Adaptive Structuration Theory

The Breakfast Club is a movie, based around a group of students who spend a day together in detention. There is the jock, the criminal, the brain, the weirdo and the princess. What makes this movie so real and interesting to watch, is the fact that it is real, it is very true to life. Obviously I did not make this connection before, but the Adaptive Structuration theory is apparent throughout the movie. Just as the theory states, we normally don’t even realize how we effect the group and how the group effects us. The students in this movie start out with nothing in common and nothing to talk about. However, by the end, their ability to adapt rules and resources within themselves is clear by the friendships formed.

One instance from the theory takes place when the criminal, who is the “active agent”, has the ability to motivate the other students. They aren’t allowed to go out in the hallway, make any noise, or switch seats. He finds a way to get everyone involved in this escape out of the library to go to his locker. In this case, power, morale and communication are definitely combined for all five of them to logically make the decision together. As the movie progresses, you see that he did make a difference, because the adventure out of the library helped to open the communication lines.

Where this theory is represented the best, is the end of the movie. The proctor for detention tells them they each need to write a paper before they are allowed to leave. This paper had to say something along the lines of what they learned from their mistake. This group of students came together and made a decision. They came together as a group, and collaborated ideas. First it was agreed that only one paper will be written, and it will be from all of them. They then used their rules and resources effectively, by having each person provide something unique to the paper. The brains kid was in charge of actually writing the paper, and the others would tell him what to write.

Just as the theory supports, whenever they all interact, it has an impact on the group. What they created was a group symbol in a way, a collective understanding of their time spent in detention. The letter is a result of group structuration because it formed from interaction with each other. The letter itself is the action, the end result; the students took in place of abiding by the rules of detention, which is consistent with their behavior as the movie develops. It is a very simple, short letter explaining just enough and leaving a smile on your face. This group of students is definitely a rare mix, and fun to watch adapt to each other, just as we do in groups all the time.