Decision Making
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Transcript Decision Making
DECISION MAKING
Chapter 10
Groups Decision Making
None of us alone is as smart as all of us
together (Myers, 2002)
more people = more information
more people to do more work
more people means people can do what they
are best at
Groups Decision Making
groups can discuss, process information
(check for errors, etc.)
groups have standards for deciding (e.g.,
majority rules)
people are more likely to follow through if
part of a group that decided
is not caused by any one mechanism,
but by several processes
Why make decisions in Groups?
The effectiveness of groups as decision makers
Examples: investment groups, advisory boards,
planners
Individual vs. group decision making
– Majorie E. Shaw’s (1932) study of groups vs.
individuals
– Individuals solved fewer problems than groups
Type of Decisions
Group effectiveness also depends has a
demonstrated correct solution
Intellective Tasks (right or wrong answer –
e.g., math problems ) vs. Judgmental Tasks
(no correct answer – jury’s verdict)
Group members are superior in intellective
tasks than judgment tasks.
Anatomy of Group Decision
Functional Theory of Group Decision Making
- Skilled decision making groups are more likely
use procedures that enhance the way they
gather, analyze, and weight information
Phases of Decision Making
- Orientation
- Discussion
- Decision
- Implementation
Orientation
Orientation
Defining the
Problem
Planning the
Process
Discussion
Functional Model of
Decision Making
No Decision
Reached
Decision
Orientation
Decision
Reached
Implementation
Development of shared
mental model
Group defines the problem
Sets strategy & goals
More time spent in this
stage the greater the
performance
Remembering
Information
Discussion
Exchanging
Information
Processing
Information
Remembering Information – 30 % of all comments
made by group members are expressions of
opinions and analysis of issues
Collective Memory – a group’s combined
memory
Cross-cueing – recall of memories improved
through group members’ statements
Transactive Memory – information is distributed
to various members of the group
Remembering
Information
Discussion
Exchanging
Information
Processing
Information
Weakness in group memory - importance of
keeping records (meeting minutes)
Exchanging information: Acquiring & sharing data
Processing information: Collective review of info.
Deciding
Social Decision Schemes – strategy used
to select a single alternative from various
alternatives proposed by the group
Delegation - an individual or subgroup within
the group makes the decision for the group
Statistical Aggregation – group members’
individual decision are averaged
Deciding
Social Decision Schemes
Voting – publicly or secret ballot – 50% rule
is used primarily, however, sometimes more
substantial percentages are needed for a
decision to become final
Consensus (discussion to unanimity)
Random Choice – final decision is left to
chance
Implementation
Implementation
Evaluating the decision
Adhering to the decision: Coch and French’s
(1948) clothing mill study
Participation is key in decision making – if
limited, hostility, turnover, & satisfaction
decreases
Post-Mortem Discussions
Bringing closure and learning lessons to bring to
future decisions
Gather group together
Review decisions made and decision making
process
Look for lessons learned
Record them
Individual vs. Group Decision
Making
Vroom’s Normative Model of Decision Making:
theory of decision making that predicts the
effectiveness of decisional procedures across a
number of group settings
Autocratic I & II – leader solves the problem on
his/her own with information available at the time
or obtains information from group members and
then decides
Consultative I & II – leader either shares the
problem with selected group members or the
entire group
Individual vs. Group Decision
Making
Vroom’s Normative Model of Decision Making:
Group – the leader discusses the problem with
the members of the group. Together the leader
and members devise options for a solution.
The leader acts as a chairperson of a committee
& does not try to influence the group to adopt a
certain a certain solution.
Procedure must fit the problem to be solved and
the decision to be made
Group Discussion Pitfalls
Group discussion pitfalls
Information processing limitations: leveling,
assimilation, sharpening
Poor communication skills
Decisional avoidance (procrastination,
bolstering, avoiding responsibility, ignoring
alternatives, satisficing)
Shared Information Bias
Is the tendency for groups to spend more time
discussing information that all members know and less
time examining information that only a few members
now
Oversampling shared information leads to poorer
decisions when a hidden profile would be revealed
by considering the unshared information more
closely.
Factors that increase (leadership style) and
decrease (using a Group Decision Support System)
the bias
Judgment errors and heuristic biases
Sins of omission and commission
Sins of imprecision: Heuristics
Cognitive Limitations
Judgment errors and heuristic biases – individual’s
judgments are often distorted by cognitive and motivational
biases
Individuals also overestimate their judgmental accuracy
because they remember all of the times their decisions were
confirmed
Sins of omission – overlook useful information
Sins of commission – information misused
Heuristics – mental rules of thumb
Sins of imprecision – oversimplify decision
Confirmation Bias – tendency to seek out information that
confirms one’s inferences rather than disconfirms them
Group Polarization
Group Polarization – the tendency to
respond in a more extreme way when
making a choice as part of a group, as
opposed to when responding individually
Social comparison theory
Persuasive-arguments theory
“Risk-supported wins” social decision
scheme
Polarization and Risk
Group Polarization: A shift in the direction of greater
extremity in individuals' responses
What is Groupthink?
Janis’s theory of groupthink – a distorted style of
thinking that renders group members incapable of
making rational decisions.
Members try very hard to agree with one another
that they make mistakes that could easily be
avoided
Example: Kennedy’s advisory group planning
the Bay of Pigs “covert op”
The theory identifies symptoms, causes, and
possible cures
Symptoms of Groupthink
Overestimation of the group (illusions of
invulnerability, illusions of morality)
Close-mindedness (rationalizations, stereotypes
about the outgroup)
Pressures toward uniformity (self-censorship, the
illusion of unanimity, direct pressure on
dissenters, self-appointed mindguards).
Pluralistic ignorance and the Abilene Paradox
(Harvey, 1988)
Entrapment and sunk costs
Defective decision-making processes
Causes
Causes of Groupthink
Cohesiveness
Cordial relationships
Lack of conflict
Structural Faults
Insulation
Control of the leader
Provocative Situational Context
How members deal with stress
Exaggerate the positive and minimize the
negative
Can Groupthink Be Prevented?
Limiting premature seeking of concurrence
Open style of leadership
Devil’s advocate, subgroup discussions
Correcting misperceptions and biases
Using effective decision-making techniques