title: Emergent Power Hierarchies and Group Performance.
abstract: In newly formed groups, informal hierarchies emerge automatically and readily. In this study, we argue that emergent group hierarchies enhance group performance (Hypothesis 1) and we assume that the more the power hierarchy within a group corresponds to the task-competence differences of the individual group members, the better the group performs (Hypothesis 2). Twelve three-person groups and 28 four-person groups were investigated while solving the Winter Survival Task. Results show that emerging power hierarchies positively impact group performance but the alignment between task-competence and power hierarchy did not affect group performance. Thus, emergent power hierarchies are beneficial for group performance and although they were on average created around individual group members' competence, this correspondence was not a prerequisite for better group performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Neuchatel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frauendorfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Neuchatel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmid Mast
authors.affiliation: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dairazalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Cortes
authors.affiliation: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gatica-Perez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Emerging power hierarchies; Group performance; Task-competence