Conditions for Status Equality in Informal Task Groups

Abstract

Previous research indicates that differentiation in observable power and prestige in informal task groups tends to coincide with prior status inequalities even when such inequalities have no explicit relevance for task interaction. A theory of status generalization has been used to explain this particular halo effect. The theory is here modified to determine when, on the contrary, status unequals will tend toward equality in observable power and prestige. Experimental results confirm this expectation and they also show that the status generalization effect can be inverted. This occurs when group members are exposed to an increasing number of status unequals who are not group members but who possess additional discriminating characteristics which contradict status expectations and are similar, but not explicitly relevant, to group tasks.