The Assembling Process: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination

This paper examines the process wherein persons move from disparate points in space at time one to a common location at time two. Theoretical explanations of this phenomenon are reviewed and critically examined. An alternate interpretation is advanced and supported by data from a study of one non-periodic assembling process. A correlation of R =.67 is obtained between the receipt of assembling instructions, and related activities, and the completion of the assembling process. We discuss the implications of these results, and the alternate interpretation, for future theory and research on the assembling process and other aspects of collective behavior.