Nominal Group Technique, Social Loafing, and Group Creative Project Quality

Abstract

We studied the impact on project quality of whether course project teams used the Nominal Group Technique (NGT—a systematic approach to soliciting individual inputs into group project design and planning) for executing projects with a significant creative component. Social-loafing mediation of NGT effects on project quality also was examined. Sixteen project groups in 4 laboratory sections (total N = 62) for a social psychology course took part in Study 1, and 16 project groups from a lecture class in environmental psychology (N = 78) took part in Study 2. Half of the project groups in each class were randomly assigned to use NGT for executing a required class project. Social loafing was measured by both self- and peer-evaluations of effort exerted by individuals toward project success. In Study 1, NGT had a significant effect on social loafing, and average loafing levels within groups were significantly related to rank order project quality. Because NGT was assigned and project quality evaluated within laboratory sections, direct NGT relations to project quality could not be tested. In Study 2, NGT affected both loafing levels and rated project quality, and social loafing seemed to have mediated the effects of NGT on project quality.