Capitalizing on Diversity: Interpersonal Congruence in Small Work Groups

TLDR

Interpersonal congruence theory posits that expressing unique characteristics, rather than suppressing them, enables harmonious and effective group work, contrasting with social categorization theories. The study investigates whether interpersonal congruence moderates how diversity affects group effectiveness. Self‑verifying appraisals during the first ten minutes of interaction foster interpersonal congruence that improves group outcomes after four months. Longitudinal data from 83 work groups show that diversity boosts creative performance, social integration, group identification, and reduces conflict only when interpersonal congruence is high; otherwise, diversity harms these outcomes.

Abstract

We examine interpersonal congruence, the degree to which group members see others in the group as others see themselves, as a moderator of the relationship between diversity and group effectiveness. A longitudinal study of 83 work groups revealed that diversity tended to improve creative task performance in groups with high interpersonal congruence, whereas diversity undermined the performance of groups with low interpersonal congruence. This interaction effect also emerged on measures of social integration, group identification, and relationship conflict. By eliciting self-verifying appraisals, members of some groups achieved enough interpersonal congruence during their first ten minutes of interaction to benefit their group outcomes four months later. In contrast to theories of social categorization, the interpersonal congruence approach suggests that group members can achieve harmonious and effective work processes by expressing rather than suppressing the characteristics that make them unique.