Group Dynamics in the Classroom

A Pilot Study among Students in the Hungarian Defence Cadet Training Programme

Abstract

This publication examines the phenomenon of group dynamics through an empirical analysis of a secondary school class participating in the Honvéd Cadet Programme. The aim of the research was to explore group cohesion, as well as the patterns of formal and informal social networks within a community shaped by a specific pedagogical environment enriched with partly military-type structural influences. The study was based on an online questionnaire survey (N = 31), which included Likert-scale attitude statements, sociometric network nominations (trust and cooperation choices), and open-ended questions. The results indicate a high level of perceived cohesion within the class: most statements related to cooperation, interpersonal trust, and post-conflict reintegration show mean values between 4 and 5. The cohesion-enhancing role of the cadet training was strongly confirmed by the majority of respondents. At the same time, network nominations reveal a more differentiated structure: trust relationships appear more concentrated, while the cooperation network is more extensive, suggesting a core–periphery pattern.