Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: A transactive memory system is a shared understanding of who knows what in a group. Groups complete tasks more efficiently when group members have access to transactive memory systems (Liang, et al., 1995). However, some group members may have more access than others. Some research indicates that the powerful know less about others (Fiske, 1993), while other research indicates that they know more about others, but only about task-relevant characteristics (Guinote, 2008; Overbeck & Park, 2006). Therefore, powerful individuals may have more access to some aspects of transactive memory systems. In this experiment, high power participants saw task-relevant and personal information about other group members. They recalled more information of both sorts than did low power participants. This indicates that powerful people may indeed have greater access to the information in transactive memory systems, and that this advantage is not limited to task-relevant information.
Author: Joshua Davis Fetterman
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W158262138