By Fon Sundaravej
The Dynamic Effects of Group Support Systems on Group Meetings
By Bruce A. Reinig and Bongsik Shin
Prior research on group support system (GSS) mostly compares outcomes from
various levels of GSS without measuring and testing the influence that GSS has on group
interaction and the corresponding influence that group interaction has on meeting
outcomes. Most experiments are performed only one time with unplanned small group.
This research studies the validity of dynamic theories by examining the relationship
among GSS structures, group interaction processes, and meeting outcomes over time. To
do this, the adaptive structuration theory (AST), which is a general research model, is
employed to emphasize social interactions in determining how GSS ultimately affects
meeting outcomes. Four processes (production blocking, evaluation apprehension, free
riding, and sucker effect) and three outcomes (group cohesion, self-reported learning, and
affective reward) are selected in this context. A longitudinal experiment including eight
tasks is conducted for a face-to-face group and GSS group. The experiment has been
done over two consecutive academic semesters and data have been gathered in a form of
post-session surveys. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is conducted to validate the
integrity of the research model.
GSS is a technology that can promote social interactions and enhance meeting
performance with structures of anonymity and simultaneity. This technology augments
quantity and quality of participation, increases participants’ satisfaction, and reduces
process losses. GSS will be the most effective when it is used with a large-size group.
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By Fon Sundaravej
The social information processing (SIP) proposes that interpersonal notion will
take longer to develop in groups without any history and that personalized
communication takes longer to display in computer-mediated communication (CMC)
groups than it does in face-to-face groups. Hence, time is expected to have an impact on
both group interaction and meeting outcomes.
To examine the relationship between GSS structures and social interaction, four
process constructs are identified. Production blocking refers to the loss of ideas or failure
to generate or remember new ideas while waiting for a turn to speak during a meeting.
GSS reduces production blocking through the structure of group memory and
simultaneity. Evaluation apprehension is the fear of being negatively evaluated by other
group members and precludes participants from presenting their ideas to a group. GSS
decreases evaluation apprehension through the structure of anonymity. Free riding occurs
when individuals choose to diminish effort in a group setting resulted from social
comparison to match the level of other members. GSS lowers free riding through the
structure of simultaneity. The sucker effect happens when hardworking members feel
their efforts are being taken advantage of by other members. GSS lessens the sucker
effect through the structure of anonymity. Based on the preceding relationship, it is
believed that participants in GSS meetings will report less production blocking,
evaluation apprehension, free riding, and sucker effect than participants in face-to-face
meetings.
To examine the relationship between social interactions and meeting outcomes,
three outcome constructs are identified as group cohesion, self-reported learning, and
affective reward. Group cohesion represents the degree of mutual cooperation,
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By Fon Sundaravej
confidence, and trust that exists among group participants. It is presumed that production
blocking, evaluation apprehension, free riding, and sucker effect are negative predictors
of group cohesion.
Previous findings illustrate that active involvement is crucial to members in order
to become creative, critical, and productive learners. Therefore, it is conjectured that
group cohesion is a positive predictor of self-reported learning; and production blocking,
evaluation apprehension, free riding, and sucker effect are negative predictors of selfreported learning.
Some theories suggest a relationship between group interaction and satisfaction.
Thus, it is supposed that group cohesion is a positive predictor of affective reward.
Production block, evaluation apprehension, free riding, and sucker effect are negative
predictors of affective reward.
Self-reported learning may also be viewed as an intermediate variable that may
influence affective reward. Self-reported learning, therefore, tends to be a positive
predictor of affective reward.
AST and SIP theories propose that group dynamics and outcomes change over
time. In AST theory, changes in group dynamic and outcomes are neither positive nor
negative. In SIP theory, it is stated that outcomes can be realized as interpersonal
development that can occur over multiple time periods. Basically, both social dynamic
and meeting outcomes are procedural in nature and subject to change over time.
Consequently, time will be expected to have a significant impact on group dynamic and
meeting outcomes.
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By Fon Sundaravej
A longitudinal experiment is conducted using two classes held in consecutive
semesters. One semester is face-to-face group and the other semester is GSS group.
Students from both classes debate eight ethical scenarios. Survey is conducted by the
students after each topic discussion. Items on the survey are tested with exploratory factor
analysis using Equamax rotation. All constructs except evaluation apprehension achieve
high validity. One affective reward item also shows low reliability. These items are
subsequently excluded from further analysis. SEM is later used to analyze and test the
hypotheses. Overall, it is concluded that the model is suitable and valid.
The result of the experiment is that GSS reduces every process construct, except
evaluation apprehension which is not adequately measured and subsequently discarded.
That is, GSS is still a tool to support group and meeting interaction. Only the sucker
effect is significant in reducing group cohesion. Group cohesion is a positive predictor of
self-reported learning. Free riding is a negative predictor of self-reported learning. Both
findings support the cooperative learning theory that students learn through working in
groups and playing an active role in the learning process. The sucker effect turns out to
be a positive predictor of self-reported learning. In order for students to benefit from
other students, they have to be engaged in the learning process and such engagement
leads to self-reported learning. Free riding has a negative impact on affective reward,
while group cohesion and self-reported learning positively influence affective reward.
Time period is a negative predictor of self-reported learning and affective reward, but a
positive predictor of the sucker effect. In summary, SEM supports the procedural
methodology to examine effects of group interaction of GSS on process losses and the
corresponding effect those process losses have on meeting outcomes.
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