Perspective: group cognition factors in sociotechnical systems

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Sociotechnical Systems
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Research in computer-supported collaborative learning highlights the need for new theoretical and methodological approaches.
• Existing frameworks often overlook the unique characteristics of small-group interaction and sociotechnical mediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a focus on group cognition in the study of teamwork within sociotechnical systems.
• To propose a shift in theoretical and methodological paradigms for analyzing collaborative work.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of postcognitive theory and conversation analysis.
• Emphasis on group phenomena as the origin of individual phenomena.
• Prioritizing the study of coordination and communication processes in small groups.

Main Results:

• Current team studies often adopt an individual-centric approach, reducing group dynamics to aggregated individual behaviors.
• Coordination and communication are frequently treated as secondary to individual mental models or internal representations.

Conclusions:

• A call for a new science of groups, including novel theories, conceptualizations, and methodologies.
• Recommends discourse analysis, design-based research, conceptualizing mediation over causation, and publishing case studies.
• Shifting the unit of analysis to the group can provide novel insights into teamwork in sociotechnical systems.