Learning to communicate risk information in groups
Despite vigorous research on risk communication, little is known about the social forces that drive these choices. Erev, Wallsten, & Neal (1991) showed that forecasters learn to select verbal or numerical probability estimates as a function of which mode yields on average the larger group payoff...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2008-12-01
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| Series: | Judgment and Decision Making |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1930297500001601/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797696332478021632 |
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| author | Hsuchi Ting Thomas S. Wallsten |
| author_facet | Hsuchi Ting Thomas S. Wallsten |
| author_sort | Hsuchi Ting |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite vigorous research on risk communication, little is known about the social forces that drive these choices. Erev, Wallsten, & Neal (1991) showed that forecasters learn to select verbal or numerical probability estimates as a function of which mode yields on average the larger group payoffs. We extend the result by investigating the effect of group size on the speed with which forecasters converge on the better communication mode. On the basis of social facilitation theory we hypothesized that small groups induce less arousal and anxiety among their members than do large groups when performing new tasks, and therefore that forecasters in small groups will learn the better communication mode more quickly. This result obtained in Experiment 1, which compared groups of size 3 to groups of size 5 or 6. To test whether social loafing rather than social facilitation was mediating the effects, Experiment 2 compared social to personal feedback holding group size constant at 3 members. Learning was faster in the personal feedback condition, suggesting that social facilitation rather than loafing underlay the results. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:24:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3e7e4f2d8bcc428c849475a0bdb947e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-2975 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T03:24:51Z |
| publishDate | 2008-12-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Judgment and Decision Making |
| spelling | doaj.art-3e7e4f2d8bcc428c849475a0bdb947e72023-09-03T13:42:56ZengCambridge University PressJudgment and Decision Making1930-29752008-12-01365966610.1017/S1930297500001601Learning to communicate risk information in groupsHsuchi Ting0Thomas S. Wallsten1Department of Psychology, University of MarylandDepartment of Psychology, University of MarylandDespite vigorous research on risk communication, little is known about the social forces that drive these choices. Erev, Wallsten, & Neal (1991) showed that forecasters learn to select verbal or numerical probability estimates as a function of which mode yields on average the larger group payoffs. We extend the result by investigating the effect of group size on the speed with which forecasters converge on the better communication mode. On the basis of social facilitation theory we hypothesized that small groups induce less arousal and anxiety among their members than do large groups when performing new tasks, and therefore that forecasters in small groups will learn the better communication mode more quickly. This result obtained in Experiment 1, which compared groups of size 3 to groups of size 5 or 6. To test whether social loafing rather than social facilitation was mediating the effects, Experiment 2 compared social to personal feedback holding group size constant at 3 members. Learning was faster in the personal feedback condition, suggesting that social facilitation rather than loafing underlay the results.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1930297500001601/type/journal_articleprobabilitiesprobability judgmentrisk communicationgroup size |
| spellingShingle | Hsuchi Ting Thomas S. Wallsten Learning to communicate risk information in groups Judgment and Decision Making probabilities probability judgment risk communication group size |
| title | Learning to communicate risk information in groups |
| title_full | Learning to communicate risk information in groups |
| title_fullStr | Learning to communicate risk information in groups |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning to communicate risk information in groups |
| title_short | Learning to communicate risk information in groups |
| title_sort | learning to communicate risk information in groups |
| topic | probabilities probability judgment risk communication group size |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1930297500001601/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hsuchiting learningtocommunicateriskinformationingroups AT thomasswallsten learningtocommunicateriskinformationingroups |