Group Size and Group Performance in Small Collaborative Team Settings: An Agent-Based Simulation Model of Collaborative Decision-Making Dynamics

Figure 5

Change of utility of group solution (500 independent Monte Carlo experiments) and the ratio of agreement (500 independent Monte Carlo experiments) over iteration (discussion time) on 1-peak problem space. (a) Group performance over discussion time for groups of sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. (b) Ratio of agreement over discussion time for groups of sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. Note. Each curve shows the average result of 500 independent Monte Carlo experiments. (c) Utility of group solution after 20 iterations. (d) Utility of group solution after 40 iterations. (e) Utility of group solution after 60 iterations. (f) Utility of group solution after 80 iterations. (g) Utility of group solution after 100 iterations. (h) Utility of group solution after 150 iterations. Those boxplots in (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h) represent the 25^th and 75^th percentiles of the group solution’s utility of distinct group sizes across 500 independent Monte Carlo experiments. The black horizontal line and the red dot in each box indicate the median value and mean value, respectively. (i) t-test results of the utility of group solution among groups of distinct sizes after 20 iterations. (j) t-test results of the utility of group solution among groups of distinct sizes after 40 iterations. (k) t-test results of the utility of group solution among groups of distinct sizes after 60 iterations. (l) t-test results of the utility of group solution among groups of distinct sizes after 80 iterations. (m) t-test results of the utility of group solution among groups of distinct sizes after 100 iterations. (n) t-test results of the utility of group solution among groups of distinct sizes after 150 iterations.