This paper proposes a general theory (social decision scheme theory) for many kinds of group decision making and illustrates some special case models with a variety of data from several experimental situations. While focusing upon the traditional issue of individual-gr oup differences, the theory is aimed at accounting for the distribution of group decisions by using formal hypotheses about the effects of social interaction when the inputs to discussion are individual member preferences. The basic assumptions underlying the model are similar in several respects to proposals by Restle and Davis (1962) and Steiner (1966) in group problem-solving research, and the model itself represents the general case of earlier theoretical notions by Smoke and Zajonc (1962), Davis, Hoppe and Hornseth (1968), and Zajonc, Wolosin and Wolosin (1972) in group decision making. In addition, several nonintuitive consequences of group decision making, assuming some form of the model, are discussed. Small groups are widely used as decision- may have minimal acquaintance with each making instruments, or as information- other prior to group activity. processing devices to provide more sophis- In practice, of course, decision-making ticated input to an individual decision groups may have many purposes other than maker. Some groups are institutionalized rendering an optimal decision — collecting (juries, corporate boards, departmental information, obtaining commitment of executive committees, congressional com- members in order to better implement the mittees, etc.) in that formal provision is decision, representing decision preferences made for their existence and perhaps con- of segments of a population not present, and tinuation. Other groups are ad hoc (study so on. One important theme that runs panels, academic conferences, etc.) in that through the use of groups for decisions is their existence is temporary and members that such a process recognizes diversity among the persons involved with regard

Group decision and social interaction: A theory of social decision schemes.

Communicating through consumption choices involves decoding information about others based upon observations of their consumption behavior. Using photographs of automobiles and houses, the ability to recognize consumption symbolism is examined in six age groups and compared between males/females and “higher”/“lower” social-class subjects. Grade school is found to be the time during which most consumption decoding skills are attained.

Developmental Recognition of Consumption Symbolism

The classic trade-off between exploration and exploitation in organizational learning has attracted vigorous attention by researchers over the last two decades. Despite this attention, however, the question of how firms can better maintain the balance of exploration and exploitation remains unresolved. Drawing on a wide range of research on population and organization structure, we argue that an organization divided into semi-isolated subgroups may help strike this balance. We simulate such an organization, systematically varying the interaction pattern between individuals to explore how the degree of subgroup isolation and intergroup connectivity influences organizational learning. We also test this model with a range of contingency variables highlighted in the management research. We find that moderate levels of cross-group linking lead to the highest equilibrium performance by enabling superior ideas to diffuse across groups without reducing organizational diversity too quickly. This finding is remarkably resilient to a wide range of variance in factors such as problem complexity, environmental dynamism, and personnel turnover.

Balancing Exploration and Exploitation Through Structural Design: The Isolation of Subgroups and Organizational Learning

The Social Psychology of Small Groups: Cooperative and Mixed-Motive Interaction

In previous research of person perception and dress a wide array of measurement items often have been incorporated with little consideration of relationships among findings. The objective of the present qualitative meta-analysis was to find consistent themes among findings ofprevious research. The sources of data were 109 impression formation studies reported between 1943 and 1986; 869 significant findings in the studies related to dress and comprised the data. Four superordinate categories—Evaluation, Potency, Dynamism, and Quality of Thought-were tailor made to fit recurrent themes in the data and incorporated 93% of the previous findings. The parsimonious dimensions emerging from the content analysis could facilitate development of future research instruments and serve as a framework for interpretation offindings. In addition, research designs were examined for trends in inclusion of perceiver variables, context of stimulus persons, measurement approaches, and efforts at programmatic inquiry.

In Search of a Common Thread: Classification of Information Communicated Through Dress

Risky Shift: Social Value or Social Choice? An Alternative Model.

Summary The study was designed to examine the trait attribution process of American female college students to male stimulus targets differing in hair length and to explore the relationship between differences in preferences for hair length and differences in S characteristics of the perceiver. In a between Ss design, groups of females (N = 90) rated male stimulus targets of various hair lengths on a number of personalogical and physical dimensions. Short-haired male targets were perceived more favorably and as resembling more the male stereotype than long-haired male targets. Females' relative preference for hair length styles were correlated with their responses to a personality questionnaire, a sexual experience inventory, and a background information questionnaire. The profiles of females who preferred short-haired males could be described as conservative in orientation, while the profiles of females who preferred long-haired males could be described as liberal in orientation. An implication of this s...

Trait Attribution as a Function of Hair Length and Correlates of Subjects' Preferences for Hair Style

The veridicality of subjective estimates of relative risk was examined on two Choice Dilemma Questionnaire items. The results indicated that although, on the average, individuals view themselves as riskier than their peers, the Ss could be divided into three groups-those who saw themselves as riskier (R), the same as (S), or more cautious (C) than their peers. Comparisons of the mean levels of risk advocated by Ss in each group indicated that the perceptions of relative riskiness of Ss in the R and C groups were veridical. Ss in the S group were significantly more cautious than they realized. This pattern of results suggests that the risky shift may be accounted for through conformity or attitude changes related to a social comparison process rather than the mechanisms postulated by the social value hypothesis.

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Kevin Peterson

Papers

Risky Shift: Social Value or Social Choice? An Alternative Model.

Trait Attribution as a Function of Hair Length and Correlates of Subjects' Preferences for Hair Style

The veridicality of subjective estimates of relative risk