Effects of Partially Shared Information and Awareness of Unshared Information on Information Sampling

Abstract

The present study examines the effects of two conditions on the information flow during unstructured discussion in small groups. The experimental work of Stasser and colleagues on information sampling was our starting point. The results of their research suggest that groups often fail in effective information exchange. An experiment with a 2 x 2 factorial design was set up to look for conditions that could facilitate the exchange of unshared information. Video-recorded group discussions were analyzed on the mentioning of items during discussion. The reactions to and repetition of items were also studied. The researchers introduced partially shared information and made group members aware of the unique information that they could contribute. A significant increase in the dissemination of unshared information was found under these conditions. An empirical basis was laid so that guidelines for effective information sampling by Stasser could be reformulated.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Baron, R. S. , Kerr, N. , & Miller, N. (1992). Group process, group decision, group action. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

Davis, J. H. (1973). Group decision and social interaction: A theory of social decision schemes. Psychological Review, 80, 97-125.

Fisher, B. A. , & Ellis, D. G. (1990). Small group decision making: Communications and the group process (3rd ed.). New York: Mc.Graw-Hill.

Kaplan, M. F. , & Miller, C. E. (1983). Group discussion andjudgement. In P. B. Paulus (Ed.), Basic group processes (pp. 65-94). New York: Springer-Verlag.

Larson, J. R. , & Christensen, C. (1993). Groups as problem-solving units: Toward a new meaning of social cognition. British Journal of Social Psychology, 32, 5-30.

Larson, J. R. , Foster-Fishman, P. G. , & Keys, C. B. (1994). Discussionof shared and unshared information in decision-making groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67,446-461.

Schittekatte, M. (1993). Gebruik van informatie in taakgerichte teamgesprekken. Experi menteel onderzoek naar het uitwisselen van gedeelde en unieke items bij besluitvor mingstaken in kleine groepen [The use of information in task-oriented group discussions: Experimental research on the exchange of shared and unique items on judgemental tasks in small groups]. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Ghent, Belgium.

Schittekatte, M. (1994). Gebruik van informatie in taakgerichte teamgesprekken [The use of information in task-oriented group discussions]. Fundamentele Sociale Psychologie, 8, 276-289.

Schittekatte, M. (in press). Facilitating information-exchange in small decision-making groups. European Journal of Social Psychology.

10.

Stasser, G. (1992). Pooling of unshared information during group discussion. In S. Worchel , W. Wood , & J. A. Simpson (Eds.), Group process and productivity (pp. 48-68). Newbury Park: Sage.

11.

Stasser, G. , Kerr, N. , & Davis, J. H. (1989). Influence processes and consensus models in decision-making groups. In P. B. Paulus (Ed.), Psychology of group influence (2nd ed., pp. 279-326). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

12.

Stasser, G. , & Stewart, D. (1992). Discovery of hidden profiles by decision-making groups: Solving a problem versus making a judgement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 426-434.

13.

Stasser, G. , Taylor, L. A. , & Hanna, C. (1989). Information sampling in structured and unstructured discussions of three and six person groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 67-78.

14.

Stasser, G. , & Titus, W. (1985). Pooling of unshared information in group decision making: Biased information sampling during discussion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 1467-1478.

15.

Stasser, G. , & Titus, W. (1987). Effects of information load and percentage of shared information on the dissemination of unshared information during group discussion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 81-93.

16.

Wilke, H.A.M. , & Meertens, R. W. (1994). Group performance. London: Routledge.