Idea Production in Nominal and Virtual Groups: Does Computer-Mediated Communication Improve Group Brainstorming?

Findings in previous research on the effectiveness of computer brainstorming groups as compared to other kinds of brainstorming groups are equivocal with regard to the quantity and quality of idea production. Nevertheless, using computer-mediated communication is often recommended to enhance idea production in brainstorming groups. This recommendation is based on the assumption that reading others' ideas leads to mutual cognitive stimulation. To test this assumption, two conceptually similar experiments were run comparing two-member and four-member computer brainstorming groups with and without the opportunity to exchange ideas. Although in conditions with computer-mediated communication there should have been three times as much stimulation for individuals in four-member groups as compared to two-member groups, irrespective of group size neither quantity nor quality measures showed any improvement over conditions without computer-mediated communication. Instead, in both experiments, communication led to uniformity tendencies which lowered flexibility of idea production.