Cognitive interdependence and performance Sample Clauses

Cognitive interdependence and performance. Cognitive interdependence is defined as informal relationships among team members in which task-related knowledge is disseminated (▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, 2001; ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2002). The construct of cognitive interdependence is closely related to what is labeled in the organizational psychology literature as shared mental models (e.g., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2002), team situation awareness (e.g., ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1995), transactive memory systems (e.g., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1995) and collective mind (▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1993). Although conceptually different, these terms all refer to a socially constructed cognitive structure that represents shared knowledge or beliefs about an environment and its expected behavior (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2002). The sharing of task-related knowledge, for example via the exchange of advice, guidance, or the discussion of new ideas, gives form and coherence to the experience of group members and helps them with the completion of their work (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2001). The more task-related knowledge gets shared among team members, the more nonredundant pieces of information are likely to be shared (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2001) which benefits the quality of decision making in groups (e.g., Henningsen & Henningsen, 2003; ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1998). When most (or all) group members share nonredundant task-related information, the anticipation of each other’s actions and needs is enabled (▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1993), which in turn improves the alignment of individual actions and hence, facilitates coordinated action (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1994) and group effectiveness (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2000). In addition, the more cognitive interdependence in a group (i.e., the more task-related knowledge is disseminated via advice or discussion) the more each group member learns about other group member’s tasks, roles and responsibilities (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2001). Knowing what fellow team members do enhances the visibility of individual contributions to the group task (▇▇▇▇, 1964) and at the same time clarifies expectations and accountability (cf. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2001). Increased visibility and accountability counteract social loafing (▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1995), increase feelings of responsibility for the group task (Van der Vegt et al., 1998) and thus enhance group performance. Therefore the hypothesis with respect to the main effect of cognitive interdependence on performance is formulated as follows: Hypothesis 2: Cognitive interdepe...