ABSTRACT
This chapter summarize the logic of focus theory, and report an empirical study of its efficacy for predicting and explaining group productivity. This study attempts to clarify the overall model of Focus Theory as well as to examine whether and how the three cognitive processes manifest, how they are facilitated and/or inhibited during group interactions, and how these processes and other constructs may correlate with group productivity. Focus Theory implies that there should be a positive correlation between the constructs of goal congruence and cognitive effort, a positive correlation between cognitive effort and group productivity, and a negative correlation between distraction and cognitive effort. Quantitative data collected at the individual level were goal congruence, goal understanding, cognitive effort, distraction, session process satisfaction, and session outcome satisfaction. Four types of data analysis were performed on quantitative data in this study: ANOVA, construct inter-items reliability test, factor analysis of constructs, and repeated measure analysis for constructs.
