Verbal information exchange enhances collective performance through increasing group identification

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Information exchange is crucial for collective outcomes and social functioning.
• Understanding the mechanisms by which information exchange impacts group performance is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how verbal information exchange enhances collective performance using behavioral and neuroimaging methods.
• To explore the mediating role of group identification and neural synchronization in this process.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a collaborative problem-solving task (murder mystery case) with triads.
• Combined behavioral measures of collective performance with neuroimaging techniques.
• Analyzed group identification, interactive frequency, and within-group neural synchronization (GNS) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

Main Results:

• Verbal information exchange significantly improved collective performance compared to nonverbal exchange.
• Group discussion was a more critical factor than group sharing in enhancing performance.
• Group identification mediated the positive effects of verbal information exchange.
• Mediation was associated with increased interaction frequency and enhanced GNS in the DLPFC.

Conclusions:

• Verbal information exchange, particularly through discussion, enhances collective performance.
• Group identification and neural synchronization in the DLPFC are key mechanisms underlying this enhancement.
• A multiparticipant theoretical model is proposed to explain how verbal information exchange improves group decision-making.