Question

Research on group decision making shows that groups always make decisions that are more accurate than the decisions made by the most accurate member in the group.

a) True
b) False

Answer 1

False. Group decision making does not always result in more accurate decisions than those made by the most accurate member. Factors like groupthink and conformity can lead to less accurate decisions.

Step-by-step explanation:

False. Research on group decision making does not always show that groups make decisions that are more accurate than the decisions made by the most accurate member in the group. In fact, groups can sometimes make less accurate decisions due to factors like groupthink or conformity.

For example, the Asch conformity experiments conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s demonstrated how individuals often conform to group consensus, even when it is objectively incorrect. In these experiments, participants were asked to judge the length of lines, and when they were surrounded by confederates giving incorrect answers, they often conformed and gave the same wrong answer.

Ultimately, the accuracy of group decisions depends on several factors, such as the diversity of perspectives within the group, the presence of unbiased information, and the ability of the group to effectively weigh and consider different options.