1996 - Ethnic Diversity and Creativity in Small Groups

Attribution: McLeod, Poppy, Lobel, Sharon, & Cox Jr., Taylor H.
Researchers: Poppy McLeodSharon LobelTaylor H. Cox Jr.
University Affiliation: Cornell University; University of Michigan
Email: plm29@cornell.edu
Research Question:
Test the value of in-diversity hypothesis (that ethnic diversity produces tangible, positive effects on organizational outcome).
Published: 1
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Small Group Research
Journal Entry: Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 248-264
Year: 1996
Findings:
  • Ideas produced by heterogeneous groups were judged as significantly more feasible.
  • Members of homogeneous groups reported marginally significantly higher levels of interpersonal attraction than did members of heterogeneous groups.
  • Diverse groups have performance advantages over homogeneous groups on creativity task requiring knowledge of different cultures.
  • Biculturalism may be related to divergent thinking in the same way as bilingualism.
Keywords: AsiansDiversityHispanicsLatinosRegions: MidwestMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: Quasi-ExperimentAnalysis Methods: MANOVA Sampling Frame:Students at a large Midwest University
Sampling Types: NonrandomAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Cross Sectional
Data Description:
  • 135 undergrad and graduate students form several academic majors at a large Midwestern University
  • 94 men and 41 women
  • 76 Anglo Americans
  • 20 Asian Americans
  • 22 African Americans
  • 17 Hispanic American
  • 120 Native-born American
  • Two types of groups were formed -ethnically diverse and all Anglo Americans.
  • Experimental investigation of the difference in performance on a brainstorming task between groups whose members are all Anglo-American and groups whose members are Anglo-, Asian, African, and Hispanic Americans.
  • DV: Effectiveness (how much of a contribution the idea names toward the objective of getting more tourists to visit the US) and feasibility (the extent to which the ideas could be carried out, given the constraints of reality).
  • IV: Racial composition of groups (all Anglo-American vs. Anglo-American, Asian, African, and Hispanic Americans)
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:
Archives: K-12 Integration, Desegregation, and Segregation Abstracts