HKIER

Abstract

We analyze group problem-solving sessions and show that a speaker's politeness positively affects other's evaluations of the correctness of his/her statements. A group's politeness also positively predicts its solution score. However, a speaker's politeness negatively affects his/her perceived leadership. Eighty high school students in groups of four were given a difficult algebraic problem to solve. Each student completed questionnaires before and after the problem-solving session. The resulting data was analyzed at three levels: speaker turns, individual, and group. At the turn-taking level, this study introduces a new method for analyzing large data sets of group processes. We found that politeness has opposite effects on solution score and perceived leadership. Past agreement, academic status and politeness bias students' evaluations of correctness. These variables, along with correctness, predict agreement with the previous speaker. A student's perceived leadership is predicted positively by peer status and percentage of group's words but is negatively predicted by politeness. Solution score was predicted positively by academic grade, correct turns, and politeness. The opposite effects of politeness on solution score and perceived leadership pinpoint a conflict between pursuing a cognitive goal (problem-solving) and a social goal (leadership).

Keywords: social interaction; status; leadership

摘要

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