Information Sampling in Decision-Making Groups

Abstract

This study examined the impact of members 'task-relevant status (i.e., prior task experience) on the bias in decision-making groups to discuss more common (shared) than unique (unshared) information. Subjects reviewed applications for an assistant professor position and, in mixed-sex groups (two femake and two male), chose between two candidates. Either female or male members had prior experience with a similar task Experienced members (regardless of gender) were less predisposed to favor shared information in the mentioning and repetition of information. Consistent with expectation states theory, member gender (a diffuse status cue) failed to qualify task-relevant status effects. Although experienced members were not more successful than inexperienced members at persuading the group to adopt their preference, when they did win, they did so with less effort. Suggestions are offered for using status processes to understand the psychological factors affecting collective information sampling.