Abstract
This study seeks to explore whether neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness moderate the influence of relationship conflict experienced in groups on changes in group members' evaluative cognitions related to teamwork quality (teamwork-related mental models). Data from 216 students, nested in 48 groups were analyzed using a multilevel modeling approach. Our results show that the experience of relationship conflict leads to a negative shift from the pre-task to the post-task teamwork-related mental models. Moreover, the results indicate that conscientiousness buffered the negative association between relationship conflict and the change in teamwork-related mental models. Our results did not support the hypothesized moderating effect of agreeableness and show that the detrimental effect of relationship conflict on the shift in teamwork-related mental models is accentuated for group members scoring low rather than high on neuroticism. These findings open new research venues for exploring the association between personality, coping styles and change in teamwork-related mental models.
Highlights
Groups are multilevel systems in which the interplay between group members’ attributes and factors pertaining to interpersonal interactions generates individual and group level outcomes and behaviors [1,2,3]
Building on a personenvironment fit perspective we argued that high conscientiousness, high agreeableness, and low neuroticism reflect a good fit between the group members and the teamwork related demands as captured by relationship conflict
We argued that when group members experience relationship conflict, high conscientiousness, high agreeableness and low neuroticism facilitate the dissonance reduction process responsible for attenuating the discrepancy between teamworkrelated mental models (TWMM) in the pre-task and post task conditions
Summary
Groups are multilevel systems in which the interplay between group members’ attributes (e.g., personality traits, abilities, cognitions, and competencies) and factors pertaining to interpersonal interactions (e.g., group climate, teamwork quality) generates individual and group level outcomes and behaviors [1,2,3]. In terms of exposure to relationship conflict, agreeable individuals tend to avoid conflicts and experience less interpersonal stress [12]; [28], while in terms of coping, agreeable group members tend to focus on problem solving strategies and cognitive restructuring [24] and by doing so they maintain a positive group climate. For members scoring low on neuroticism (emotionally stable group members) the decrease in the teamwork related mental models evaluation while experiencing relationship conflict is expected to be lower because they are more secure, calm, steady, and may engage stronger with teamwork [10] and can cope more effectively with the stress induced by relationships conflict [28]. We hypothesize that: Hypothesis 4: Neuroticism accentuates the association between relationship conflict and negative shift in teamwork-related mental models
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