Promoting good decisions: How regulatory focus affects group information processing and decision-making

• Published in: Group processes & intergroup relations Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 663 - 681
• Main Authors: Burtscher, Michael J., Meyer, Bertolt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2014; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Arid Zones; Decision Making; Decision making units; Decision theory; Decisions; Focus groups; Group behaviour; Group Decision Making; Groups; Information Processing; Intergroup relations; Motivation; Prevention; Self control; Studies; information processing; interaction; groups; decision-making; regulatory focus
• ISSN: 1368-4302; 1461-7188
• DOI: 10.1177/1368430214522138

Decision-making groups often fail to exploit their full potential because they do not integrate all relevant information. We propose to address this issue by interpreting group information processing as a motivational process that is influenced by group goal structure. In line with this approach, we apply regulatory focus theory to decision-making groups. Specifically, we investigate the effects of a promotion versus a prevention focus framing on group decision quality and information processing. Sixty-three-person groups solved five decision-making tasks based on the “stranded in the desert” scenario. Regulatory focus was manipulated via pay-off schemes and group interactions were videotaped. We found that groups in a promotion focus solved more tasks correctly than groups in a prevention focus. This effect on decision quality was mediated by group information processing. Finally, we show that regulatory focus influences group interaction patterns, which represents an important extension of regulatory focus research in groups.