1. Introduction: Mapping the Territory. 2. Tasks: What Groups Do. 3. Idea Generation: Creative Thinking in Groups. 4. Problem Solving: Performing Tasks with Correct Solutions. 5. Judgment Calls: Performing Tasks with Hard-to-Demonstrate Correct Answers. 6. Decision Making: Selecting from Among Discrete Choice Alternatives. 7. Learning and Memory: Acquiring, Retaining, and Retrieving Knowledge in Groups. 8. Motivation: Energizing and Directing Behavior in Groups. 9. Group Composition: The Problem of Diversity within Groups. 10. Conclusion: Prospects for the Future in the Search for Synergy.
Biography
James R. Larson, Jr. holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Washington (Seattle), and is professor of psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Larson's research is in the areas of group decision making, problem solving, and performance. He has published widely on these topics, and his research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Library of Medicine. Dr. Larson is a past associate editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, is currently a member of six editorial boards, and is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. Dr. Larson teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in social and organizational psychology.
"In Search of Synergy is ... beautifully written. Although the material is often dense and detailed, the writing is clear and relatively jargon-free. ... Larson also has a real knack for inventing excellent concrete examples to illustrate key ideas. ... For the topics I (thought I) knew well (e.g., the work on group problem solving and group motivation), the text was both very accurate and full of provocative new ideas. And for the topics I was less familiar with (e.g., the work on group learning and memory; the work on group diversity), the presentation was accessible and illuminating. ... It will be of greatest interest and use to scholars of group processes, especially those with abiding research interests in group/team productivity. It is reasonably accessible to and could be read with profit by graduate students and even by capable, well-motivated undergraduate students. ... It could have as much impact on how the next generation of students and scholars think about and study the performance of small groups and teams as Steiner’s text had nearly four decades ago." - Norbert L. Kerr, Michigan State University, in the Journal of Social Psychology
