Switching Things Up: Investigating The Costs of Switching Between Tasks of Varying Interdependence and Factors That Influence These Transitions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Though researchers have indicated that there is a high probability teams will transition between tasks of varying interdependence (Benishek & Lazzara, 2019; Mesmer-Magnus et al., 2016), there is a need to further examine this idea (Smith-Jentsch, 2015; Mesmer-Magnus et al., 2016) as few have actually studied it. Expanding upon Moon et al. (2004), this study examines the costs associated with transitioning between two tasks of varying levels of interdependence (i.e., pooled and team interdependence; Saavedra et al., 1993), how these costs vary depending on the order the tasks are engaged while examining how team cognition (i.e., transactive memory systems) and/or emergent states (i.e., efficacy and cohesion) influence the success of these transitions. Supporting evidence to Moon and colleagues was found as teams that transitioned from the pooled to the team interdependent task experienced higher switch costs relative to teams that transitioned tasks in the reverse. Coincidence analyses were run by condition (i.e., order of interdependence) to determine the conditions and/or combinations of conditions that produce low switch costs. Results showed no support for team cognition nor emergent states being necessary and/or sufficient conditions for overall low switch costs. Supplemental coincidence analyses showed similar results for team dynamic switch costs; however, having a high transactive memory system at the time of transition from team to pooled tasks were found to be a sufficient but not necessary condition for low behavioral switch costs. Additional analyses found 65 sufficient conditions/combinations of conditions for low switch costs. This study expands theory and practice by (1) studying transitioning between specific types of task interdependence rather than just examining transitions based on magnitude, (2) the costs associated with transitioning between tasks of varying interdependence and (3) potential factors that contribute to the success of these transitions.
Author: Wilhelmy, Taylor A
Institution: University of Central Florida
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204607785