Reaping the benefits of task conflict in teams: The critical role of team psychological safety climate
Abstract
Past research suggests that task conflict may improve team performance under certain conditions; however, we know little about these specific conditions. On the basis of prior theory and research on conflict in teams, we argue that a climate of psychological safety is one specific context under which task conflict will improve team performance. Using evidence from 117 project teams, the present research found that psychological safety climate moderates the relationship between task conflict and performance. Specifically, task conflict and team performance were positively associated under conditions of high psychological safety. The results support the conclusion that psychological safety facilitates the performance benefits of task conflict in teams. Theoretical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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Team psychological security is significant for team execution processes such as team cooperation, communication, shared decision-making, creativity, and team performance.
“It is significant for the team’s execution process, such as team cooperation, communication, shared decision-making, creativity, and team performance [64,65].”
From Structural Dimension Exploration and Measurement Scale Development of Employee Involution in China’s Workplace Field (2022) · cites this paper as [64]
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“Previous studies in team dynamics have shown that such rigorous and meaningful activities are supposed to “involve team members challenging the validity of existing beliefs and keeping the team from moving too quickly to agreement on key issues” (Bradley et al., 2012, p. 153).”
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“This is consistent with the findings of Bradley et al. (2012). Second, two of the most frequent themes in our respondents’ experience of the psychologically unsafe workplaces – lack of organizational response and lack of confidence in whistleblower protection – also represent new findings of this study.”
ResultThe limits of psychological safety: Nonlinear relationships with performance
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“with no clear difference in meaning (Bradley et al., 2012; Chen et al., 2017).”
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- Authors
- Bradley, B. H., Postlethwaite, B. E., Klotz, A. C., Hamdani, M. R., & Brown, K. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Oklahoma (US)
- Pepperdine University (US)
- University of Akron (US)
- University of Iowa (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Psychology
- Published
- 2012
- Volume
- 97
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 151-158
- ISSN
- 0021-9010 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1854
- OpenAlex
- W1981633360
- Cited by
- 454
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 18.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Conflict Management and Negotiation
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Keywords
- task conflict, psychological safety climate, team performance, project teams, moderating effect, team conflict, workplace conflict
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Conflict, Psychological, Cooperative Behavior, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Peer Group, Task Performance and Analysis, Young Adult
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