Differentiating knowledge in teams: The effect of shared declarative and procedural knowledge on team performance

The relative effects of sharing mental models (typically defined as declarative knowledge structures) and sharing procedural knowledge on team process and performance were assessed. Forty-eight students completed a series of missions as two-person teams using a PC-based tank simulation. The results showed some support for earlier findings. Shared and accurate mental models of the task were related to team process, which was in turn related to team performance. In contrast, shared procedural knowledge was negatively related to team performance. Accurate procedural knowledge was positively related to team performance. Results are discussed in terms of the effect of sharing knowledge in teams on performance, and the implications for team training.