COGNITIVE STYLE MATCHING EFFECTS ON TEAM COLLABORATION EFFICIENCY

Abstract

Cognitive style matching (CSM) is the extent of resemblance among team members in their customary ways of perceiving, processing and responding to information. Individual cognitive preferences and team performance have been studied separately, and two gaps stand out; the specific impact of CSM on collaboration efficiency, and the collective impact of cognitive style congruence on inter-team collaboration. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey design with 120 professionals in 30 project teams in technology, finance, and healthcare organizations. Teams’ cognitive styles were evaluated by the Cognitive Style Index, and collaboration efficiency was assessed through composite performance indicators as well as peer-driven evaluation scales. Data analysis was performed with hierarchical linear modeling to address individual and team level variance. In this case, results were found where stronger congruence predicted enhanced communication clarity, improved task coordination, and accelerated decision making (p < .01). Teams with strong CSM performed 20% better on project deliverables than teams with low CSM. This study demonstrates the practical value of strategic cognitive style alignment in team composition within multilevel settings in order to improve collaborative performance and lower the costs of coordination. Suggested practical strategies for management include cognitive style profiling as part of team building activities. Further studies are needed to examine the longitudinal impact of CSM as well as look into strategies to dynamically align styles in a given context.