GROUP DISCUSSION AS AFFECTED BY NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES AND BY A TIME LIMIT

This study examines whether the task-related discussion in problem-sol ving groups is affected by the number of decision alternatives being c onsidered and/or by the imposition of a decision deadline. Drawing fro m research on individual decision makers, it was first predicted that the number of alternatives would have an inverse effect on the quantit y and quality of group discussion: as the number of alternatives incre ases, the proportion of information mentioned and the repetition of th at information should decrease. Second, it was predicted that a deadli ne would have a direct effect on quantity: as the deadline gets shorte r, a smaller proportion of facts will be mentioned, and mentioned fact s will be repeated less often. Results supported the first hypothesis; however, deadlines were found to have a more complex relationship wit h discussion than was hypothesized. Evidence was also obtained for a ' 'surface evaluation'' explanation of how groups narrow the choice set, as was support for the notion that severe deadlines increase the rate of work-related activity within the group. The results are interprete d within an attentional focus framework. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.