ABSTRACT
Results of experimental studies that document inference on idea generation in groups and teams from the conceptualization and numerical studies of Part A are reported in this section. Ideas have been conceptualized as an information type with high social risk; positive evaluations and data messages exemplify lower risk of information types. The first study in this part of the chapter confirms predictions that status differentiation decreases the exchange of ideas and increases the exchange of positive evaluations, questions, and data facts. A second study examines effects of experimenter-inserted negative evaluations on information exchange in status-differentiated groups. Results show that as predicted, experimenter-inserted negative evaluations decreased the number and proportions of ideas exchanged. As also predicted, inserts of negative evaluations are found to increase the number of data and question messages.
