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Managing Attitudes Toward High Achievers: The Influence 0f Group Discussion
Author(s) -
Carr Stuart C.,
Purcell Ian P.,
Bolitho Floyd H.,
Moss Nathan D.,
Brew Susan E.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
asian journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-839X
pISSN - 1367-2223
DOI - 10.1111/1467-839x.00037
Subject(s) - psychology , interpersonal communication , social psychology , task (project management) , variety (cybernetics) , resistance (ecology) , group (periodic table) , group work , group dynamic , interpersonal relationship , mathematics education , organic chemistry , artificial intelligence , computer science , economics , biology , ecology , chemistry , management
For a variety of cultural, contextual, and interpersonal reasons, individual achievement often meets with potentially demotivating resistance from the group. In groups of between three and seven members, 397 psychology and social work students, in East and Northern Australian cities (Newcastle and Darwin), indicated their attitudes toward high achievers before, during, and after a group consensus task. In each location, and at both individual and group levels of analysis, initially slightly pro‐achiever attitudes, following discussion of the issues, became polarized. Such changes, across diverse settings and groups, indicate that group discussion may be a robust tool, both for empowering teams and encouraging support for individual initiative.