ABSTRACT
Status differentials between members of a problem-solving group are part and parcel of the group structure. This chapter argues that the status congruence perspective is important to understand, how in groups antecedent status differentiation will affect status differentiation on another status dimension. It shows that status congruence can explain emerging influence differentials in small groups, the allocation of subsequent outcomes in task groups, group members' contributions and harvesting behavior in social dilemmas, and coalition formation as well. The emergence of influence differentiation in small groups was established by R. F. Bales. In small groups in which group members' status differ on competence, these differences may be stable. Moreover, research on decision making in small groups has shown that group members do contribute to the collective interest and that they are willing to maintain the group resource, suggesting that they are willing to coordinate their efforts in order to act in the interest of the group as a whole.
