are provocative and challenging; many are informative of the group experiences of the authors. However, there does not seem to be an underlying framework for the three rather broad categories the editors established: issues, technologies, and applications. Although these are appropriate areas for discussion, there is little relation between the sections to help the reader integrate what he is reading. It would have been interesting if the issues discussed in the first section could have been followed through in the second and third sections, with discussions· of appropriate technologies and illustrations of applications in groups. As an example, to increase members' awareness of their own nonverbal behavior, a tool such as roleplaying could be discussed and an experience presented of its use in a group for this purpose. The editors, using the term encounter group to mean any small group, refer to the need for standards of practice and overall principles, but they do not attempt to present this material themselves. The result is that a number of different ideas are given, leaving the reader confused about what the authors identify as basic concepts. It is also unclear if they advocate any generally accepted rules of group practice on such questions as which techniques should be applied to what situations, who should not participate in groups, and what qualities Bookreviews