Member Reactions to Success and Failure of Task Groups

Abstract

Abstract : A study was conducted to investigate the effect of success and failure on the reactions of high and low status members whose teams differed in linguistic and cultural background and leadership style. The major difference in member reactions were due to the supposed success or failure of their teams; substantial effects due to leadership style were observed in member reactions in the failure condition to others in the group, indicating that groups of relationship-oriented (high LPC) leaders tended to scapegoat, or project blame onto low-status members of the group, and these groups having task-oriented (low LPC) leaders. In general, the interpretation suggests itself that relationship- oriented leaders and members of their group find it difficult to cope with the negative evaluation of the experimenter, implied by the rating that the team had performed poorly. In contrast, the task-oriented leader and his group members appear to be more concerned with the satisfaction which is derived from the task, and hence less vulnerable to negative feedback from the experimenter. Contrary to expectation, the differences between homogeneous and heterogeneous were small and insignificant. Only the group atmosphere scores of homogeneous groups were significantly higher, indicating a somewhat more pleasant, relaxed group climate in teams in which all members speak the same language and share the same cultural background.