Although the day-tp-day decision-making is made on-site by the group leader according to what is happening there, major decisions regarding future projects and extension of current projects are made when the group meets as a whole, and are by popular vote.

The group was looked at from a sociological standpoint of the functioning of small groups and the differential roles of males and females in such groups. Since much of our communication is done via the computer, the role of communications via computer between in- and out-groups was also examined.

Richeson and Ambady looked at the interaction between males and females in social groups and found that gender bias occurs under certain conditions (493-505). In their study, males appeared to have negative bias towards women in authority positions, but more positive attitudes towards women in equal or subordinate positions. In my group, the leader and his diving partner are both males. The member doing the computer updates and myself are females, and it may be inferred that this is gender bias of a type, as there are three other male group members not actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the recovery efforts who could do the compute

As Stolle and Rochon found out in their study (47-65), being a part of a social group gives its members what they term ôsocial capitalö which generates trust between the members and provides the groundwork for many future benefits from social interactions and cooperative efforts between members of the group. This is also true of the group I belong to. As we have come together on this project, we have gained a deeper understanding of each other, and learned from one another, and in sharing in a common project, we have often found other areas in which we can work together in various subgroups to our mutual benefit.

r and information networking. All are computer-knowledgeable, and have the time to perform these functions. The roles have evolved the way they have because the female doing the computer updating is the wife of the leader, and is in touch with him more frequently than any other group member could be while he is out of the country. I volunteered to keep the other group members updated on events, so there really is no gender bias at work here. We are all professionals and appreciate each others talents and capabilities.