Twenty-Five Years of Hidden Profiles in Group Decision Making

Abstract

This meta-analysis summarized findings from 65 studies using the hidden profile paradigm (101 independent effects, 3,189 groups). Results showed (a) groups mentioned two standard deviations more pieces of common information than unique information; (b) hidden profile groups were eight times less likely to find the solution than were groups having full information; (c) two measures of information pooling, including the percentage of unique information mentioned out of total available information (the information coverage measure) and the percentage of unique information out of total discussion (the discussion focus measure), were positively related to decision quality, but the effect of information coverage was stronger than that of discussion focus; and communication medium did not affect (d) unique information pooling or (e) group decision quality. Group size, total information load, the proportion of unique information, task demonstrability, and hidden profile strength were found to moderate these effects. Results are discussed in terms of how they offer conceptual advancement for future hidden profile research.

Information Sharing for Collective Sensemaking

“…Since the introduction of the hidden profile paradigm, numerous studies have been conducted to study various aspects of information sharing and pooling, discussion of common vs unique information, group performance, etc. The results of these studies have not all been in agreement (see [6] for a recent meta-analysis of 60 papers on the hidden profile group decision making). Prior studies addressed both the process (how information is shared) and product (correctness of selected alternative).…”

Insufficient Fear of the “Super-flu”?: The World Health Organization’s Global Decision-Making for Health

“…Suspicion arises precisely because it is not identical to calculative reason. Although particular human characteristics ("pooling of biases" Lu et al, 2012) and situational factors (exclusion of relevant parties) mean that this form of deliberation doesn't always produce a better decision than instinctual responses, its potential to do so warrants the study of this kind of logos in an effort to maximize the potential embedded in the technology of argumentative deliberation.…”

The Swing Voter's Curse in Social Networks

“…7 Somewhat relatedly, the literature on hidden profiles reports that in group discussions prior to group decisions, information shared with other group members gets too much weight compared to unique private information. See, e.g., the meta-study by Lu, Yuan, and McLeod (2012).…”