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The Impact of Poor Performers on Team Outcomes: An Empirical Examination of Attribution Theory *
Author(s) -
TAGGAR SIMON,
NEUBERT MITCHELL
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
personnel psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.076
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1744-6570
pISSN - 0031-5826
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6570.2004.00011.x
Subject(s) - psychology , attribution , conscientiousness , social psychology , cognition , team composition , teamwork , empirical research , test (biology) , cognitive psychology , applied psychology , big five personality traits , personality , extraversion and introversion , philosophy , epistemology , neuroscience , political science , law , paleontology , biology
We test assertions that attribution theory (AT) can explain the responses of peers to the characteristics of a poor performing team member. Study 1 assessed the processes used to interpret the behavior of a poor performer and found that behavioral manifestations of cognitive ability ( g ) and Conscientiousness were associated with causal attributions (locus, controllability, and stability), emotional and cognitive reactions, and behavioral intentions to help or punish a fellow team member. Building on Study 1, Study 2 focused on team level responses to the lowest performer. It assessed the impact of g /Conscientiousness of a poorly performing team member on involving others, communication, feedback, and citizenship behaviors of team members at the team level. Both studies converged in finding that individual team members' intentions to help or punish were related to poor performer traits.