Brainstorming by individuals, coacting and interacting groups

Abstract

36 3-person groups of undergraduate volunteers worked in 3 different settings to produce answers to 3 brainstorming problems. Ss worked independently in separate rooms (individual condition), independently in the same room (coaction condition), and cooperatively in the same room (interaction condition). Conflicting theories predicted lower productivity (a) either in the interaction and coaction conditions, where co-workers were physically present (social facilitation theory); or (b) only in the interaction condition, where group norms could be formed. Results show that the independent and coaction conditions produced the same number of solutions and the interaction condition was significantly (p < .001) inferior to both. This suggests that public action, not physical proximity, is responsible for individual-group differences in brainstorming. (16 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)