One important benefit of teamwork is the exchange and integration of diverse knowledge, experience, and opinions group members bring to the table. However, demographic attributes, such as race, gender, and functional background, may create asymmetric influence patterns between group members in diverse groups, because these demographic characteristics are often associated with status differences. In the current research, we examine how to attenuate this disparity in member influence in diverse groups by focusing on the role of a leader’s gazing behavior. Across two studies, we found that asymmetric influence patterns in which high-status members tend to wield greater influence in group decision-making processes were attenuated when a leader increased visual attention toward low-status members in the group. This reduced disparity in member influence in turn improved group information elaboration and group performance in a collective decision-making task. Theoretical and practical implications for leaders’ visual attention, diversity, group decision-making processes, and group performance are discussed.

中文翻译：

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领导者注视对成员影响力差异的影响：对不同群体的流程和绩效的影响

团队合作的一个重要好处是交流和整合小组成员带来的各种知识、经验和意见。然而，种族、性别和职能背景等人口统计属性可能会在不同群体的群体成员之间产生不对称的影响模式，因为这些人口统计特征通常与地位差异有关。在当前的研究中，我们研究了如何通过关注领导者凝视行为的作用来减少不同群体中成员影响力的这种差异。在两项研究中，我们发现当领导者对群体中地位低的成员增加视觉注意力时，高地位成员往往在群体决策过程中产生更大影响的不对称影响模式会减弱。这减少了成员影响力的差异，进而改善了集体决策任务中的集体信息阐述和集体绩效。讨论了领导者视觉注意力、多样性、群体决策过程和群体绩效的理论和实践意义。