Multiple Sources and the Formation of Performance Expectations

This paper reports theoretical nd experimental work which generalizes a formal theory of interpersonal behavior developed and tested by Webster (1969). Both the original theory and the generalization presented here are based in the theoretical and research orientation developed by Joseph Berger and his associates (Berger et al., 1966; Berger and Conner, 1966, 1969; Berger et al., 1969; Berger and Snell, 1961; Camilleri and Berger, 1967). The tradition is concerned with the emergence and maintenance of power and prestige structures in small groups, and will be referred to as Expectation Theory. Expectation Theory was originally formulated to order and account for certain findings of Bales and his associates (Bales et al., 1951; Bales, 1953; Bales and Slater, 1955; Heinicke and Bales, 1953) that in ad hoc discussion groups of college students marked inequalities in participation developed during inter-