Modeling the Relationship between Cohesion and Performance in Student Work Groups
Department
Marketing and Professional Sales
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-2006
Abstract
Cohesion has been central to investigators seeking insight into the dynamics of small workgroups. The present paper reports the effects of cohesion on performance outcomes in the context of student work groups. Data collected from a sample of 216 students indicate that social cohesion was significant as a predictor of team effectiveness but was not a significant predictor of team effort or team work satisfaction. Task cohesion was significantly and positively related to team effort, team effectiveness, and team work satisfaction. These findings indicate that students view team membership as useful for achieving task outcomes more than for satisfying social needs. Implications for educators are discussed along with suggestions for future research.