Effects of Altering Group Goal Content on Group Outcomes

Steve Winton

Date of Graduation

Summer 2003

Degree

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Thomas Kane

Abstract

68 three-person teams performed four trials of a modified game of Boggle® to examine goal content effects on group processes, development, and collective efficacy. Goal content was hypothesized to have important implications for directing attention to important group processes. The study employed a 3 (a learning goal condition, a performance goal condition, and a do best goal condition) x 4 (trials) design wherein goal content was block randomly assigned. Groups were videotaped during planning and performance sessions to code task and team strategies. As predicted, teams in the learning goal condition significantly differed from teams in the performance goal condition and the do best condition regarding such group processes as strategy formation. Also as predicted, a significant performance-collective efficacy relationship was fround only in the performance goal condition. No significant performance or development differences were found. Continued research, however, is necessary to delineate performance and development effects and to provide important information for teams that value coordination, effort and improvement.

Subject Categories

Psychology

Copyright

© Steve Winton

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