Abstract
Early group dynamics theorizing suggested that member interactions form a structured network that can serve as cue for cohesiveness (Shaw, 1964). In terms of structure, research has found that the overall exchange of knowledge and information may serve as one of these cues to perceptions of cohesiveness, with greater exchange associated with greater task cohesiveness (McLaren & Spink, under review). Further, it has been speculated that a network that is less centralized and more dense (characterized by a greater proportion of connections between group members) would be associated with greater perceptions of cohesiveness (Shaw, 1964). Using social network analysis, these relationships between networks and cohesion were examined in two studies. Participants from intact teams (N = 205) in Study 1 identified team members with whom they regularly exchanged information (ego network) and reported perceived task cohesion. A discriminant function analysis was used to differentiate between the two groups (those who interacted with a greater proportion of teammates versus those who interacted with fewer) in terms of cohesion. Results revealed a significant difference, Wilks' Lambda = .87, p < .001. As predicted, those interacting with more teammates reported greater task cohesion than those interacting with less. Using an experimental vignette design, participants (N = 127) in Study 2 read one of two network team descriptions that varied in centrality and density. As expected, those who read about the team described with lower centrality/higher density reported higher task cohesion than those who read the higher centrality/lower density team description (p < .001).Acknowledgments: Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Scholarship to the first author (752-2014-2655)