Supported by ONR Contract 4679 from the Group Psychology Branch, Office of Naval Research.

In order to examine the conditions that determine when intergroup cooperation will result in increased intergroup attraction, a group of 494 male and female undergraduate students was divided into task groups consisting of eight to twelve individuals. In the first phase of the study, groups were led to believe that they were either competing,…

Investigates interaction effects of the variables of leadership style and groupings of people on productivity and member satisfaction. (MH)

Presents study results examining social pressure within sexually homogenous groups. Explains that cohesiveness, based on common beliefs, was established in half of the sample while prevented in the remainder. Reports that groups were required to reach consensus after conflict was introduced. Concludes that low cohesion groups showed the greatest…

The question whether individual study of risk problems (familiarization) leads to greater risk taking was investigated. Several explanations of the risk taking shifts are explicit in their requirement for group or social interaction. Investigations of whether risk shifts can be produced in the absence of group interaction have produced conflicting…

Examines the groupthink phenomenon under controlled, laboratory conditions. Results indicate that the presence or absence of disagreement (conflict, hostility) among members may be the best discriminator between groupthink and nongroupthink groups. (JMF)

Examines the function of conflict in the process of achieving group consensus. Available from: Human Communication Research, Robert L. Cox, Executive Secretary, International Communication Association, Box 8563 University Station, Austin, Texas 78712. Telephone: 512-471-4821. Subscription Rates: institutional or non-members, $15.00 per year;…

The decisions President Richard Nixon and his closest advisors made in the Watergate coverup were products of what Irving Janis calls "groupthink." Groupthink, a type of decision-making emphasizing unanimity over objective evaluation, develops when the decision makers (1) form a group of marked cohesiveness, (2) insulate themselves from…

Recent investigations of the effects on group output of competitive contingencies, reward deliveries to group members contingent upon achieving a higher or lower task rate than another group, have suggested that competitive contingencies are a positive function of group output. When rewards are contingent upon a higher comparison outcome, group…

Theories and research in speech communication that have particular relevance to organization development include studies in areas of entropy, feedback, group cohesiveness, norms, opinion leadership, and source credibility. One study of an organization development project made at a hospital revealed that subjects tended to report those changes in…

Summarizes research comparing boundaries around larger and smaller groups. Finds that the perception of group boundary permatbility varies with group size. Reports a greater perceived distinction between the group and the individual passerby as group size increases. Describes the effects of varying group member proximity. Discusses implications…