Team Cohesion and Sports

As a topic in social psychology, team cohesion is one of the most important factors for raising a team's performance and the satisfaction of its members. To understand it, we first need to be clear about three terms — group, team and cohesion.

Group, team and cohesion

• A group can be defined as 'two or more persons who interact with one another such that each person influences and is influenced by every other person'.
• A team is more than a group. It can be defined as 'a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, common performance goals, and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable'.
• Group (or team) cohesion can be defined as 'a dynamic process which is reflected in the tendency for a team to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of goals and objectives'.

In sport psychology, when we speak of a 'team' we also mean a group of people who play together and have a powerful influence on one another, so the terms group and team are sometimes used interchangeably. Because a sports team is a group, the definition of group cohesion applies equally well to team cohesion. Fundamental to the study of team cohesion is an understanding of group dynamics: members begin to interact the moment a group forms, and once formed the group stops behaving like a mere collection of individuals — the team becomes an entity in itself.

The word cohesion literally means sticking together. Team cohesion is therefore the sum of the forces that keep members part of the team. A highly cohesive team is more united and committed to success than a team low in cohesion — which is why a team is more than the sum of its individual players. In some seasons, teams of brilliant individuals collectively underperform because the players have failed to 'gel' together; that is a clear example of a lack of team cohesion.

Team cohesion in sport: task and social cohesion

Team cohesion is a multidimensional construct made up of two independent components, and coaches must distinguish between them:

• Task cohesion — the extent to which team members work together to attain and achieve common, identifiable team goals in a cohesive environment.
• Social cohesion — the extent of liking among team members and the personal satisfaction they get from being together as a team.

Because different teams vary in their task and social cohesiveness, it is essential to understand cohesion comprehensively in order to keep a team united in pursuit of its goals.

Group cohesion and group management

Belonging to a peer group is a key need, especially for adolescents, and a group can be dynamic in both structure and process. A cohesive group with good norms can achieve more than individuals could alone, providing support and insight for the individual, the group and the environment. Groups may face internal conflict at times, but with good group-functioning strategies they offer a positive, supportive setting to learn new interpersonal skills. Teams are special groups whose members have complementary skills, share a common purpose, are mutually accountable, and gain a positive synergy from coordinated effort.

Group management rests on two broad ideas:

• a. Goal setting: set team goals and take pride in achieving them; make each player aware of their role and why it is important; take time to learn something personal about each individual.
• b. Avoid the formation of cliques: promote regular meetings and interaction; give positive encouragement when losing and avoid public punishment; avoid personal prejudice and scapegoating; provide equal opportunity; focus on maximum transparency; develop team drills and activities that promote cooperation; and highlight areas of success even during failure.

Determinants of team cohesion

Several factors decisively affect team cohesion. They can be grouped into four kinds:

1. Personal factors — satisfaction; similarity of experience.
2. Team factors — prior success; communication; having team goals; the importance of achieving those goals.
3. Leadership factors — the effort made to develop cohesion.
4. Environmental factors — the size of the group.

Benefits of team cohesion

The benefits of high team cohesion can be seen both for the team as a group and for individual athletes.

Group outcomes: …