Do my contributions matter? The influence of imputed expertise on member involvement, and self-evaluations in the work group

Exploiting the diversity of expertise in a work team is a critical factor i n maximizing group performance. This article attempts to assess several sou rces of influence on group member perceptions regarding the value of their input to the group as well as the level of member involvement in group acti vity. The participants selected for this study were 216 university students (108 men. 108 women) who were randomly assigned to 36 mixed-gender groups. Groups were required to generate a negotiation strategy for two business-r elated cases. Measures of individual interaction styles were provided by ex pert judges who viewed videotapes of the group discussions and observed mem ber behavior. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed self-eval uations of their contributions to the group's efforts. The findings of this study offer striking evidence that imputed expertise can clearly affect gr oup member perceptions and behavior.