When Hierarchical Differentiation Increases Group Effectiveness

Abstract

Two experiments examined the psychological and biological antecedents of hierarchical differentiation and the resulting consequences for productivity and intragroup conflict within small groups. In Experiment 1, hierarchically differentiated groups (i.e., comprised of one high-power, one low-power, and one baseline individual) had higher performance on a procedurally interdependent task than groups comprised exclusively of either all high-power or all low-power individuals. There were no effects of hierarchy on a procedurally independent task. Experiment 2 used a biological marker of power motivation (prenatal testosterone exposure as measured by 2D:4D ratio) to manipulate hierarchical differentiation. Replicating the pattern of results from Experiment 1, mixed-testosterone groups achieved greater productivity than groups comprised of all high-testosterone and all low-testosterone individuals. Furthermore, intragroup conflict mediated the productivity decrements for the all high but not the all low-testos...