2015
Chapter
Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

Diversity in Groups

By: Catarina Fernandes and Jeff Polzer

Format:Electronic

Abstract

Diversity has the potential to either disrupt group functioning or, conversely, be the source of collective creativity and insight. These two divergent perspectives pose a paradox that has held the attention of scholars for many years. In response, researchers have marshaled evidence to specify the conditions under which diversity leads to more positive outcomes and explain why it does so under these conditions. After describing these foundational perspectives and more recent work that addresses this paradox, we outline several promising directions for research in this domain. We encourage researchers to develop integrative theoretical explanations, use new technologies to gain insight into group processes, study diversity in the context of virtual interaction, and take advantage of opportunities for cross-disciplinary research.

Citation

Fernandes, Catarina, and Jeff Polzer. "Diversity in Groups." In Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Interdisciplinary, Searchable, and Linkable Resource, edited by Robert A. Scott and Stephen M. Kosslyn. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2015. Electronic.