Bruce Tuckman
Bruce Tuckman, born on November 24, 1938, in New York City, was a prominent psychologist known for his influential work on group dynamics. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic University, followed by a master's and doctorate from Princeton University. Tuckman began his career as a research psychologist at the Naval Medical Institute, where he developed the widely recognized Tuckman model of group development in 1965, outlining the stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and later, adjourning. This framework has been extensively used in various fields to facilitate group formation and function. In addition to his work on group dynamics, Tuckman conducted research on college students' procrastination, leading to tools designed to help students understand their learning motivations. Throughout his academic career, he held roles at several universities, including Rutgers, Baruch College, Florida State University, and Ohio State University, where he was deeply committed to improving education and student learning. Tuckman authored numerous publications and continued his research until his passing on March 13, 2016. His contributions to psychology and education have left a lasting impact, making his theories a staple in educational and organizational literature.
Bruce Tuckman
Psychology researcher and professor
- Born: November 24, 1938
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: March 13, 2016
- Place of death: Columbus, Ohio
Also known as: Bruce Wayne Tuckman
Education: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Princeton University.
Significance: As a professor of finance and psychology, Bruce Tuckman created a key theory in group dynamics called the stages of group development. He also developed an important theory about why college students procrastinate.
Background
Bruce Wayne Tuckman was born in New York City on November 24, 1938. He was one of three children born to Jack S. Tuckman and Sophie Goldberg Tuckman. Tuckman spent his childhood and adolescence in New York and remained in the state for his post-secondary education when he pursued a bachelor's degree in psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic University.
He achieved his undergraduate degree in 1960 and followed it with a master's degree in 1962 and a doctorate in 1963, both from Princeton University. After completing his education, Tuckman accepted a position as a research psychologist with the Naval Medical Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
His research group at the Naval Medical Institute was tasked with finding ways to maximize the performance of the crews on small naval ships. While analyzing about four dozen research papers on group dynamics given to him by a supervisor, Tuckman formulated a sequence of group development that would become the basis of his most famous work.
Tuckman moved into the academic arena in 1965 when he accepted a teaching position in educational psychology at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, Tuckman also served as director of educational research, a position he held between 1975 and 1978. He then returned to his hometown to teach at Baruch College at City University in New York where he also was the administrator in charge of intramural and intercollegiate athletics and adult education. In 1983, he moved on to Florida State University where he was the dean of the college of education and also taught education. Finally, in 1998, he became a professor of educational psychology at Ohio State University, where he would stay for the remainder of his professional career.
Life's Work
Although he had a long career in academics, Tuckman is most often remembered for the theory of group formation he developed during his first job at the Naval Medical Institute. This theory, published in 1965, described the stages that occur as individuals come together to form cohesive groups. Tuckman used four rhyming words to describe these stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing.
During "forming," individuals size up others in the group and make decisions about them, the group as a whole, and how much of themselves to invest in the group. Tuckman saw this as a tentative phase during which the group leader played a larger role in helping the group come together. During "storming," group roles are established as leaders from within the group emerge and power struggles, conflicts, and squabbles arise. "Norming" is a stage that follows after these difficulties are resolved, and the group moves into a stage of mutual respect and cooperation. Norming leads to "performing," when the group is working in unison to achieve its goals. In 1977, Tuckman added another stage, "adjourning." During this stage, the group, having fulfilled its purpose, dissolves and moves on. This stage is sometimes called "mourning" or "transforming." Tuckman made this addition during a review of his original work with psychologist Mary Ann Jensen.
Tuckman's theory has been adopted by many who work with groups to help understand how they function and ways to facilitate their formation and progress. While many such theories have been developed, Tuckman's is among the most widely accepted and used. It is generally referred to as the "Tuckman group development model."
In addition to his group dynamic theory, Tuckman is also known for his research into why college students procrastinate. Conducted largely during his time on the faculty of Florida State, Tuckman's research led to the development of a self-assessment tool to help students discover and understand their motivations for learning and the reasons they procrastinated. The tool and the study, both released in 2002, garnered national media attention.
Tuckman continued to research procrastination. Over his career, he conducted studies and gathered information that showed the negative effects procrastination had on grades and performance. This work was later expanded and enhanced to become workshops and classes on motivation at the Ohio State University Dennis Learning Center. Tuckman was passionate about helping students learn and co-founded the study center in 1999 with the assistance of Walter E. Dennis, Jr. Tuckman served as the director of the learning center until 2012.
During his career, Tuckman also wrote or coauthored a number of books, including Conducting Educational Research (1972), Learning and Motivation Strategies: Your Guide to Success (2002), and Educational Psychology (2012). His life's work included a strong emphasis on helping students improve their ability to learn, an effort Tuckman continued even after his death on March 13, 2016. The years preceding his death included a struggle with dementia. Following his passing, Tuckman's brain was donated to the Ohio State University Department of Neurology for research into Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. The rest of Tuckman's body was donated to the school's Department of Anatomy.
Impact
Through his eighteen books and more than one hundred articles, Tuckman was able to share his knowledge of and theories about group dynamics, motivation, and education with thousands of people. His efforts earned him recognition from both the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA). His theories are also part of many textbooks, manuals, websites, and other resources for those involved in the formation and oversight of groups of all sizes.
Personal
Tuckman was an avid runner who finished thirty-three marathons and three ultra marathons, or footraces of distances beyond fifty kilometers. In addition to his many scholarly works, Tuckman wrote Long Road to Boston (1988), a novel about running and "Marathon Man or Marathon Moose," an autobiographical short story.
Principal Works
Conducting Educational Research, 1972
Measuring Educational Outcomes: Fundamentals of Testing, 1975
Evaluating Instructional Programs, 1985
Testing for Teachers, 1988
Learning and Motivation Strategies: Your Guide to Success, 2002
Educational Psychology, 2012
Bibliography
"Bruce Tuckman: Group Development." Management Pocketbooks, LINK "https://managementpocketbooks.wordpress.com/tag/bruce-tuckman/" managementpocketbooks.wordpress.com/tag/bruce-tuckman/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
Chilton, Carolyn Moomaw. The Life Cycle of Small Groups, Building Faith, 8 Aug. 2011, HYPERLINK "http://www.buildfaith.org/the-life-cycle-of-small-groups/" www.buildfaith.org/the-life-cycle-of-small-groups/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
Di Blasi, Fulvio. "Form Storm Norm Perform: A Formula for Happiness." Thomas International Center, ERLINK "http://www.ticenter.net/form-storm-norm-perform-a-formula-for-happiness/" www.ticenter.net/form-storm-norm-perform-a-formula-for-happiness/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
Hensley, Lauren et al. "In Memoriam: Bruce W. Tuckman (1938–2016)." The Journal of Experimental Education, Sept. 2016, HYPERLINK "http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220973.2017.1236514?scroll=top&needAccess=true" www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220973.2017.1236514?scroll=top&needAccess=true. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
"In Memoriam: Bruce Tuckman." Inspire Magazine, Ohio State University, RLINK "https://inspire.ehe.osu.edu/2016/05/12/in-memoriam/" inspire.ehe.osu.edu/2016/05/12/in-memoriam/. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
"Tuckman Procrastination Scale." Tulane University, YPERLINK "http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media‗358180‗en.pdf" www.gla.ac.uk/media/media‗358180‗en.pdf. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.
"Tuckman's Team Development Model." University of Glasgow, HYPERLINK "http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media‗358180‗en.pdf" www.gla.ac.uk/media/media‗358180‗en.pdf. Accessed 4 Sept. 2017.