shared mental models
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Literature on Shared Mental Models (SMMs) has been burgeoning in recent years and this has provided increasingly detailed insight and evidence into the importance of SMMs within specific contexts. However, because past research predominantly focused on SMM structure as measured by diverse, context-dependent measures, a consolidated multi-dimensional measure of perceived SMMs that can be used across diverse team contexts is currently lacking. Furthermore, different conceptualizations of the dimensionality of SMMs exist, which further impedes the comparison between studies. These key limitations might hinder future development in the SMM literature. We argue that the field of SMMs has now matured enough that it is possible to take a deductive approach and evaluate the prior studies in order to refine the key SMMs dimensions, operationalizations, and measurement. Hence, we take a three-stage approach to consolidate existing literature scale-based measures of SMMs, using four samples. Ultimately, this leads to a 20-item five-dimensional scale (i.e., equipment, execution, interaction, composition, and temporal SMMs) – the Five Factor Perceived Shared Mental Model Scale (5-PSMMS). Our scale provides scholars with a tool which enables the measurement, and comparison, of SMMs across diverse team contexts. It offers practitioners the option to more straightforwardly assess perceived SMMs in their teams, allowing the identification of challenges in their teams and facilitating the design of appropriate interventions.

This book has presented a theory of project leadership from the perspective of balancing leadership between the project manager and horizontal leaders. The theory offers an explanation on how the shifting of leadership in projects between formally appointed leaders and project team members occurs, and how social and cognitive structures enable such shifts. This chapter draws on two Canadian case studies and applies the perspective of socio-cognitive space to understand how shifting of leadership was enabled. It shows the nature of the dimensions of socio-cognitive space; i.e., empowerment, efficacy, and shared mental models, how these processes evolve, and the role they play in supporting the dynamics of the shifting of leadership.

This paper evaluates Banks et al.’s Human-AI Shared Mental Model theory by examining how a self-driving vehicle’s hazard assessment facilitates shared mental models. Participants were asked to affirm the vehicle’s assessment of road objects as either hazards or mistakes in real-time as behavioral and subjective measures were collected. The baseline performance of the AI was purposefully low (<50%) to examine how the human’s shared mental model might lead to inappropriate compliance. Results indicated that while the participant true positive rate was high, overall performance was reduced by the large false positive rate, indicating that participants were indeed being influenced by the Al’s faulty assessments, despite full transparency as to the ground-truth. Both performance and compliance were directly affected by frustration, mental, and even physical demands. Dispositional factors such as faith in other people’s cooperativeness and in technology companies were also significant. Thus, our findings strongly supported the theory that shared mental models play a measurable role in performance and compliance, in a complex interplay with trust.

Purpose This paper aims to understand in-depth the concepts applied to the domains of organizational learning (OL) and learning organization, based on the notional perspectives of Professor Deborah Blackman and traces the evolutionary path of her academic journey and contributions in this regard. Design/methodology/approach A conversation with the distinguished academician, Professor Deborah Blackman. Findings How OL has pivoted around “shared mental models” that will enable in collective evidence-based decision-making across the organizational hierarchy. Originality/value The interactive session with Professor Deborah Blackman captured her ideas and critique pertaining to the theme of OL and the crucial aspect of “shared mental models” which promote “learning” in an organization. Delving deeper, it is seen that this trajectory offers the space and orientation to researchers and professionals to verify.

ABSTRACT Background Shared mental models (SMMs) help groups make better decisions. Clinical competency committees (CCCs) can benefit from the development and use of SMMs in their decision-making as a way to optimize the quality and consistency of their decisions. Objective We reviewed the use of SMMs for decision making in graduate medical education, particularly their use in CCCs. Methods In May 2020, the authors conducted a narrative review of the literature related to SMMs. This review included the SMM related to teams, team functioning, CCCs, and graduate medical education. Results The literature identified the general use of SMMs, SMMs in graduate medical education, and strategies for building SMMs into the work of the CCC. Through the use of clear communication and guidelines, and a shared understanding of goals and expectations, CCCs can make better decisions. SMMs can be applied to Milestones, resident performance, assessment, and feedback. Conclusions To ensure fair and robust decision-making, the CCC must develop and maintain SMMs through excellent communication and understanding of expectations among members.

PurposeThe aim of this study is to understand how virtual teams experience perceived proximity. Existing literature suggests that perceived proximity can be achieved through quality communication and increased identification. However, not much is known as to how these two may be achieved within the context of virtual teams.Design/methodology/approachThe authors address their research question through a comparative case study, with the help of two virtual teams of software developers and the authors adopt a subset from the Constructivist Grounded Theory Method procedures for the purposes of coding to understand the potential explanations regarding the two teams' differences in perceptions of perceived proximity.FindingsThe authors’ study shows that shared mental models support quality communication and team members to identify with the shared values of their team. Quality communication is easier achieved when the team shares a dynamic and evolving understanding of the tools for communication and collaboration. The authors also draw attention to the importance of how work is organised and the influence of the temporal dimension on virtual teams beyond the temporal organisation of collaborative work.Originality/valueThe value of this study is found in its contribution towards the development of a formal connection between perceived proximity and shared mental models, that is empirically grounded, and which holds an explanatory value in addressing how perceived proximity can be supported rather than compromised.

Although existing studies have shown that shared mental models of information and communication technology (ICT shared mental models) are related to better computer-mediated teamwork, causal effects on team processes and outcomes remain unclear. This study analyzes the effects of ICT shared mental models on team effectiveness indicators via ICT use and team communication. Results based on 69 three-person teams show that manipulated ICT shared mental models significantly influence team performance, coordination effectiveness, and affective team commitment, partially mediated by consistent ICT use in a team and team communication. Study results extend findings on antecedents, mechanisms, and effects of ICT shared mental models.

Shared mental models (SMMs) can exert a positive influence on team sports performance because team members with SMMs share similar tasks and team-related knowledge. There is currently insufficient sports research on SMMs because the underlying theory has not been adapted adequately to the sports context, and different SMMs measurement instruments have been used in past studies. In the present study we aimed to externally validate and determine the construct validity of the “Shared Mental Models in Team Sports Questionnaire” (SMMTSQ). Moreover, we critically examined the theoretical foundation for this instrument. Participants were 476 active team athletes from various sports. While confirmatory factor analysis did not support the SMMTSQ’s hierarchical model, its 13 subfactors showed a good model fit in an explorative correlative approach, and the model showed good internal consistency and item–total correlations. Thus, the instrument’s subfactors can be applied individually, even while there are remaining questions as to whether other questionnaires of this kind are an appropriate means of measuring SMMs in sport.