National School of Education, Australian Catholic University, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Science of Learning Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
PLoS One. 2024 Aug 12;19(8):e0307945. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307945. eCollection 2024.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The concept of a general factor of collective intelligence, proposed by Woolley et al. in 2010, has spurred interest in understanding collective intelligence within small groups. This study aims to extend this investigation by examining the validity of a general collective intelligence factor, assessing its underlying factor structure, and evaluating its utility in predicting performance on future group problem-solving tasks and academic outcomes.
Employing a correlational study design, we engaged 85 university students in a series of complex cognitive tasks designed to measure collective intelligence through individual, group, and predictive phases.
Contrary to the hypothesized single-factor model, our findings favor a two-factor model influenced by Cattell's theory of crystalized and fluid intelligence. These two factors accounted for substantial variance in group performance outcomes, challenging the prevailing single-factor model. Notably, the predictive validity of these factors on group assignments was statistically significant, with both individual and collective intelligence measures correlating moderately with group assignment scores (rs = .40 to .47, p < .05).
Our research suggests that collective intelligence in small group settings may not be uniformly governed by a single factor but rather by multiple dimensions that reflect established theories of individual intelligence. This nuanced understanding of collective intelligence could have significant implications for enhancing group performance in both educational and organizational contexts. Future research should explore these dimensions and their independent contributions to group dynamics and outcomes.
背景/目的： Woolley 等人在 2010 年提出的集体智慧的一般因素概念激发了人们对小团体中集体智慧的理解。本研究旨在通过检验一般集体智慧因素的有效性、评估其潜在的因素结构以及评估其在预测未来小组解决问题任务和学业成绩方面的效用来扩展这一调查。
采用相关研究设计，我们让 85 名大学生参与一系列复杂的认知任务，通过个体、群体和预测阶段来衡量集体智慧。
与假设的单因素模型相反，我们的研究结果倾向于 Cattell 的晶体和流体智力理论影响的双因素模型。这两个因素解释了群体表现结果的大量差异，挑战了普遍的单因素模型。值得注意的是，这些因素对群体作业的预测效度在统计学上是显著的，个体和集体智慧测量与群体作业得分中度相关(rs =.40 到.47，p <.05)。
我们的研究表明，小团体环境中的集体智慧可能不是由单一因素统一控制，而是由反映个体智力既定理论的多个维度控制。对集体智慧的这种细致理解可能对提高教育和组织环境中的群体绩效具有重要意义。未来的研究应探索这些维度及其对群体动态和结果的独立贡献。
