Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
05:59
New Framework for Understanding Cross-Brain Coherence in Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Hyperscanning Studies
Published on: October 6, 2023
Facet personality and surface-level diversity as team mental model antecedents: implications for implicit
David M Fisher1, Suzanne T Bell, Erich C Dierdorff
1Department of Psychology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. dfisher1@depaul.edu
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|April 4, 2012
Summary
Team composition, including agreeableness and racial diversity, influences team mental models (TMMs). TMM similarity enhances implicit coordination and team performance, offering insights for HR practices.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Team Dynamics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Team mental models (TMMs) are crucial for team effectiveness, yet their developmental antecedents are not fully understood.
- Existing research highlights TMMs' impact on performance but overlooks factors shaping their formation.
- Investigating team composition's role in TMM development is essential for understanding shared cognitive structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify team composition variables, specifically personality facets and surface-level diversity, that predict team-focused TMM similarity.
- To examine implicit coordination as a mediator between TMM similarity and team performance.
- To explore potential interactions between personality facets and diversity in TMM development.
Main Methods:
- Survey research examining team composition, TMM similarity, implicit coordination, and team performance.
- Statistical analyses, including regression and mediation, to test proposed relationships.
- Focus on specific facets of agreeableness (cooperation, trust) and racial diversity as key predictors.
Main Results:
- Team composition characterized by the cooperation facet of agreeableness and racial diversity significantly predicted TMM similarity.
- TMM similarity positively predicted implicit coordination, which, in turn, mediated the link between TMM similarity and team performance.
- A significant interaction between the trust facet of agreeableness and racial diversity emerged in predicting TMM similarity.
Conclusions:
- Team composition variables, particularly agreeableness and racial diversity, play a role in the emergence of shared TMMs.
- TMM similarity fosters implicit coordination, ultimately enhancing team performance.
- Findings offer practical implications for human resource practices aimed at optimizing team functioning and development.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Implicit Personality Theories
Implicit personality theory explains how individuals make assumptions about the relationships between personality traits, behaviors, and character types. When people learn that someone possesses a particular trait, they tend to infer the presence of other related characteristics, forming a cohesive impression. This cognitive shortcut plays a crucial role in social interactions and interpersonal judgments.Central Traits and Their InfluenceSolomon Asch's seminal 1946 study highlighted the power...
02:16Stereotype Content Model
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence categorization, a person will feel...
02:12Relationship Formation
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
01:29Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
Attribution theory plays a crucial role in social psychology, helping to explain how individuals interpret the causes of behavior. One prominent model within this field is Harold Kelley's covariation theory, which provides a systematic approach to determining whether internal traits or external circumstances drive a person's actions. The model posits that individuals rely on three key types of information—consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness—to make these judgments.Consensus: Comparing...
01:24Cattell's 16 Personality Factors
Raymond Cattell's trait theory offers a structured framework for understanding personality by distinguishing between two critical traits: surface and source traits. Surface traits are observable patterns of behavior, such as indecisiveness, anxiety, and irrational fears. These traits are less stable, varying across situations and over time. This means that they are less helpful in understanding the deeper aspects of an individual's personality.
In contrast, source traits are the fundamental,...
In contrast, source traits are the fundamental,...
01:29Impression Management Techniques I: Managing Appearances
Appearance is a multidimensional aspect of self-presentation that encompasses observable attributes such as clothing, grooming, speech, and nonverbal behavior. These elements are often strategically managed to align with socially constructed expectations in different settings. For instance, individuals tailor their appearance during job interviews, social gatherings, or athletic events to meet the perceived norms of those environments.Contextual Adaptation and Social SignalsThe research...