Multiscale Coordination Dynamics: Reflections and Opportunities for Advancing Groups and Teams Research
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: As small groups and teams research undergoes rapid methodological and technological transformation, longstanding theoretical questions about coordination are resurfacing in consequential ways. Advances in wearable sensing, artificial intelligence, and computational modeling now enable fine-grained observation of multilevel interaction dynamics, revealing teams as complex, multiscale systems. Drawing on a decade of research in coordination dynamics, this paper argues for reframing coordination as a foundational organizing principle rather than a discrete team process. We outline three key opportunities for the next decade: developing multiscale, functionally grounded theories of coordination; aligning methodological choices with conceptual meaning through systematic comparison of synchrony metrics; and adopting longitudinal designs to capture coordination trajectories across time. Integrating these directions promises to enhance theoretical coherence, methodological rigor, and practical relevance. Ultimately, a multiscale, temporally informed understanding of coordination dynamics can advance cumulative science and inform interventions that promote adaptive teamwork in high-stakes organizational contexts.
Source: Small Group Research
Author: Travis J. Wiltshire
Institution: Tilburg University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W7140094738