Date of Graduation
2000
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
Committee Chair
JoNell Strough
Abstract
Characteristics of peer collaborators (gender) and the collaborative context (friendship, friendship quality, same-gender peer) may affect task processes and performance. Forty six same-gender adolescent dyads (26 girl dyads, 20 boy dyads; mean age = 15.69 yrs) collaborated on a problem-solving task that involved planning a route around a hypothetical town to obtain various items. Goals for and perceptions of collaboration were assessed as an index of collaborative processes. Performance was assessed through route length, time to complete the task, total cost, and errors on the task. Contrary to predictions, collaborating with a friend, though not detrimental to performance, did not benefit adolescents’ performance on a problem-solving task. Boy dyads reported higher perceptions of conflict and higher ratings on control goals as compared to girls. Goals for mutual-participation were rated higher by girls than by boys. Goals and perceptions of collaborative processes predicted performance. Findings indicate that collaboration is affected by the gender of collaborators, but not by their friendship.
Recommended Citation
Swenson, Lisa Marie, "The influence of friendship, friendship quality, and gender on collaborative processes and performance." (2000). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 10535.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/10535