What Matters for Team Cohesion Measurement? A Synthesis
Abstract
Cohesion is a key contributor to team effectiveness, leading to great interest in understanding how to diagnose, monitor, and enhance it in practice. However, there is great inconsistency in how cohesion is conceptualized and measured, making it difficult to compare findings across studies, and therefore limiting the ability to advance science and practice. To begin addressing these issues, we draw from qualitative and quantitative analyses and extract themes indicating what matters most for effective cohesion measurement. Such themes are presented around six major questions – who, what, when, where, why, and how – as they pertain to each major component of the cohesion measurement process. Emerging approaches to cohesion measurement and corresponding avenues for future research are also discussed.
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Second highest task cohesion has not been observed to have a direct link with performance.
“The group did, however, show second highest task cohesion, which has not been observed to have a direct link with performance (Grossman et al., 2015).”
From An unobtrusive approach to modelling team cohesion and collaboration in ecological classroom settings (2026) · cites this paper as Grossman et al., 2015
Cites
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879 · Cited by 82,194 · see citing works
The relation between group cohesiveness and performance: An integration.
Mullen, B., & Copper, C. (1994) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.115.2.210 · Cited by 1,398 · see citing works
Information sharing and team performance: A meta-analysis
Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., & DeChurch, L. A. (2009) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0013773 · Cited by 1,273 · see citing works
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Group Cohesion and Performance: A Meta-Analysis
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Measuring Team Cohesion: Observations from the Science
Salas, E., Grossman, R., Hughes, A. M., & Coultas, C. W. (2015) · Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society · doi:10.1177/0018720815578267 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
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Grossman, R., Nolan, K., Rosch, Z., Mazer, D., & Salas, E. (2022) · Organizational Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/20413866211041157 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Self-citationAzad, A., Kovanovic, V., Korolkiewicz, M., Zamecnik, A., Joksimovic, S., & Cukurova, M. (2026) · Learning and Instruction · doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102268 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Grossman, R., Rosch, Z., Mazer, D., & Salas, E.
- ORCID
- Grossman, Rebecca
- Venue
- Team Cohesion: Advances in Psychological Theory, Methods and Practice
- Publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- Published
- 2015-11-18
- Pages
- 147-180
- OpenAlex
- W2480853777
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 2.79
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- University of Central Florida
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Keywords
- team cohesion, cohesion measurement, team effectiveness, measurement consistency, team diagnosis
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