Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

5-2018

Abstract

Organizations increasingly rely on team-based work systems-yet intergroup behavior is predisposed toward competition, which can render conflict management in organizations especially difficult. Based on the integrative complexity model of group decision-making and the literature on intergroup social dilemmas, we argue that a lack of quality group discussion (i.e., low integrative complexity) can heighten group members' sense of greed toward and fear of other groups-and, by doing so, increase the likelihood that a group will decide to compete. Accordingly, we propose and evaluate two interventions that target group-discussion dynamics to promote the integrative complexity of group discussion and intergroup cooperation: structured group discussion and discussion led by a group member who favors cooperation. Two hundred eighty-five participants were assigned to groups of three and played an iterated prisoner's dilemma game. Results demonstrate that participating in a structured group discussion increased the integrative complexity of group discussion, during which different perspectives were fully deliberated before making a final decision. This, in turn, decreased the sense of greed and fear, and reduced the likelihood that a group would decide to compete against other groups. In contrast, a cooperative discussion leader was only helpful in reducing group decisions to compete in the first round: Because it did not increase the integrative complexity of group discussion, this method failed to motivate cooperation over time. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Discipline

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

Volume

146

First Page

62

Last Page

75

ISSN

0749-5978

Identifier

10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.04.001

Publisher

Elsevier

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.04.001

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