Dataset of physiological, behavioral, and self-report measures from a group decision-making lab study

Abstract

This paper presents data from a study conducted in twenty groups of three participants each. Data were collected from sixty participants during a lab visit which was video recorded from several angles. Upon arrival to the lab and following informed consent, participants were told that they would be a part of a group decision-making task and were given instructions for a procedure titled “the desert survival task” Lafferty and Pond (1974). Participants were then connected to several electrodes on their upper body and palm for the collection of their electrocardiogram, respiration and electrodermal activity throughout the group task. Participants then performed the task together. The collection of physiological data from all group members was conducted simultaneously and in synchrony with the video recording. The video recordings of the group interactions were later coded by trained psychology students for positive affective behaviors made by participants (smiling and laughing) throughout the group task. Self-report measures (trait anxiety and social phobia) were collected prior to the group task from all participants. This multimodal dataset thus integrates behavioral, self-report, and physiological measures from group members, which are important for understanding group dynamics. These data will allow verification, replications, and additional analyses of the data from new perspectives.

Keywords

• Group social interactions
• Electrodermal activity
• Heart rate
• Behavioral microanalysis