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Department of Psychiatry Department of Psychiatry

Task Conflict

Definition

“Disagreements among group members about the content and outcomes of the task being performed.” (de Wit et al., 2012, p. 360)

 Key Measurements

  • Jehn, K. A. (1994). Enhancing Effectiveness: An investigation of advantages and disadvantages of value‐based intragroup conflict. International Journal of Conflict Management, 5(3), 223–238. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb022744
    • Jehn, 1994: four-item task conflict subscale
  • Pelled, L. H., Eisenhardt, K. M., Xin, K. R. (1999) Exploring the black box: An analysis of work group diversity, conflict and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.2307/2667029
    • Pelled et. al., 1999: 5 item survey of task conflict

Recent Articles

  • Braverman, A., & Meiran, N. (2010). Task conflict effect in task switching. Psychological Research, 74(6), 568–578. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-010-0279-2
    • Manipulated task conflict in a spatial task-switching paradigm.
    • Found poorer performance in high task conflict trials than in low task conflict trials.
  • Puck, J., & Pregernig, U. (2014). The effect of Task Conflict and Cooperation on performance of teams: Are the results similar for different task types? European Management Journal, 32(6), 870–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2014.03.007
    • Analyze the relation between task conflict, cooperation, and performance.
    • Asserts that the effect of task conflict on team performance can be mediated by team member cooperation.
  • Kostopoulos, K. C., & Bozionelos, N. (2011). Team exploratory and exploitative learning: Psychological safety, task conflict, and team performance. Group & Organization Management, 36(3), 385–415. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601111405985
    • Constructed measures of distinct team-level activities and and examined their relationship with task conflict.
    • Found that task conflict positively moderated the relationship between psychological safety and exploitative learning.