Measurement of Preference for Procedural Order in Small Task-Oriented Groups.

This study sought to refine the concept "procedures" in small group communication. Two categories with eight corresponding properties were delineated and incorporated into a Likert-type scale designed to assess a person's preference for procedural order in task-oriented groups. The instrument was checked for reliability and then subjected to a preliminary investigation of predictive validity, which revealed that it could differentiate between group members nominated by their peers as seeming to be comfortable with either tightly-structured procedures or with flexible, free-wheeling work environments. (Author)