Participation, Influence, and Satisfaction among Members of Problem-Solving Groups
- 1 April 1965
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Psychological Reports
- Vol. 16 (2) , 661-667
- https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1965.16.2.661
Abstract
The relative contributions of participation and influence to the acceptance of decisions in problem-solving groups were examined. Fifteen 4-person and 5 3-person groups solved the Assembly Problem. The members' comments about different solutions were recorded and their reports of their satisfaction with their influence over the solution and with the solution itself were collected after the discussion. The members' total participation, attempted influence, and actual influence over the solution were each correlated with the two satisfaction measures. Only the members' actual influence was significantly correlated with their satisfaction. Neither the amount of group support for the solution nor the quality of the solution was correlated with members' satisfaction. The amount each member participates in a problem-solving discussion seems unimportant for his acceptance of the group decision. Rather, he will be satisfied the more he expresses support for the solution adopted by the group. Members should be encouraged to express their opinions about solutions both to increase acceptance and to improve the quality of group decisions.Keywords
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