Group Property 4: Size.

 

 

Does the size of a group affect the group´s overall behavior? The answer is a definite “yes”, but the effect depends on what dependent variables you look at. The evidence indicates smaller groups are faster at completing tasks than larger ones and that individuals perform better in smaller groups than in larger ones. However, in problem solving, large groups consistently get better marks than their smaller counterparts.

 

As defined by research, group performance is merely a summation of individual performances. Some researchers even suggest that the overall group performance will be less than a summation of each individual´s performances.

 

So when you are making a group larger, you are increasing the total amount of performance, however the addition of new members has diminishing returns on productivity. So more may be better in total productivity of a group of four than that of three, but the individual productivity of each member declines.

 

One of the most important findings about the size of a group concerns social loafing, the tendency for individuals to spend less effort when working collectively than alone. You can try to prevent this by setting group goals, increasing of intergroup competition or selecting members who have high motivation for achievement.