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Do Groups Know What They Don't Know? Dealing With Missing Information in Decision-Making Groups

Northern Illinois University

Mary Lynn Miller Henningsen

Northern Illinois University

Although scholars have examined how individuals deal with information that is unavailable on decision-making tasks, little research has explored how groups deal with missing information. The present study proposes two ways groups can address information that is unavailable: by employing a diminished information set or by inferring the value of missing information. Both of these approaches are tested using an information sharing task. Groups are compared with information unavailable to any member, available but unshared among group members (i.e., hidden profile), and available and shared among all group members. Evidence indicates that group members may utilize both strategies to deal with missing information.

Key Words: group decision making • hidden profile • information pooling • missing information • shared information • unshared information

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Communication Research, Vol. 34, No. 5, 507-525 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0093650207305594


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Henningsen, D. D. Articles by Henningsen, M. L. M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?