Faultlines

Faultlines are hypothetical splits that divide a group into two or more subgroups based on the alignment of one or more individual attributes. Originally, faultlines were calculated based on demographic attributes of group members, such as gender, age, and functional background, although more current views of faultlines have incorporated other types of attributes, such as personality variables. Strong faultlines exist when attributes align such that subgroups are completely homogeneous. For example, consider a group (Group Alpha) that contains four individuals, two of whom are young female accountants and two of whom are older male engineers. A strong faultline exists in this group because the alignment of age, gender, and functional background creates two distinct and homogeneous subgroups. A weak faultline exists if a group (Group ...