The benefits of a global gathering

Cognitive diversity improves group decision making

Researchers studied the effect that diverse thinking has on group decision making. The researchers investigated two possibilities. First, group diversity might decrease the quality of decisions because it does not maximize group capacity. Second, group diversity might increase the quality of decisions because groups with members who think differently will identify high-quality decisions missed by other groups. The research found that cognitively diverse groups perform best, even better than groups with the highest-ability members. This research shows that there is no tradeoff between diverse thinking and decision quality and that cognitively diverse groups experience a “diversity bonus” to the quality of their decisions.

Democracy improves decision quality by involving many diverse viewpoints

Scholars still consider the age-old question: which form of government is best? Some say rule by one (autocracy) or rule by the few (oligarchy) because it puts streamlined decision-making power into the hands of those who make the best decisions. Others say rule by the many (democracy) because cognitively diverse groups make better decisions than any one individual. A recent book argues that the “wisdom of crowds” favors democracy. In many situations, collective guesses are closer to truth than any individual’s guess, even guesses by experts. This research (1) suggests that democracy is functionally, not just normatively, desirable and (2) supports policy reforms that increase citizens’ participation in the collective decision-process.

Do you have a study we should share for a future Facty Friday? Send an email to drg.el@usaid.gov