Explore Motivations For Attending The Group Relations Conference With Q Method

Objective: Group Relations Conference are experiential learning activities that enhance understanding of complex social behaviors by studying the behavioral dynamics of groups and individuals within groups.At present,researches on Group Relations Conference mainly focus on the learning content provided by the conference itself and the setting of the conference,etc.,while the motivation of participants to attend the conference and their needs for attending the conference remain unclear.In this study,Q method was used to discuss and classify the motivation for attendance,and subjective views were explored from the perspective of participants,so as to understand the needs of participants for conferences and the purpose of attendance,help participants and conference organizers better understand Group Relations Conference,enrich the research dimensions of conferences,and promote Group Relations Conference in combination with the motivation for attendance.Methods: Q method is used in this paper to explore the motivation of participants in Group Relations Conference.Through interviews with 5 subjects and literature review,a Q matrix of 118 statements describing motivation was initially formed.After collation,integration and expert review,a Q sample consisting of 35 statements describing motivation was formed.Separately recruited,P sample containing 22 subjects was obtained.Q-sort sorting tool was used to make P samples perform a 9-level forced ranking to obtain relevant data about the motivation to attend the conference,and the ranking results were interviewed.Finally,KADE software was used to conduct principal component analysis on the data to obtain the factor classification of the participation motivation,and each factor was named and explained in combination with the interview.Results: Through principal component analysis,this study finally obtained four factors related to participation motivation.Factors 1 to 4 included 7,6,5 and 4 subjects respectively,with variation explanation rates of 25%,14%,11% and 9%,and the cumulative variation explanation ratio of 59%.Combined with Q ranking and interview,the four factors were named as: 1.Seeking personal experiential learning and growth;2.Satisfy curiosity and follow authority;3.Seeking group practice and application;4.Seeking out social experiences.Conclusion: 1.It is feasible to use Q method to discuss the motivation of attending the conference;2.The motivations of participants in Group Relations Conference are complex and diverse,and there are different types.Each type has certain characteristics,including seeking personal experiential learning and growth;Satisfy curiosity and follow authority;Seek group practice and application;Seek out social experiences.At the same time,publicity and promotion combined with the participation motivation can attract more participants and expand the influence of Group Relations Conference.