13746: Beyond the Surface: A Meta-Analysis on the Team Big Five, Cohesion, and Conflict (session 25716)

The literature reveals conflicting findings regarding the effects of the team Big Five composition variables on team cohesion and team conflict. To address these inconclusive findings, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis across 44 independent samples (N = 3,346 teams) to estimate the relationships of team Big Five compositions with team cohesion and team conflict. We further examined several important moderators, including dimensions of team cohesion (i.e., task vs. interpersonal) and team conflict (i.e., task vs. interpersonal), team tenure, study setting (i.e., field vs. lab and classroom), and team size. The findings of this meta-analysis have important implications: (1) team Big Five compositions are more powerful in predicting team cohesion than team conflict; (2) team conscientiousness is the most consistent predictor of team cohesion among the team Big Five compositions; (3) the relationships between team Big Five compositions and team cohesion/conflict are stronger in lab and classroom settings than field settings; and (4) other moderators such as task versus interpersonal components of team cohesion and conflict, team tenure, and team size moderated very few relationships. Our meta-analysis challenges previous findings and provides several promising directions to better delineate the relationships of team Big Five compositions with team cohesion and conflict.

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