Effects of Gender Diversity on Performance and Interpersonal Behavior in Small Work Groups

Abstract

We examined the separate and combined impact of gender composition and training method on both the performance and interpersonal behaviors exhibited in small work groups. Participants were scheduled in groups of three for two 1-h sessions that occurred 1 week apart. In Session 1, groups were trained to assemble the AM portion of a radio. In Session 2, groups were tested on their training. Analyses indicated that groups whose members were trained together took longer to assemble their radios and made more errors than groups whose members were trained apart. No performance differences were found between mixed-gender and same-gender groups. However, women were less task-oriented in mixed-gender than in same-gender groups, but men were more task-oriented in mixed-gender than in same-gender groups. Further, solo women were less talkative than women in the majority, whereas men were more talkative when they were solos rather than in the majority. Implications for the nature of training and gender composition in groups in the workplace are discussed.