Investigating contributors to performance evaluations in small groups: Task competence, speaking time, physical expressiveness, and likability

Abstract

This study compared the impacts of actual individual task competence, speaking time and physical expressiveness as indicators of verbal and nonverbal communication behavior, and likability on performance evaluations in a group task. 164 participants who were assigned to 41 groups first solved a problem individually and later solved it as a team. After the group interaction, participants’ performance was evaluated by both their team members and qualified external observers. We found that these performance evaluations were significantly affected not only by task competence but even more by speaking time and nonverbal physical expressiveness. Likability also explained additional variance in performance evaluations. The implications of these findings are discussed for both the people being evaluated and the people doing the evaluating.

Objective Communication Patterns Associated With Team Member Effectiveness in Real-World Virtual Teams

“…Laboratory studies indicate that it is an important predictor of individual outcomes, such as success in negotiation (Curhan & Pentland, 2007) and hiring decisions (Frauendorfer et al, 2014). Furthermore, speaking time can influence others’ perceptions (Bonaccio et al, 2016) related to performance and leadership ability (Nikoleizig et al, 2021; Sorrentino & Boutillier, 1975). Speaking time can be broken down into number of speaking turns and mean speaking turn duration, which are both associated with work behaviors (Frauendorfer et al, 2014; Sanchez-Cortes et al, 2010).…”

Narrating Peer Assessment in a Group Task

“…In modern world, team work and collaboration among colleagues are important in achieving the organisation objective (Nikoleizig, Schmukle, Griebenow, & Krause, 2021). In the context of teaching and learning, team work and collaboration among teachers are necessary in ensuring students' learning is maximized.…”