1983/06/01 by Joseph E. McCann · 142 citations
Decision Sciences · Engineering · Health Professions · Psychology · #Business #Complex Systems and Decision Making #Computer science #Conceptual framework #Control (management) #Engineering #Management science #Political science #Problem Solving Skills Development #Process (computing) #Process management #Psychological intervention #Psychology #Social issues #Social problem-solving #Social psychology #Social science #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1177/002188638301900213
published in The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 19(2), 177-189 (SAGE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 1983/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Two or more social actors-individuals, groups, and organizations-engage in social problem solving when resolving or managing a shared problem. Social problem solving poses significant conceptual and control difficulties that make it highly episodic and prone to setbacks. This paper proposes a framework for understanding social problem solving and offers four guidelines for designing interventions to facilitate the process. A case study illustrates the usefulness of the framework and design guidelines.