The effects of social interaction on group idea generation

Abstract

The literature on small group problem solving provides strong support for the proposition that social interaction has a detrimental effect on idea generation by group members. The present investigation, like previous research, found that “real” groups vocalized fewer total ideas and fewer good ideas when they were required to “think out loud” than did individuals formed into “nominal” groups. However, when idea generation was measured by written performance, immediately after the vocalization task, the two kinds of “groups” were virtually identical. Results of the study suggest that social interaction does not have a detrimental effect on the ideational resources potentially generated by a small group.