Decision-making procedures, however, also present three disadvantages. First, some group experts have argued that researchers have not consistently proven that groups outperform individuals, particelarly in brainstorming sessions (Jablin & Seibold, 1978; Seibold & Krikorice, 1997). Second, some group members\' communication and personality traits affect their participation in decision-making procedures. For example, in temms of brainstorming, group members who contribute a greater number of ideas tend to be low in communication apprehension, feel more attracted to the brainstorming task and more tolerant of ambiguity, and perceive all members as possessing the same group status (Comadena, 1984; Sablin, Seibold, & Sorenson, 1977; lablin & Sussman, 1978). Similarly, groups composed of all low-communication-apprehensive members also produce more ideas than groups composed of all high-communication-apprehensive members (1ablin, 1981). Although not known, these findings likely may apply to the other three decision-making procedures as well. Third, some group members may feel restrained by their lack of creativity. Because many people consider themselves better at routine thinking than creative thinking (Georgiou, 1994), they easily become self-conscious when placed in creativity-invoking situations (Gordon, 1961). As such, group members required to engage in creativity sometimes become frustrated or flustered. To combat this feeling, members should remember to value creativity for its own worth and not measure it against an objcefive standard (Golen eta., 1982). A Final Note About Small Group Decision-Making Procedures When we ask students if the groups to which they belong use these decision-making procedures, most students admit their groups do not use any of them, except some form of brainstorming. And even though some college textbooks mention decision-making prceedures and professors may even train students to use them, many college students who work full-time state that their work and social groups fail to use them. Commimication professor Marshall Scott Poole (1991) listed several reasons why group members resist using decision-making procedures. For example, some members feel awkward using these procedures, and some members feel these procedures impede the flow of discussion rather than enhance it. Other inhibiting effects on members from the use of decision-making procedures include frustration, boredom, grouphate, and destructive conflict (Sunwolf & Seibold, 1999). The next time you work in a group, we encourage you to (a) think about the advantages of decision-making procedures and (b) actively work toward implementing one of these procedures in your group. You might be surprised at not only the quality of the results your group attains but also the time, energy, and frustration that using these procedures alleviates.