HYPOTHETICAL VS ACTUAL GROUP RISK TAKING AND THE VALUE OF RISK IN A COMPLEX DECISION MAKING ENVIRONMENT.

Abstract

Many studies in the last ten years have indicated that groups take greater risks than individuals. The most common method for studying this effect consists of two steps. First, the subjects are asked to make individual decisions on a series of problems in which it is possible to take greater or lesser risk. Second, they are placed in a group situation and required to discuss the same problems, and usually to make a group decision. The difference between the group decision and the mean level of risk taken initially by the individuals is termed a shift. Since the group decision is usually riskier than the mean of the individual decisions, a risky shift is said to have occurred. The risky-shift effect is also often shown in a comparison between the mean level of risk taken initially by the individuals and the mean level of risk taken by the same individuals following a group discussion of the problems. The document presents a quantity of data on the phenomenon. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0709449

Entities

People

  • Kenneth L. Higbee

Organizations

  • Purdue University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biological Phenomena
  • Environment

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Systems Analysis and Design