To Team or Not to Team

    I have chosen to work alone for this year’s AICE Media Studies portfolio project. I made the decision to work alone due to many reasons. At first, I thought about the possibility of working with a group but then I thought that it might not work out. Working alone seems a better option in my situation. While working alone I think it can benefit me more than working in a group.

    From the article “Songwriting loafing or creative collaboration?: A comparison of individual and team written billboard hits in the USA” by Pettijohn and Ahmed stated that “Both individuals and teams are equally likely of creating the next top Billboard hit in America” (Feb. 2010). Working alone does not make a huge difference in creating a good product. The chances of working together or alone both are similarly equal. In fact, a survey done by them by analyzing the number one hits were songs that were written solo at “52.73%”. Although this is not a huge gap working alone seems to have a higher success rate. Social loafing tends to happen as the group size increases as stated by them, and I can tend to be one of them as I am not a very social person. In order to prevent that working alone seems a likely option. 

    Teamwork is more effective if you have the right personality combination as stated from the article “The effect of personality type on team performance” which Bradley and Hebert co-authored. I am an introverted person most of the time as I am not very sociable. This can affect communication between teammates, as “Intrateam communication will be more natural for the extrovert than the introvert” quoted from there. With my introverted personality it may do more harm to myself and others as I don’t like to speak up unless necessary. Also, most of the times I feel more than think. Sometimes I feel that it might not be right, but I just go along with it. Intrateam communication is more natural for thinkers than feelers as so they say. Communication can be a hard thing for me when working with a team. 

    While working on an activity called “Lost at sea”, I was completely lost with what they were ranking. Multiple times I had to ask them to repeat what they put so I felt uncomfortable with asking what they put and just assumed possibly what they put based on definite ones that I knew. Furthermore, I did not participate as much in the conversation as I was busy trying to follow along their conversation. I had some points I had to disagree on but the majority agreed on it, so I decided it was best to not share my opinion. 

    For the “Social Media Peer Account” activity I worked alone and followed somebody just to complete the work. The person I followed had multiple other people also following just for the activity. While working on the activity I saw no significance to the activity as it seemed more like a get to know the other person type of activity as I am closer on the side of working alone. The person had not very often post but however does it at least a couple times a year on separate months. This provides me no use as I am working alone. 

    With the difficulty of communication being an introvert, staying and working home alone seems a better option for both myself and other members as I don’t go to school physically. I decided to work alone mostly because of the reason me being an introvert which can be seen through my participation in activities. Working alone makes no difference in whether creating a successful project or not. With my personality, participation, and effort it is more effective if I work alone and take the credit for work, I put in, instead of as a team which can’t be noticeable for good or bad. For this portfolio it is best that I work alone instead of as a team.