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THE EFFECT OF CONFLICT, QUALITY, AND TIME ON INFORMATION USE AND SMALL GROUP BEHAVIOR IN EVALUATIVE DECISION-MAKING SITUATIONS
Abstract
Eighty-nine students in graduate level education classes role played school board members making decisions about educational programs based on simulated program evaluation reports. The problem contexts in the evaluation reports were varied by conflict, quality, and time to assess the possible effects on the groups' information use and the groups' behavior in decision making. The 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design included long and short term conditions, and high and low conditions for both conflict (controversy about decision) and quality (reversibility of decision). ANOVA was computed to each of eight items included on a Use of Information Form. ANOVA was also computed for two semantic differentials measuring participants' perceptions of the group was a whole and their personal experience in the group. Trained observers rated each participant on the SYMLOG Adjective Rating Form. Participants and observers were interviewed and videotapes of four groups were made for further analysis of the differences occurring in information needed and used and in group behavior as a result of experimental conditions. Using an alpha level of .01, significant 2-way interaction effects of conflict and quality were found in the participants' preference for more time and their need for more information. Low conflict, low quality groups and high conflict, high quality groups were less likely to want more time and information than the mixed groups (low, high and high, low). A significant 2-way interaction effect of conflict and time affected preference to talk to other board members. Long, low and short, high groups felt less need to talk than short, low and high, long groups. One significant main effect was found to affect their support of the program continuation. Groups were more likely to support a "low quality" program. SYMLOG results placed all groups in the decision-making vector. The results partially supported the Janis and Mann (1977) conflict model of decision making. The results also indicated that situational contexts of problems may affect information need and use which has implications for the evaluator in preparing a useful evaluation report.
Subject Area
Educational psychology
Recommended Citation
PFLUM, GLENN DAVID, "THE EFFECT OF CONFLICT, QUALITY, AND TIME ON INFORMATION USE AND SMALL GROUP BEHAVIOR IN EVALUATIVE DECISION-MAKING SITUATIONS" (1982). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8302110.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8302110