The relationship of argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness to cohesion, consensus, and satisfaction in small groups

Abstract

The communication traits of argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness were investigated for their relationships with small group members’ perceptions of communication satisfaction, cohesion, and consensus. Participants (N = 208) in on‐going task groups were surveyed. The results suggest that group members who are argumentative and not verbally aggressive are satisfied with their group's communication, and they perceive that the groups are more likely to reach consensus and experience a sense of cohesion. The results discuss the importance of communication traits in investigating small group communication.