Do assembly bonus effects occur on disjunctive tasks? A test of Steiner’s theory

Abstract

Two experiments were run to test Steiner’s hypothesis that actual group performance on disjunctive tasks is equal to potential group performance (based upon the individual competencies of group members), minus losses due to faulty group processes. On no task did groups perform significantly worse than predicted, and on one of the four tasks groups performed significantly better than predicted from individual performance. It was concluded that actual group performance on disjunctive tasks is equal to potential group performance, minus losses due to faulty group processes, plus assembly bonus effects. © 1976, The Psychonomicsociety, Inc.. All rights reserved.