Report

Do Group Discussions Serve an Educational Purpose?

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Boy, Regina
Witte, Erich H.

Abstract / Description

This study examines the effects of two information components on observers' ability to learn from group discussion. A social emotional and a factual information component were integrated in videotaped group discussions of a classical problem-solving task. To eliminate normative influence observers were employed to evaluate manipulated performance quality (good/bad) and group atmosphere (harmonious/conflictual). It could be demonstrated that without comparison level observers were unable to detect differences in performance quality but were secure in identifying the group atmosphere. With possibility for comparison of manipulated discussions the group atmosphere was used to evaluate performance quality revealing that learning was based on the wrong cues. Variation of both components showed that by increased complexity reference points were not present any more to correctly evaluate performance quality. Results suggest that wrong individual learning effects are considerably detrimental to group problem-solving quality

Keyword(s)

Gruppendiskussion Informationsverhalten Gruppeneffektivität Lernen Beobachtung Gruppendynamik Gruppendiskussion Information Gruppenleistung Lernen Beobachter Gruppendynamik Learning group discussion desert-survival problem observer group atmosphere group performance problem solving

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2007

Is part of series

Hamburger Forschungsberichte zur Sozialpsychologie;79

Citation

  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Boy, Regina
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Witte, Erich H.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2022-11-17T11:08:07Z
  • Made available on
    2008-12-11
  • Made available on
    2015-12-01T10:30:40Z
  • Made available on
    2022-11-17T11:08:07Z
  • Date of first publication
    2007
  • Abstract / Description
    This study examines the effects of two information components on observers' ability to learn from group discussion. A social emotional and a factual information component were integrated in videotaped group discussions of a classical problem-solving task. To eliminate normative influence observers were employed to evaluate manipulated performance quality (good/bad) and group atmosphere (harmonious/conflictual). It could be demonstrated that without comparison level observers were unable to detect differences in performance quality but were secure in identifying the group atmosphere. With possibility for comparison of manipulated discussions the group atmosphere was used to evaluate performance quality revealing that learning was based on the wrong cues. Variation of both components showed that by increased complexity reference points were not present any more to correctly evaluate performance quality. Results suggest that wrong individual learning effects are considerably detrimental to group problem-solving quality
    en
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-23420
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/538
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.9163
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Is part of series
    Hamburger Forschungsberichte zur Sozialpsychologie;79
  • Keyword(s)
    Gruppendiskussion
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Informationsverhalten
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Gruppeneffektivität
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Lernen
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Beobachtung
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Gruppendynamik
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Gruppendiskussion
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Information
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Gruppenleistung
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Lernen
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Beobachter
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Gruppendynamik
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Learning
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    group discussion
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    desert-survival problem
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    observer
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    group atmosphere
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    group performance
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    problem solving
    en
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Do Group Discussions Serve an Educational Purpose?
    en
  • DRO type
    report
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsyDok