THE DARK SIDE OF IDENTIFICATION: OVERCOMING IDENTIFICATION-INDUCED PERFORMANCE IMPEDIMENTS

Abstract

This chapter describes a two-year comparative study in two investment banking departments that investigated the relationship between identification, shared cognition, and group performance. The data replicates previous research that found a positive relationship between group members’ subjective experience of unity with their group, shared cognition, and group performance. However, in contrast to previous research, we found that identification did not facilitate but undermined such a subjective experience of unity. Identification, therefore, impeded shared cognition and group performance, as compared to an alternative way in which bankers experienced unity that we refer to as direct involvement.

Citation

Michel, A.A. and Jehn, K.E. (2003), "THE DARK SIDE OF IDENTIFICATION: OVERCOMING IDENTIFICATION-INDUCED PERFORMANCE IMPEDIMENTS", Polzer, J. (Ed.) Identity Issues in Groups (Research on Managing Groups and Teams, Vol. 5), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 189-219. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1534-0856(02)05008-9