The purpose of this research was (1) to throw a light on the process of discussion itself, when members of a group discussed a certain problem in order to decide the opinion of the group, (2) to know the change of one and the same person's opinion, and the relationship of one person's opinion with those of other persons of the group before and after discussion. For this purpose six elementary school boys and four college graduates were used. The problem was set to them individually before and after discussion, which consisted of rating statements about various moral conducts of every day life in the order of their goodness and badness. Those subjects were divided into two commitees of three elementary school boys each and four commitees of two college graduates each, and those commitees were also given the problem to decide the opinion of the commitee. The results were as follows.
(1) Each member's opinion before discussion has something in common, but no two opinions are in exact agreement, leaving something to discuss.
(2) Each member's opinion about the problem is not founded on such a different point of view that is incompatible with those of other persons, but he can easily approve of ethers' opinions by changing his point of view and standard of rating. At the same time he can listen to others without prejudice, because it has no direct interest in him.
(3) Therefore there is no need to insist on his opinion to the last. In other words this situation leans rather towards agreement and compromise than towards discussion. Discussion is not so much carried on the whole of the problem as on several points difficult to agree and compromise.
(4) There are three eases of agreements about the rating of those statements:
a) when a certain statement is given one and the same rank by all members, this rank is settled down as its agreed rank;
b) when a certain statement is given similar ranks by all members, its agreed rank is decided amicably and averagely from those ranks and the relationships between it and other statements which have also similar ranks; (But this is not done intentionally.)
c) nevertheless there is a tendency that the opinion of one person does much towards deciding the rating.
(5) When a leading member decides rating of statements chiefly according to his own opinion, if he is a child, he seldom explains the reason, and decides for himself as to never let others interfere; if he is a grownup, he explains whence the rating is drawn and makes others understand him although it may be for the time-being. Other members admit the rating as well as the reason, tbinking it necessary for the compromise.
(6) There are four kinds of relations among the members in the process of discussion and agreement:
a) the first person takes such ana ggressive attitude as makes others consent and leads them to have his own way;
b) the opinion of the second is admitted by others without his insisting on the opinion aggressively;
c) the third expresses his opinion at any rate, but doesn't care whether it is admitted or not; if one opinion of his is passed, he will also let one opinion of other's pass;
d) the fourth admits ethers' opinions without any opposition.
(7) In the case of children, their leading member determines on his own judgement so decisively that there is little discussion, and when they have discussion they often fall into tumults. In the case of the grownups, they explain the reason, therefore they have not a little discussion. The more aggressively insists the one side, the more vehemently the other side attacks too, and thus a great deal of discussion is held with each other.
(8) After discussion each member's rating approaches to the agreed rating.
(9) Iherefore after discussion each member's rating is very much alike to one another and the number of statements that they quite agree upon increases.
抄録全体を表示