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Related Experiment Videos

Team learning: collectively connecting the dots.

Aleksander P J Ellis1, John R Hollenbeck, Daniel R Ilgen

  • 1Department of Management and Policy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0108, USA. ellis@eller.arizona.edu

The Journal of Applied Psychology
|October 1, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Team learning is enhanced by high cognitive ability and even workload distribution. However, high Agreeableness in team members hinders learning, while a paired structure benefits it most.

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Area of Science:

  • Organizational Psychology
  • Team Dynamics
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Understanding factors influencing team learning is crucial for optimizing collaborative performance.
  • Existing literature highlights attentional capacity, constructive controversy, and truth-supported wins as relevant concepts.
  • Personal and situational variables require further investigation regarding their impact on knowledge and skill acquisition in teams.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of personal (cognitive ability, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience) and situational (workload distribution, team structure) variables on team learning.
  • To extend existing theories by examining specific factors within interactive project team settings.
  • To identify key determinants of effective team learning in complex tasks.

Main Methods:

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  • Utilized a sample of 109 four-person project teams engaged in an interdependent command and control simulator task.
  • Assessed individual characteristics including cognitive ability, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience.
  • Manipulated or measured workload distribution and team structure (paired, functional, divisional).

Main Results:

  • Team learning was positively correlated with higher individual cognitive ability and equitable workload distribution.
  • Conversely, team learning was negatively impacted when team members scored high on Agreeableness.
  • Teams structured in a paired configuration demonstrated superior learning outcomes compared to functional or divisional structures.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive ability and workload distribution are significant positive predictors of team learning.
  • High levels of Agreeableness within a team can impede the learning process.
  • A paired team structure appears most conducive to enhancing knowledge and skill acquisition in project teams.