Understanding Influences on Successful Performances in Groups
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
18-4-2016 2:00 PM
End Date
18-4-2016 3:30 PM
Student's Major
Psychology
Student's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Mentor's Name
Emily Stark
Mentor's Department
Psychology
Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description
Working in groups is implemented in many settings and is especially prevalent in academic environments. In schools, the quality of work while collaborating in groups is dependent upon how well group members are able to work together, which makes group work an important topic of study. Some research using classroom groups suggest that students who perceive themselves as similar to their group members trust them more, and have higher performance on group projects (Ennen, Stark, & Lassiter, 2015). Studying groups in a laboratory setting will help determine which aspects (similarity, trust, etc.) are most fundamental in order for students to achieve their highest quality of work. The current study assigns student participants to groups of 2 to 6 people. Participants introduce themselves, individually note their initial impressions of their group members, and then work together to complete a draft schedule and leadership goals for a psychology club. They are given information about the club, and have 20 minutes to go through the information and complete the tasks, which means they need to work together. Then, they individually complete a questionnaire rating their trust in their group members and their satisfaction with the task. Their tasks are also scored for completeness, giving an objective measure of performance. Data collection is currently ongoing and a total sample of at least 25 groups will be collected. Understanding which characteristics are needed to create ideal groups will enhance group work efficiency, work quality, and how well students perform in group settings in their classes.
Understanding Influences on Successful Performances in Groups
CSU Ballroom
Working in groups is implemented in many settings and is especially prevalent in academic environments. In schools, the quality of work while collaborating in groups is dependent upon how well group members are able to work together, which makes group work an important topic of study. Some research using classroom groups suggest that students who perceive themselves as similar to their group members trust them more, and have higher performance on group projects (Ennen, Stark, & Lassiter, 2015). Studying groups in a laboratory setting will help determine which aspects (similarity, trust, etc.) are most fundamental in order for students to achieve their highest quality of work. The current study assigns student participants to groups of 2 to 6 people. Participants introduce themselves, individually note their initial impressions of their group members, and then work together to complete a draft schedule and leadership goals for a psychology club. They are given information about the club, and have 20 minutes to go through the information and complete the tasks, which means they need to work together. Then, they individually complete a questionnaire rating their trust in their group members and their satisfaction with the task. Their tasks are also scored for completeness, giving an objective measure of performance. Data collection is currently ongoing and a total sample of at least 25 groups will be collected. Understanding which characteristics are needed to create ideal groups will enhance group work efficiency, work quality, and how well students perform in group settings in their classes.
Recommended Citation
Steinberg, Kendra and Paige Wheeler. "Understanding Influences on Successful Performances in Groups." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 18, 2016.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2016/poster-session-B/29
