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Examining workgroup diversity effects: does playing by the (group-retention) rules help or hinder?
David J Stanley1, Natalie J Allen, Helen M Williams
1Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada. dstanley@uoguelph.ca
Behavior Research Methods
|February 8, 2011
Summary
Group retention rules do not fix incomplete data from participant nonresponse in diversity research. Simulations show these rules can decrease accuracy, so researchers should avoid them and aim for high response rates.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Participant nonresponse is a common issue in group diversity research.
- Incomplete data can weaken observed correlations between diversity indices and outcomes.
- Group-retention rules are sometimes used to address nonresponse by filtering groups based on response rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness and impact of group-retention rules in diversity research.
- To determine if group-retention rules adequately compensate for participant nonresponse.
- To assess the influence of these rules on the accuracy of diversity-outcome relationships.
Main Methods:
- Two sets of computer simulations were conducted.
- The simulations modeled scenarios with varying levels of participant nonresponse.
- The impact of applying group-retention rules was analyzed on simulated data.
Main Results:
- Group-retention rules were found to be an inadequate substitute for high participant response rates.
- The application of group-retention rules can decrease the accuracy of observed relationships between group diversity and outcome variables.
- Simulations indicated potential attenuation of true correlations when retention rules are applied.
Conclusions:
- Group-retention rules are not recommended for use in diversity research.
- Researchers should prioritize achieving high response rates rather than relying on retention rules.
- Avoiding group-retention rules may lead to more accurate and reliable findings in diversity research.
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