Perceptual Agreement as an Aggregation Criterion: An Empirical Study of a Debate in Climate Research

Abstract

Reported here is an examination of a debate which has been labeled “shadowboxing in the dark.” An empirically testable aspect of the debate is whether, within a unit of analysis where the members' psychological climate scores are similar, the aggregate climate score will have enhanced predictive power, that is, whether the more similar are the members' perceptions of their work environment, the better the aggregate climate score of the unit will predict members' attitudes or behaviors. The relationship of mean climate and members' satisfaction was not enhanced by the perceptual similarity among unit members.