Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice

Balancing efficiency and diversity of team complex problem-solving: The role of team structural configurations.
Objective: Teams are required to be efficient in the functions of their business demands and be creative to bring diverse alternatives into their task performance. Yet, the evidence to support the ambidextrous design is limited. In this study, we aim to address this lacuna by investigating the role of team structures in the tension between problem-solving efficiency and solution quality in the team problem-solving process. Method: Using a computational simulation, we investigate the comparative effects of different team structural configurations, such as interconnectedness and subgrouping, on team performance over time measured as time taken to finish group tasks and quality of group decisions. Results: We find that one subgroup structure could achieve nearly the efficiency of a totally connected structure while realizing problem solution levels close to that of the linear-connected structure. We further illustrate the effects of the number and the balance in the size of subgroups as well as the interconnectedness between subgroups on the two performance measures. Conclusions: Researchers should not make presumptions about how team structural configurations impact team performance without considering the configuration properties at different time horizons and relating to different performance concerns. This essential insight may be useful to inform team research and management practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Working at the top of their capabilities: How teamwork support attenuates leader role conflict.
Objective: To understand whether team member support reduces team leader stress. Method: In Phase 1, we used hierarchical linear modeling with survey data and administrative records from 45 Veterans Health Administration teams (73 providers and 228 associated members) to investigate how teamwork support mitigates leader stress. In Phase 2, we adopted a parallel/simultaneous mixed methods design, utilizing open- and close-ended responses from 267 additional Veterans Health Administration providers. With the mixed methods design, we first analyzed open-ended responses using directed content analysis and hypothesis coding. Next, we transformed our codes into counts and compared them with closed-ended responses to understand whether teamwork support allows leaders to engage in work aligned with their qualifications. Results: As predicted, providers’ role conflict corresponded with decreased performance under low teamwork support, but this negative relationship was attenuated with high teamwork support as such support allows leaders to focus on tasks they are uniquely qualified to perform. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the facilitative nature of teams in supporting leaders: Followers provide teamwork support that helps leaders navigate role conflict by allowing leaders to work on tasks consistent with their qualifications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Psychological safety climate and self-managing team innovation process: The role of constructive controversy and authority differentiation.
Objective: This study aims to reveal the innovation process of self-managing teams. We investigate the relationship between perceived team psychological safety climate and team innovation in self-managing teams, with a focus on the mediating role of perceived team constructive controversy and the moderating role of perceived authority differentiation. Method: To test our model, we collected cross-sectional survey data from 41 indie bands in China and asked band members to reflect upon their general collaboration experiences with their teammates. Results: Team psychological safety climate is positively related to team constructive controversy, which interacts with authority differentiation to influence team innovation, such that team constructive controversy is positively related to team innovation only when authority differentiation is high. Conclusions: This study extends our understanding of the innovation process of self-managing teams. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Patterns and levels of engagement and conflict development and member outcome in adolescent counseling groups.
Objective: We investigated whether all groups follow the same developmental pattern or if groups differ in their developmental patterns. We also explored whether group development (changes in engagement and conflict) or overall ratings (average of engagement and conflict) are related to group member outcomes. Method: Participants were 219 Taiwanese children and adolescents across 37 eight-session groups. Cluster analysis of group-centered, longitudinal ratings of engagement and conflict identified groups with different patterns of development. In a multilevel analysis, the patterns were used to predict assessments (pregroup, Session 4, Session 8, and 4-week follow-up) of emotional cultivation and basic psychological needs satisfaction, which were nested within group members, who were nested within groups. Results: Three patterns of group development were identified: (a) ideal group development (increasing engagement and low–high–low conflict), (b) minimal group development (average and nonchanging ratings of engagement and conflict), and (c) initial resistance (high–low–low conflict and low–average–average engagement). The members of groups that followed the ideal group development, relative to groups with the other developmental patterns, experienced greater growth in their emotional cultivation and basic psychological needs satisfaction. The ideal developmental pattern was particularly effective when average engagement (mean for Sessions 1, 4, and 8) was moderate and average conflict (mean for Sessions 1, 4, and 8) was low. Conclusion: First, all groups do not follow the same developmental pattern suggested by MacKenzie (1997). Second, these patterns are associated with differential member outcome depending on the groups’ average level of conflict across sessions. Because the ideal group development pattern was associated with member improvement, especially in the context of moderate engagement and conflict, group leaders should track the development of engagement and conflict in their groups. Leaders should intervene to moderate conflict in groups that have initially high levels of conflict and actively encourage engagement throughout the group and some conflict in middle sessions in groups that are failing to development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)

Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice - Vol 28, Iss 4