Abstract: For group decision making to be effective, each group member must contribute to the outcome. However, social factors ... may prevent some from participating. A group decision support system (GDSS) can reduce social influences by allowing group members to contribute anonymously and in parallel through networked desktop computers ... This study explores how a simple and inexpensive GDSS ... can augment face-to-face groups by mitigating the adverse impact of status differences. ... [R]esults indicated that [participants] generated more ideas when they were able to do so anonymously. ... [R]esults suggest that a wireless GDSS can be used to reduce social bias that influences face-to-face decision making tasks.

Wireless Brainstorming: Overcoming Status Effects in Small Group Decisions [PDF]