Cognitive Diversity to Team Outcomes: The Roles of Cohesion and Conflict Management

Effects of diversity in team members’ rational and intuitive cognitive styles on team outcomes were investigated in a moderated-mediation model, exploring conflict management as a moderator and cohesion as a mediator. The negative effects of diversity on cohesion were moderated by conflict managemen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Small group research 2015-04, Vol.46 (2), p.204-226
Main Authors: Mello, Abby L., Delise, Lisa A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cognitive style
Conflict management
Mediation
Teams
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Summary:Effects of diversity in team members’ rational and intuitive cognitive styles on team outcomes were investigated in a moderated-mediation model, exploring conflict management as a moderator and cohesion as a mediator. The negative effects of diversity on cohesion were moderated by conflict management, such that diversity harmed cohesion when conflict management was low but had no effect when conflict management was high. Cohesion mediated the relationship between the interaction of cognitive diversity and conflict management on team viability but not task performance. Implications for practice include promoting cognitive diversity and conflict management training in diverse teams. Suggestions for future research include expanding the sample and utilizing causal research designs.
ISSN:1046-4964
1552-8278
DOI:10.1177/1046496415570916