What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether computer-mediated electronic brainstorming overcomes the productivity deficits typically observed in interacting brainstorming groups compared to nominal groups across different group sizes.

January 1, 1993Journal of Applied Psychology560 citations

Computer brainstorms: More heads are better than one.

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ADAlan R. Dennis JVJoseph S. Valacich

Key Points

To determine whether computer-mediated electronic brainstorming overcomes the productivity deficits typically observed in interacting brainstorming groups compared to nominal groups across different group sizes.
Conducted a laboratory experiment comparing electronically interacting groups directly with nominal groups whose members generated ideas independently without communication.
Tested idea generation performance across two specific group size conditions: 6-member groups and 12-member groups.
Twelve-member electronically interacting groups generated significantly more ideas than 12-member nominal groups.
Six-member electronic groups showed no significant differences in idea production compared to 6-member nominal groups.
The productivity advantages in larger electronic groups were driven by reductions in production blocking, evaluation apprehension, and free riding alongside gains in synergy.

Abstract

Research has consistently found nominal group brainstorming (in which members work separately without communicating) to be superior to brainstorming in which group members interact verbally. This article presents the results of an experiment that found the reverse to be true for computer-mediated electronic brainstorming. In this experiment, 12-member electronically interacting groups generated more ideas than did 12-member nominal groups, and there were no differences between 6-member electronic and 6-member nominal groups. The authors attribute these results to the ability of electronic brainstorming to introduce few process losses(production blocking, evaluation apprehension, and free riding) while enabling process gains (synergy and the avoidance of redundant ideas)

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Dennis et al. (1993) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a11d6ebf7bd4f5c7da56782 https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.78.4.531

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January 1, 1993Journal of Applied Psychology560 citations

Computer brainstorms: More heads are better than one.

View Full Paper

ADAlan R. Dennis JVJoseph S. Valacich

Key Points

To determine whether computer-mediated electronic brainstorming overcomes the productivity deficits typically observed in interacting brainstorming groups compared to nominal groups across different group sizes.
Conducted a laboratory experiment comparing electronically interacting groups directly with nominal groups whose members generated ideas independently without communication.
Tested idea generation performance across two specific group size conditions: 6-member groups and 12-member groups.
Twelve-member electronically interacting groups generated significantly more ideas than 12-member nominal groups.
Six-member electronic groups showed no significant differences in idea production compared to 6-member nominal groups.
The productivity advantages in larger electronic groups were driven by reductions in production blocking, evaluation apprehension, and free riding alongside gains in synergy.

Abstract

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Cite This Study

Dennis et al. (1993) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a11d6ebf7bd4f5c7da56782 https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.78.4.531

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