Diversity in Small Groups

Abstract

Research on the benefits of diversity in groups is mixed, finding both positive and negative outcomes for group productivity and satisfaction. The present research examines how the physical arrangement of members within diverse groups influences perceptions of diverse groups. Findings from 4 studies demonstrate that when one's ethnic ingroup is represented as the minority of a diverse group, there is a tendency to prefer groups that are physically clustered by such that members are spatially close to other members of their ethnicity. When one's ethnic ingroup is represented as the majority of a diverse group, there is a tendency to prefer groups that are physically dispersed such that members are not grouped by their ethnicity. These findings are discussed in terms of the relative amounts of power inherent in majority and minority status within diverse groups, as well as multicultural and colorblind approaches to appreciating diversity.