@article{8e23783c389741bebc926cf913d35d81,
title = "Influencing the physiology and decisions of groups: Physiological linkage during group decision-making",
abstract = "Many of the most important decisions in our society are made within groups, yet we know little about how the physiological responses of group members predict the decisions that groups make. In the current work, we examine whether physiological linkage from “senders” to “receivers”—which occurs when a sender{\textquoteright}s physiological response predicts a receiver{\textquoteright}s physiological response—is associated with senders{\textquoteright} success at persuading the group to make a decision in their favor. We also examine whether experimentally manipulated status—an important predictor of social behavior—is associated with physiological linkage. In groups of 5, we randomly assigned 1 person to be high status, 1 low status, and 3 middle status. Groups completed a collaborative decision-making task that required them to come to a consensus on a decision to hire 1 of 5 firms. Unbeknownst to the 3 middle-status members, high- and low-status members surreptitiously were told to each argue for different firms. We measured cardiac interbeat intervals of all group members throughout the decision-making process to assess physiological linkage. We found that the more receivers were physiologically linked to senders, the more likely groups were to make a decision in favor of the senders. We did not find that people were physiologically linked to their group members as a function of their fellow group members{\textquoteright} status. This work identifies physiological linkage as a novel correlate of persuasion and highlights the need to understand the relationship between group members{\textquoteright} physiological responses during group decision-making.",
keywords = "decision-making, interpersonal physiology, persuasion, physiological linkage, small groups, social status",
author = "Thorson, {Katherine R.} and Dumitru, {Oana D.} and Mendes, {Wendy Berry} and West, {Tessa V.}",
note = "Funding Information: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1528-1071 Thorson Katherine R. 1 Dumitru Oana D. 1 Mendes Wendy Berry 2 West Tessa V. 1 1 New York University, USA 2 University of California San Francisco, USA Katherine R. Thorson, Department of Psychology, New York University, 6 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA. Email: katherine.thorson@nyu.edu 12 2019 1368430219890909 17 5 2019 5 11 2019 {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2019 2019 SAGE Publications Many of the most important decisions in our society are made within groups, yet we know little about how the physiological responses of group members predict the decisions that groups make. In the current work, we examine whether physiological linkage from “senders” to “receivers”—which occurs when a sender{\textquoteright}s physiological response predicts a receiver{\textquoteright}s physiological response—is associated with senders{\textquoteright} success at persuading the group to make a decision in their favor. We also examine whether experimentally manipulated status—an important predictor of social behavior—is associated with physiological linkage. In groups of 5, we randomly assigned 1 person to be high status, 1 low status, and 3 middle status. Groups completed a collaborative decision-making task that required them to come to a consensus on a decision to hire 1 of 5 firms. Unbeknownst to the 3 middle-status members, high- and low-status members surreptitiously were told to each argue for different firms. We measured cardiac interbeat intervals of all group members throughout the decision-making process to assess physiological linkage. We found that the more receivers were physiologically linked to senders, the more likely groups were to make a decision in favor of the senders. We did not find that people were physiologically linked to their group members as a function of their fellow group members{\textquoteright} status. This work identifies physiological linkage as a novel correlate of persuasion and highlights the need to understand the relationship between group members{\textquoteright} physiological responses during group decision-making. decision-making interpersonal physiology persuasion physiological linkage small groups social status edited-state corrected-proof typesetter ts1 The authors would like to thank Gavin Kilduff for his comments on an earlier version of this paper, the research assistants from West Interpersonal Perception Lab for their dedication to this research, and Michael Mendes and Kevin Thorson for their help designing the search firm task. Funding The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation awarded to Tessa West (DRL1535414). ORCID iD Katherine R. Thorson https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1528-1071 Supplemental material Supplemental material for this article is available online. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2019.",
year = "2021",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1177/1368430219890909",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "24",
pages = "145--159",
journal = "Group Processes and Intergroup Relations",
issn = "1368-4302",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",
number = "1",
}