The impact of group interaction on shared cognition: An analysis of small group communication

Abstract

Emerita, College of Information StudiesFlowing from research that shows that shared mental models have a significant impact on team performance, this research investigated how small group communication influences the development of shared mental models in a committee of public librarians addressing a problem-solving task. It is a qualitative research study that examines the influence of communication theme, function, role, channel, and rule, on the group!s development of shared mental models about their task and about their team interaction.Over a period of a year, data were collected from the group's meetings, email messages, group documents, and interviews with each participant. The data were analyzed using several existing coding schemes and qualitative coding. The data indicate that within the group there was a strong superficial convergence around the task mental model and the team interaction mental model but a weaker convergence at a deeper level. iii Acknowledgments Special thanks to the members of the Accountability Group who welcomed me with great warmth and respect, and to the Library Director, for inviting me in to the organization. Thanks also to the administrators from other organizations who enthusiastically volunteered their groups to participate. Your commitment to research is much appreciated.My grateful thanks go to my advisor, Dr. Marilyn Domas White, and to the members of my committee, Dr. Vedat Diker, Dr. Ping Wang, Dr. Ann Carlson Weeks, and Dr.Andrew Wolvin. Thank you for your encouragement, patience, and feedback.To my colleagues at Kent State University, particularly Dr. Richard Rubin, Dr.Carolyn Brodie, Dr. Belinda Boon, Ms. Camille Smith, and Ms. Tiffany Wang-thanks for your kind words and unwavering support this year.I wish to thank several faculty members who helped me in various ways through the program: Dr. Claude Walston, my first advisor; Dr. Delia Neuman, for introducing me to qualitative research methods; Dr. Eileen Abels, who mentored me and provided me the opportunity to work on a sponsored research project; and Dr. Douglas Oard for providing me funding and a unique opportunity to understand research from behind the scenes. And to my husband, Héctor García-no tengo palabras suficientes para decir cómo agradecida estoy por ti. Nunca haber pudiera terminado este programa sin tu apoyo, humor, inteligencia, ayuda, y más que todo, tu amor. Ahora comenzamos el resto de nuestra bella vida.v Table of List of Tables 221-222).This belief has lead to a growing body of literature aimed both toward further theoretical development (content, form, and function of shared mental models) and to empirical testing of the outcomes and consequences of shared mental models. Research exploring the antecedents to and formation of shared mental models has received less attention. Rentsch and Klimoski (2001) found some support for education similarity, position level similarity, team size, and previous experience with teams as antecedents to similar mental models (they use the term schema similarity)...