The emerging conceptualization of groups as information processors.

A selective review of research highlights the emerging view of groups as information processors. In this review, the authors include research on processing objectives, attention, encoding, storage, retrieval, processing response, feedback, and learning in small interacting task groups. The groups as information processors perspective underscores several characteristic dimensions of variability in group performance of cognitive tasks, namely, commonality—uniqueness of information, convergence–diversity of ideas, accentuation–attenuation of cognitive processes, and belongingness–distinctiveness of members. A combination of contributions framework provides an additional conceptualization of information processing in groups. The authors also address implications, caveats, and questions for future research and theory regarding groups as information processors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Appraisals of a consistent versus a similar politician: Voter preferences and intuitive judgments.

Four studies examined how people view a consistent politician versus one with whom they agree. In 2 studies, college students evaluated a candidate who either favored or opposed restrictions on access to abortion. In Study 1, the candidate either held his position on abortion consistently over time or changed positions. In Study 2, the candidate switched positions either because of a reasoned change of opinion or to gain votes. In both Studies 1 and 2, the only determinant of participants' evaluations was whether they agreed with the candidate's final stand. Studies 3 and 4 addressed participants' intuitive judgments. College students believed that voters prefer a consistent politician, a belief shared by North Dakota state legislators. Voters prefer a politician who shares their views over one who is merely consistent—contrary to the intuitive judgments of voters and politicians alike. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Positive Reactions to Working in Groups in a Study of Group and Individual Goal Decision Making.

The authors explored group members' positive reactions to working in groups that performed a card-sorting task for which they set goals. They also tested predictions regarding observed differences between the goal decisions of groups and individuals for their own and others' performance. Consistent with predictions, group members had more goal commitment, more positive attitudes toward goal attainment, and greater satisfaction with their performance than individuals. Moreover, groups chose goals that were less difficult than the goals of individuals both for their own and for others' performance. The ways in which group decision processes and other factors may account for differences in group and individual goal decisions are considered. In addition, the social-emotional and task-related benefits members perceive of working in their groups are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Asymmetrical social influence in freely interacting groups: A test of three models.

Using freely interacting mock juries, this study tested the predictions of 3 different models of social influence: social impact theory, the other–total ratio, and the social influence model. All 3 models use faction size as the basis for their predictions. On the basis of the predeliberation verdict preferences of 879 female students, groups were composed using all possible nonunanimous verdict compositions (e.g., 5 members for "guilty," 1 for "not guilty," etc.) for 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-person groups. Each group deliberated and reached a group verdict for an attempted murder case, and postdeliberation verdict and probability-of-guilt judgments were obtained from the individual group members. The results showed that faction size affected the relative amount of both majority and minority influence. However, faction size effects differed substantially depending on the verdict supported by the particular faction. Thus, the predictions of even the most accurate model could presumably be improved by modifications allowing for additional interpersonal factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of work habits in the motivation of food safety behaviors.

The authors considered work habits within an integrated framework of motivated behavior. A distinction made between automatic and controlled action led to 2 measures of work habits: a habit strength measure reflecting the 4 characteristics of automaticity and a measure of work routines under conscious control. Workers at a turkey processing plant (N = 162) responded to an extensive survey of these work habits measures with regard to food safety. Results indicated that attitudes and subjective norms predicted food safety intentions. These intentions, along with perceived behavior control and work habits, predicted reports of food safety behaviors. A mediation analysis indicated that the work routines measure accounted for the variance in self-reported behavior and mediated any effect of the habit strength measure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual expectations for group decision processes: Evidence for overestimation of majority influence.

Individuals experience numerous group decision situations during their lives. As a result, they may develop accurate expectations of the social processes and effects of context on group decision situations. Four decision-making situations were constructed that were expected to elicit different group decision processes. Individuals were presented with these hypothetical scenarios in which group size and the preferences of group members varied systematically. Participants’ expectations were elicited from their predictions regarding which alternative the group would choose on the basis of the information presented. The comparison of these judgments with the predicted decision distributions derived from models of group decision making showed that participants had a general sensitivity to changes in contexts, but that they overestimated the effect of the majority opinion on the final decisions. Individuals may have general notions of how groups make decisions but are less sensitive to the subtleties involved in the process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Order effects in multiple decisions by groups: A demonstration with mock juries and trial procedures.

Assessed the effects of the order in which groups undertake different tasks in a multitask situation, using mock juries. 461 undergraduates watched a videotaped enactment of a criminal trial involving 3 joined charges and then, either individually or as members of 6-person groups, decided on the guilt or innocence of the defendant on all 3 charges in 1 of 3 orders: descending seriousness, ascending seriousness, or no specified order. On the charge of medium seriousness, the proportion of convictions for both individuals and groups was greater in the descending seriousness order. Conviction on earlier charges significantly increased the relative frequency of conviction on later charges. Findings are discussed in relation both to earlier results that support a contrast explanation of such order effects and to the influence of task order on group decision processes in general. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive and consensus processes in group recognition memory performance.

This experiment applies signal detection theory and social decision schemes to investigate the potential impact of information pooling, error correction, and effective decision-making processes in the general finding that groups perform better than individuals on memory tasks. Groups and individuals completed a true/false recognition test regarding material presented in a videotaped simulated job interview. Various indexes of memory performance indicated that each of the processes contributed to the superiority of group recognition memory performance. Social decision scheme analyses indicated that the plurality-correct-wins decision scheme was the best summary of the decision process. Subsequent analyses suggested that the confidence that group members held in their initial preferences influenced the group decision process. Discussion emphasized the impact of consensus, correctness, and confidence on group memory performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)