Team Ability Disparity and Goal Interdependence Influence Team Members' Affective and Informational States

Abstract

The objective of this article is to examine the influence of ability disparity on team members' satisfaction and individual efficacy and how ability disparity functions depending on goal interdependence. Empirical data for this study were collected using a lab experiment method. The hypothesized relationships among variables were assessed by analyses of variance and hierarchical linear modeling. The results indicate a negative relationship between ability disparity and team members' satisfaction and individual efficacy. Ability disparity has a more negative influence on individual efficacy with a cooperative goal than that with a competitive goal. Furthermore, the relationships between ability disparity and team members' satisfaction and individual efficacy varied among low-ability, medium-ability, and high-ability members. This paper provides essential insights for research on ability disparity and extends the literature on team diversity from the status perspective.