The Emergence of Norms in Competitive Decision-Making Groups

Abstract

Kenneth Bettenhausen and J. Keith Murnighan This paper examines the development of norms in newly formed groups. The behavior of 19 decision-making groups provided the basis for a model of norm development, in which uncertainty over appropriate behavior leads members to use their past experiences in similar social settings as scripts for choosing behaviors in the current situation. Depending on the similarity of the members' scripts, a common basis for action is either taken for granted or negotiated within the group. As the members interact they either tacitly revise their beliefs about appropriate action, implicitly agreeing with the direction being taken by the group, or overtly attempt to pull the group toward their own interpretation through challenges to the implied norm. Data from the decision-making groups is used to illustrate the model, and implications for related research domains are discussed.