Edited by Jane L. Wood and Theresa A. Gannon. Crime and Crime Reduction. The importance of Group Processes. 2013. East Sussex, Routledge, pp. 206

Design communities in engineering and other disciplines have a practical reason for caring about group creativity. People employed in these areas have to generate creative solutions routinely, and they often must do so in a group. As a result, research in these areas has focused on processes to improve group creativity. This chapter explores techniques for generating problem statements and solutions in groups that have emerged from this literature. It also examines computer-based methods of problem solving that groups can use to enhance the ideas that arise from these group processes. This work has expanded the range of elements explored in studies of group creativity. Although theoretical studies of creativity can be useful in uncovering underlying mental processes, design development requires useful end products. The focus of this research on techniques that enhance creativity in design provides an opportunity to link this literature with the broader literature on individual and group creativity.

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COVID-19 conspiracy theories

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations ◽

10.1177/1368430220982068 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 270-275 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Karen M. Douglas

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Intergroup Relations ◽

Group Processes ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Conspiracy Theories ◽

Open Questions ◽

Potential Impact

Conspiracy theories started to appear on social media immediately after the first news about COVID-19. Is the virus a hoax? Is it a bioweapon designed in a Chinese laboratory? These conspiracy theories typically have an intergroup flavour, blaming one group for having some involvement in either manufacturing the virus or controlling public opinion about it. In this article, I will discuss why people are attracted to conspiracy theories in general, and why conspiracy theories seem to have flourished during the pandemic. I will discuss what the consequences of these conspiracy theories are for individuals, groups, and societies. I will then discuss some potential strategies for addressing the negative consequences of conspiracy theories. Finally, I will consider some open questions for research regarding COVID-19 conspiracy theories, in particular focusing on the potential impact of these conspiracy theories for group processes and intergroup relations.

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