Why Informed Groups Make Faulty Decisions

Abstract

This study seeks to determine whether the interactions associated with high- and low-quality decisions possess unique characteristics that might account for the differences m decision-making performance. The discussions associated with 68 "high- quality" and 29 "low-quahty " decisions made by comparably informed groups were systematically analyzed using cross-contact comparison. The study found four communication characteristics that distinguish the interactions associated with high-and low-quality decisions: (1) Interactions associated with high-quality decisions were characterized by the presence of vigilance; (2) interactions associated with high-quality decisions were characterized by second-guessing; (3) interactions associated with high-quality decisions were characterized by accurate information processing, while the interactions associated with low-quality decisions were characterized by faulty information-processing; and (4) interactions associated with low-quality decisions were characterized by improbable fantasy chains.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Dewey, J. (1910). How we think. Boston: Heath.

Gibson, J.S. (1984). Group decisions and foreign policy. In W. C. Swap (Ed.), Group decision-making. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Gouran, D.S. (1976). The Watergate coverup: Its dynamics and its implications . Communication Monographs, 43, 176-186.

Gouran, D.S. (1982). Making decisions in groups: Choices and consequences . Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman .

Gouran, D.S. (1984). Communication influences on the decision to contain the Watergate conspiracy. Paper presented at the 70th annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Chicago, November.

Hackman, J.R. , & Morris, C.G. (1975). Group tasks, group interaction process, and group performance effectiveness: A review and proposed integration. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 8). New York: Academic Press.

Hackman, J.R. , & Morris, C.G. (1977). Improving group performance effectiveness. In J. R. Hackman , E. E. Lawler III , & L. Porter (Eds.), Perspectives on behavior m organizations. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Head, R.G. , Short, F.W. , & McFarlane, R.C. (1978). Crisis resolution: Presidential decision making in the Mayaguez and Korean confrontations. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Hirokawa, R.Y. , & Pace, R.E. (1983). A descriptive investigation of the possible communication-based reasons for effective and ineffective group decision-making. Communication Monographs, 50, 363-379.

10.

Hoffman, L.R. (1965). Group problem solving. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 2). New York: Academic Press.

11.

Janis, I.L. (1972). Victims ofgroupthink. Boston : Houghton-Mifflin.

12.

Janis, I.L. (1982). Victims of groupthink (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin .

13.

Janis, I.L. , & Mann, L. (1977). Decision making: A psychological analysis of conflict, choice, and commitment. New York: Free Press.

14.

Katz, D. , & Kahn, R.L. (1978). The social psychology of organizations (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley.

15.

March, J.G. , & Simon, H.A. (1958). Organizations. New York: John Wiley.

16.

McGrath, J.E. (1984). Groups: Interaction and performance. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

17.

Riecken, H. (1958). The effects of talkativeness on ability to influence group solutions to problems. Sociometry, 21, 309-321.

18.

Rossi, N.D. (1983) Information distribution in ad hoc problem-solving groups. Unpublished master's thesis, Pennsylvania State University, University Park.

19.

Scheidel, T.M. , & Crowell, L. (1979). Discussing and deciding: A deskbook for group leaders and members. New York: Macmillan.

20.

Shaw, M.E. , & Penrod, W.T. (1962a). Validity of information, attempted influence, and quality of group decisions. Psychological Reports, 10, 19-23.

21.

Shaw, M.E. , & Penrod, W.T. (1962b). Does more information available to a group always improve group performance? Sociometry, 25, 377-390.

22.

Shaw, M.E. , & Penrod, W.T. (1964). Group effectiveness as a function of amount of "legitimate" information. Journal of Social Psychology, 62, 241-246.

23.

Simon, H.A. (1976). Administrative behavior: A study of decision-making processes in administrative organization (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.

24.

Stein, J.C. , & Tanter, R. (1980). Rational decision making: Israel's security choices, 1967. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.

25.

Steiner, I.D. (1972) Group process and productivity. New York: Academic Press.

26.

Thibaut, J.W. , & Kelley, H.H. (1959). The social psychology of groups. New York: John Wiley.

27.

Ziller, R.C. , & Behnnger, R.D. (1959). Group persuasion by the most knowledgeable member under conditions of incubation and varying group size. Journal of Applied Psychology, 43, 402-406.