Sage Publications Group Processes (SAGE Library in Social Psychology)

Issues related to group-based and -influenced behaviour have always been at the heart of social psychology. What is generally considered the first experimental study in social psychology - Norman Triplett′s 1898 attempt to explain why bicycling speed records were faster when measured in competition against others - was a demonstration of group-influenced behaviour, and led to the development of the notion of social facilitation. The questions of how decision-making group members reach consensus, and whether they are a more effective vehicle for decisions than an insightful individual, remain popular 80 years after they were first introduced. Researchers in other disciplines are increasingly drawn to the group as a focus of study and of course, groups remain the standard decision-making unit for most important decisions in most societies. It is against this backdrop of the rich history, modern development and future potential of the subject that this timely four-volume set has been created, with the intention that it becomes a unique go-to resource for researchers in the field. The four volumes are arranged schematically: Volume One: Group Performance takes a look at individual action in the presence of others. Volume Two: Interdependence within Groups examines situations in which one is partially dependent on others for the magnitude of one′s personal outcomes. Volume Three: Decision-Making Groups explores group settings in which there is full collaboration in order to produce a single output. Volume Four: Relations among Groups presents a set of articles on interaction between groups. About the Author Craig D. Parks is Professor of Psychology at Washington State University. His primary research interest is in understanding the internal, individual-level factors that influence a person′s frequency of cooperative responses in an interdependent group setting. He has conducted significant study on the topic of mixed-motive situations, and has also researched behaviour within decision-making groups. He is currently editor of Group Dynamics and associate editor of Group Processes and Intergroup Relations. He has recently published an Annual Review of Psychology paper on mixed-motive processes, an aspect of groups research, as well as two books and numerous articles on groups.