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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Do Individual Reactions Predict Group Reactions?
Pekka LuhtanenSimo Salminensubject
Social psychology (sociology)HomeostatChoice reaction timeGroup (mathematics)05 social sciences050109 social psychologyExperimental and Cognitive PsychologySensory SystemsIce hockey0502 economics and business0501 psychology and cognitive sciencesElectric networkPsychologySocial psychology050212 sport leisure & tourismGroup performancedescription
Summary.-Group reactions of three-man groups included in 71 junior ice hockey players were measured using a homeostat. Individual reaction times (simple reaction time, choice reaction time) did not predict group performance. In social psychology many studies have compared the effectiveness of an individual and a group (Kelley & Thibaut. 1969). Less research has been done to predict group performance by individuals' performance. In this study group performance was measured by a homeostat developed in the USSR (Medvedev, 1967). Ic consists of three microammeters connected in the same electric network. When the Examiner rotates the electric resistance, the subjects ought to restore the equilibrium of the indicators through common activities. The equilibrium can be reached only when all subjecn anticipate each others' reactions and the group works as a whole. This requires members of the group to know each others' ways of thinking. The best group is the fastest to get back the equilibrium (Medwedew, 1982). The best result (7 sec.) was made by three defensive players of a soccer team who had played in the same subgroup of a team for quite a long time and who knew each others' ways of thinking. When one of the members was replaced by a player of the same team, the result was more than 2.5 times worse. In other groups this fourth player succeeded well (Valentinova & Myedvyedyev, 1973). In another study a group with one clearly defined leader performed besc. If there were two sociometrically defined leaders in the group, the results worsened considerably (Valentinova & Ryzhonkin, 1975). These resulcs indicate chat the effectiveness of the group depends on the composition of that group. Introducing a member with fast reactions to the group may lower the effectiveness of the group. It can be hypothesized that individual reaction times do not predict the performance of the group. Individual reaction times were measured as reaction time (RT) (light on, push) and choice reaction time (CRT) (two lights on the box, which of them on, push) (Luhtanen,
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-02-01 | Perceptual and Motor Skills |