Team Building = Team Cohesion
Team Cohesion= Performance
then Team Building = Team Performance?
Heather Harris ESS 777
Why?
I started this project because as a coach I believe it is very important to have team cohesion. However, with limited practice time I wanted to find research about whether this was a worthy item to spend our precious training time on. In addition, how does this effect team performance which is usually on the mind of most high school and college age teams.
Team Building = Team Cohesion
Meyer & Wenger- University of WisconsinMilwaukee Athletes and adventure education: an empirical investigation Examines how adventure education (using a ropes course) would effect athletes. Results:
The athletes had a higher level of cohesiveness and focus while competing.
Team Building = Team Cohesion
Martin & Davids The effects of group development techniques on a professional athletic team Examines if group development programs effect a team, however takes into consideration maturation. Results:
Even with maturation taken out of the equation, group development still improved.
Team Building = Team Cohesion
Gibbons and Ebbeck- Oregon State University and University of Victoria The effect of a team building program on the self-conceptions of grade 6 and 7 physical education students Examines if a Team Building Through Physical Challenges program effects self-conceptions.
Team Building = Team Cohesion
Author Thesis Examines how a one-time teambuilding exercise affects team cohesion. Results:
Very little growth on team cohesion was shown after a one day team building activity.
Team Building = Team Cohesion
Senecal, Loughead, & Bloom- McGill University and University of Windsor A season-long team-building intervention: examining the effect of team goal setting on cohesion Examines if implementing a season-long teambuilding intervention program will increase perceptions of cohesion Results:
Team goal setting was an effective team-building tool for influencing cohesiveness.
Team Building = Team Cohesion
Bloom, G. A., Stevens, D. E., and Wickwire, T. L.
Expert Coaches Perceptions of Team Building Examines coaches perceptions on team building, team cohesion, and how it effects team performance. Results:
The study showed that the expert coaches believe in team building and team cohesion as an important part of their program.
Team Cohesion = Team Performance
Dirks- Simon Fraser University Trust in Leadership and Team Performance: Evidence from NCAA Basketball Study examines the correlation between trust, leadership, and team performance. Findings:
Trust and leadership effects team performance positively. Example: the two teams that showed the highest trust in their coach performed the best during the season.
Team Cohesion = Team Performance
Carron, Bray, & Eys Team cohesion and team success in sport Study examines the relationship between task cohesiveness and team success Results:
The study showed team cohesion and team success that a generally high level of correlation. Both Group IntegrationTask and Individual Attractions to the Group Task dimensions to cohesion were related to success.
Team Cohesion = Team Performance
Kozub, S. A. & Button C. J. The Influence of a Competitive Outcome on Perceptions of Cohesion in Rugby and Swimming Teams Study examines the effects of a single competitive outcome on perceptions of cohesion in rugby and swimming teams. Results:
There is a positive correlation that if there is a win then team cohesion is perceived higher then if there is a loss. There was a bigger difference on the rugby athletes compared to the swimmers.
Team Cohesion = Team Performance
Landers, D. M. and Luschen, G. Team Performance Outcomes and the Cohesiveness of Competitive Coacting Groups Examines how cohesiveness effects coacting teams performance because many of the studies done before were only done on team sports. Results:
Teams with higher winning percentages rated higher on taskorientated cohesiveness. While teams with a low winning percentage did not rate as high, but did rate higher with affiliation with teammates.
Team Cohesion = Team Performance
Everett, J. J., Smith, R. E., and Williams, K.D. Effects of Team Cohesion and Identifiably on Social Loafing in Relay Swimming Performance. Examines the correlation of social loafing and team cohesion. Results:
Hypothesized that the closer the team is the better they will perform. The study failed to prove this but had a very small population that the research was conducted from.
What did I find?
Team building in most studies increased team cohesion.
The ones that it did not increased were generally only done for one day.
A strong team cohesion generally meant a better team performance. Almost all of the studies used the GEQ .
What didnt I find? Where can new research go?
There were no studies that actually looked at starting a team with team building exercises to develop team cohesion to then see if the new team cohesion would increase team performance. It would be nice if a specific team building program would increase team cohesion and to what age and/or gender it would be best for.
Resources
Bloom, G. A., Stevens, D. E., and Wickwire, T. L. (2003). Expert coaches perceptions of team building. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 15: 129-143. Crron, A.V., Brawley, L.R., and Widmeyer, W. N. (1985). The Group Environment Questionnaire. Carron, A.V., Bray, S.R., and Eys, M.A. (2002).Team cohesion and team success in sport. Journal of Sports Sciences, 20, 119-126. Dirks, K.T. (2000). Trust in leadership and team performance: evidence from NCAA basketball. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(6) 1004-1012. Ebbeck, V. and Gibbons, S. L. (1998). The effect of a team building program on the self-conceptions of grade 6 and 7 physical education students. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20; 300-310. Everett, J. J., Smith, R. E., and Williams, K.D. (1992). Effects of team cohesion and identifiably on social loafing in relay swimming performance. International Journal of Sport Psychology. 23: 311-324.
Resources
Kozub, S.A. & Button, C.J. (2000). The influence of a competitive outcome on perceptions of cohesion in rugby and swimming teams. International Journal of Sport Psychology. 31: 82-95. Landers, D. M. and Luschen, G. (1974). Team performance outcomes and the cohesiveness of competitive coacting groups. International Review of Sports Sociology. 5: 57-69. Martin, R. and Davids, K. (1995). The effects of group development techniques on a professional athletic team. The Journal of Social Psychology, 135 (4) 533-535. Meyer, B.B., Wenger, M.S. (1998). Athletes and adventure education: An Empirical Investigation. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 29, 243-266. Murphy, J. M. (2001). The effect of a one-time team building exercise on team cohesion. Sencecal, J., Loughead, T.M., and Bloom (2008). A season-long teambuilding intervention: examining the effect of team goal setting on cohesion. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 30, 186-199.
