Measuring Patterns in Team Interaction Sequences Using a Discrete Recurrence Approach

Objective: Recurrence-based measures of communication determinism and pattern information are described and validated using previously collected team interaction data. Background: Team coordination dynamics has revealed that “mixing” team membership can lead to flexible interaction processes, but ke...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human factors 2012-08, Vol.54 (4), p.503-517
Main Authors: Gorman, Jamie C., Cooke, Nancy J., Amazeen, Polemnia G., Fouse, Shannon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Buttons
Communication
Composition effects
Cooperative Behavior
Coordination
Female
Group dynamics
Group Processes
Human factors
Human factors research
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Military Personnel
Missions
Pattern analysis
Real time
Research Design
Sequences
Space life sciences
Teamwork
Vehicles
Young Adult
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objective: Recurrence-based measures of communication determinism and pattern information are described and validated using previously collected team interaction data. Background: Team coordination dynamics has revealed that “mixing” team membership can lead to flexible interaction processes, but keeping a team “intact” can lead to rigid interaction processes. We hypothesized that communication of intact teams would have greater determinism and higher pattern information compared to that of mixed teams. Method: Determinism and pattern information were measured from three-person Uninhabited Air Vehicle team communication sequences over a series of 40-minute missions. Because team members communicated using push-to-talk buttons, communication sequences were automatically generated during each mission. Results: The Composition × Mission determinism effect was significant. Intact teams’ determinism increased over missions, whereas mixed teams’ determinism did not change. Intact teams had significantly higher maximum pattern information than mixed teams. Conclusion: Results from these new communication analysis methods converge with content-based methods and support our hypotheses. Application: Because they are not content based, and because they are automatic and fast, these new methods may be amenable to real-time communication pattern analysis.
ISSN:0018-7208
1547-8181
DOI:10.1177/0018720811426140