Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Through a series of three papers, this thesis explores identity processes in 52 teams, \nranging from amateur volleyball teams in Italy through to elite-level Olympic, \nprofessional and military teams. Paper 1 takes a multilevel approach to social \nidentification and team performance, demonstrating that when identification occurs \nacross the whole team (i.e., team level identification) this predicts an increase in both \nperceived and actual team performance. Paper 2 uses motivated identity construction \ntheory (MICT, Vignoles, 2011) as an integrative framework to explore why people \nidentify with teams. In doing so, this paper helps resolve confusions about the \nrelationship between “personal” and “group level” identity motives that have troubled \nsocial identity researchers for almost four decades. Paper 3 extends this theorising by \ninvestigating these identity processes in a unique sample of elite-level teams. A \nlongitudinal multilevel approach is used throughout these three papers, enabling us to \nexplore team level effects as well as making causal inferences regarding the direction of \nrelationships between identity motives, team identification and team performance. An \nexample of how this series of papers led to a team development tool implemented \nwithin Great Britain Olympic men’s and women’s hockey teams is discussed.
Author: William E. Thomas
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2591723396