Group decision making: The effects of initial preferences and time pressure

Triads, working under time pressure or not, participated in a management simulation that asked groups to decide which of two cholestrol-reducing drugs to market. The total distribution of information available to the group always favored the same drug However members' initial preferences were manipulated by varying the distribution of shared information (provided to all members) and unshared information (provided to only a single member) supporting each alternative. Thus, each member's fact sheet either (a) favored the correct decision (current preference condition), (b) mildly favored the incorrect decision (weak incorrect preference condition), or (c) strongly favored the incorrect decision (strong incorrect preference condition). Initial preferences were major determinants of group decisions. Time pressure either enhanced or reduced decision quality depending on the strength of initial preferences and the content of the group interactions. These findings are discussed in light of Karau and Kelly's Attentional Focus Model of group performance.