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Previous small group research makes no attempt to develop a comprehensive and valid instrument measuring small group consensus. The purpose of this investigation is to develop and test an encompassing and utilitarian measure of small group consensus. Using 48 small groups involving 234 subjects, a consensus instrument was tested, and a component factor analysis using varimax rotation (Cronbach's alpha = .8906) demonstrated the validity of the instrument. A pilot study using 14 groups involving 61 subjects employed the instrument to test stability of consensus over time and found there to be no significant change in consensus levels over a 6-week period. Questions are raised regarding the advisability of heavy reliance upon informal democratic discussion groups as a basis for conclusions about members'feelings of agreement, satisfaction, and commitment toward the group and its decision. Suggestions for further testing of the instrument using alternate methods under a variety of circumstances are discussed.
DeStephen et al. (Sun,) studied this question.