The Effects of Gender Composition and Task Structure on Small Group Interaction

Abstract

It was hypothesized that gender composition variations and task structure would significantly interact to affect communicative behavior in small groups. Groups of college-aged men and women were composed to vary in the number of men and women serving as group members. Each group was assigned to complete two tasks: One task was a highly structured ranking assignment; the other task was a human relations case study with relatively low outcome structure. Results of Interaction Process Analysis data obtained during group discussion supported the hypothesized interaction onlyfor dominance acts of giving suggestions. Small groups composed solely of men were significantly higher in this category under structured task conditions, whereas groups composed predominantly of men were significantly lower in dominance acts under unstructured task conditions. Two subsidiary hypotheses concerning the separate effects of composition and task variables were partially supported. Results are discussed in regard to make situational adaptation tendencies and the influence of task variables on group communication behaviors.