Individual Cognition and Dual-Task Interference in Group Support Systems.

Author List: Heninger, William G.; Dennis, Alan R.; Hilmer, Kelly McNamara;
Information Systems Research, 2006, Volume 17, Issue 4, Page 415-424.
Previous research shows that synchronous text discussion through group support systems (GSS) can improve the exchange of information within teams, but this improved information exchange usually does not improve decisions because participants fail to process the new information they receive. This study examined one potential cause for this failure: Dual-task interference caused by the need to concurrently process new information from others while also contributing one's own information to the discussion. Although prior research argues that dual-task interference should be minimal, we found that it significantly reduced participants' information processing and led to lower decision quality. The effect sizes were large, suggesting that dual-task interference is one of a handful of major factors that exert the greatest influence on information processing and decision-making performance. We believe that these results call for an increased emphasis on and understanding of the cognitive underpinnings of GSS and virtual team decision making.
Keywords: cognitive interference; collaboration technology; decision making; dual-task interference; group support systems; GSS; individual cognition; information exchange; information processing; synchronous text discussion; virtual teams
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#233 0.270 group gss support groups systems brainstorming research process electronic members results paper effects individual ebs using used anonymity ideas discussion
#170 0.165 information processing needs based lead make exchange situation examined ownership analytical improved situations changes informational examine developed receive perceptions facilitates
#8 0.127 decision making decisions decision-making makers use quality improve performance managers process better results time managerial task significantly help indicate maker
#290 0.108 emotions research fmri emotional neuroscience study brain neurois emotion functional neurophysiological distrust cognitive related imaging tools effects warnings magnetic turn
#87 0.081 team teams virtual members communication distributed performance global role task cognition develop technology involved time individual's affects project geographically individuals
#139 0.055 project projects failure software commitment escalation cost factors study problem resources continue prior escalate overruns taken failing troubled sunk fail
#247 0.053 online evidence offline presence empirical large assurance likely effect seal place synchronous population sites friends increases isomorphism rewards drop intermediaries