Member Diversity and Cohesion and Performance in Walking Groups

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of group member diversity in task-related attributes (i.e., self-efficacy, level of previous physical activity, and personal goals) and task-unrelated attributes (i.e., ethnicity and gender) to task cohesiveness and task performance in walking groups (N varied from 1,324 to 1,392 groups for the analyses). For the task-related attributes, diversity in level of previous physical activity was significantly related to both task cohesion and group performance—as diversity increased, cohesion and performance decreased. For the task-unrelated attributes, diversity in gender was related to task cohesion—as diversity increased, cohesion decreased. Gender diversity was unrelated to group performance. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the dynamics of task-oriented groups.

[1]  R. Dodhia.  A Review of Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (3rd ed.) , 2005 .

[2]  A. King,et al.  Participatory research to promote physical activity at congregate-meal sites. , 2005, Journal of aging and physical activity.

[3]  David A Dzewaltowski,et al.  The Relationships between Delivery Agents' Physical Activity Level and the Likelihood of Implementing a Physical Activity Program , 2004, American journal of health promotion : AJHP.

[4]  S. Jackson,et al.  7 UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF DIVERSITY IN DECISION-MAKING TEAMS , 2004 .

[5]  P. Estabrooks,et al.  EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMMUNITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTERVENTION , 2003 .

[6]  Rebecca E. Lee,et al.  Resources for physical activity participation: Does availability and accessibility differ by neighborhood socioeconomic status? , 2003, Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

[7]  Luis L. Martins,et al.  Racioethnic Diversity and Group Members’ Experiences , 2003 .

[8]  A. Carrón,et al.  Cohesion and performance in sport: a meta analysis. , 2002 .

[9]  B. Ainsworth,et al.  Limitations on the use of a single screening question to measure sedentary behavior. , 2001, American journal of public health.

[10]  S. Webber,et al.  Impact of highly and less job-related diversity on work group cohesion and performance: a meta-analysis , 2001 .

[11]  James A. Pharmer,et al.  When Member Homogeneity is Needed in Work Teams , 2000 .

[12]  Albert V. Carron,et al.  Cohesion: Conceptual and Measurement Issues , 2000 .

[13]  P. Estabrooks,et al.  The Physical Activity Group Environment Questionnaire: An instrument for the assessment of cohesion in exercise classes. , 2000 .

[14]  M. Pratt,et al.  Public health surveillance of physical activity. , 2000, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[15]  Ken A. Smith,et al.  Making Use of Difference: Diversity, Debate, and Decision Comprehensiveness in Top Management Teams , 1999 .

[16]  J. Stoker,et al.  The Department of Health and Human Services. , 1999, Home healthcare nurse.

[17]  K. Eisenhardt,et al.  Exploring the Black Box: An Analysis of Work Group Diversity, Conflict and Performance , 1999 .

[18]  D. Harrison,et al.  Beyond Relational Demography: Time and the Effects of Surface- and Deep-Level Diversity on Work Group Cohesion , 1998 .

[19]  E. McAuley.  Measuring exercise-related self-efficacy , 1998 .

[20]  L. H. Pelled.  Demographic Diversity, Conflict, and Work Group Outcomes: An Intervening Process Theory , 1996 .

[21]  Frances J. Milliken,et al.  Searching for Common Threads: Understanding the Multiple Effects of Diversity in Organizational Groups , 1996 .

[22]  Holly Arrow,et al.  Traits, expectations, culture, and clout: The dynamics of diversity in work groups. , 1995 .

[23]  H. P. Sims,et al.  Top Management Team Demography and Process: The Role of Social Integration and Communication , 1994 .

[24]  B. Mullen,et al.  The relation between group cohesiveness and performance: An integration. , 1994 .

[25]  A. Carrón,et al.  Team building in an exercise setting. , 1993 .

[26]  Deborah G. . Ancona,et al.  Demography and Design: Predictors of New Product Team Performance , 1992 .

[27]  M. Wiersema,et al.  Top Management Team Demography and Corporate Strategic Change , 1992 .

[28]  Donald L. Lassiter,et al.  Team composition and staffing. , 1992 .

[29]  W. P. Barnett,et al.  Work group demography, social integration, and turnover. , 1989 .

[30]  L. James,et al.  Estimating within-group interrater reliability with and without response bias. , 1984 .

[31]  A. Zander.  Making Groups Effective , 1982 .

[32]  P. Blau.  Inequality and Heterogeneity: A Primitive Theory of Social Structure , 1978 .

[33]  Jacob Cohen,et al.  Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences , 1979 .

[34]  R. Campbell,et al.  A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness. , 1968 .