Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
04:44
Inter-Brain Synchrony in Open-Ended Collaborative Learning: An fNIRS-Hyperscanning Study
Published on: July 21, 2021
4.8K
How similar should collaborators be in inter-organizational learning: Optimal cognitive proximity and knowledge
Yeokyung Hwang1,2, Junseok Hwang1,2, Junmin Lee3
1Technology Management, Economics, and Policy Program, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Plos One
|December 19, 2025
Summary
Knowledge complexity impacts collaborative innovation differently. High complexity favors more partners for volume but hinders quality by weakening the link between proximity and innovation outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Innovation Studies
- Organizational Behavior
- Intellectual Property Management
Background:
- Effective knowledge exchange is vital for innovation in knowledge-intensive industries.
- The interplay between cognitive proximity and collaborative innovation, especially in complex knowledge environments, requires further investigation.
- Existing research suggests a non-linear, inverted U-shaped relationship between cognitive proximity and innovation, but the moderating role of knowledge complexity is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how knowledge complexity moderates the relationship between cognitive proximity and collaborative innovation.
- To differentiate the effects on collaboration volume versus collaboration quality.
- To provide insights into partner selection strategies in complex innovation ecosystems.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of over 650,000 U.S. biotechnology patents (1976-2024) from over 57,000 organizations.
- Measurement of cognitive proximity using CPC-based Jaccard similarity.
- Operationalization of knowledge complexity via a structural complexity framework based on knowledge combination networks.
- Application of negative binomial regressions to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Knowledge complexity moderates the proximity-innovation relationship differently for collaboration volume and quality.
- For collaboration volume, increased complexity shifts the optimal proximity rightward and flattens the inverted U-curve.
- For collaboration quality, high complexity causes a leftward shift and a near-horizontal relationship, indicating a breakdown of the curvilinear effect.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive proximity influences partner selection and innovation realization through distinct mechanisms, particularly under high knowledge complexity.
- Absorptive capacity remains key in partnership decisions, but novelty generation disconnects from proximity effects as complexity rises.
- Knowledge complexity acts as a structural moderator, refining proximity theory and informing strategic partner selection in advanced innovation.
More Related Videos
06:11High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity
Published on: September 26, 2025
750
07:53Group Synchronization During Collaborative Drawing Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: August 5, 2022
2.4K
Related Concept Videos
01:21Cognitive Learning
970
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
970
01:26Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect
236
The similarity-dissimilarity effect, a fundamental concept in social psychology, explains how interpersonal similarities and differences influence attraction and social interactions. This effect is supported by three key psychological perspectives: balance theory, social comparison theory, and consensual validation.Balance Theory and Cognitive ConsistencyBalance theory, developed by Fritz Heider, posits that individuals seek cognitive consistency in their relationships. When two people share...
236
01:27Associative Learning
1.2K
Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
Classical conditioning, also known...
1.2K
01:37Social Loafing
38.9K
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated,...
38.9K
01:08The Availability Heuristic
6.9K
A heuristic is a general problem-solving framework (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). You can think of these as mental shortcuts that are used to solve problems. Different types of heuristics are used in different types of situations, and the impulse to use a heuristic occurs when one of five conditions is met (Pratkanis, 1989):
6.9K
01:29Theory of Attribution II: Kelley's Covariation Theory
461
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:...
461