Higher social cue utilisation improves communication, reduces perceived workload, and improves performance amongst ad hoc dyads in simulated rail control.

The objective was to examine whether ad hoc dyads with different collective social cue utilisation would record differences in performance and perceptions of workload during a simulated rail control task that incorporated distinct levels of demand. The frequency of two types of communicative statements was also examined as mediating factors: closing the loop and informative responding. A quasi-experimental design was employed using 40 dyadic teams. The results indicated that ad hoc teams whose members comprised higher social cue utilisation recorded relatively faster response times and perceived lower levels of workload, and engaged in a greater frequency of communicative statements that involved 'closing the loop' and 'informative responses'. Social cue utilisation also exerted an indirect effect on perceived workload through informative responding. The outcomes have theoretical implications for models of ad hoc team performance, and practical implications for the selection and training of teams that operate on an ad hoc basis. Practitioner summary: This study indicates that, in the context of simulation tasks requiring teamwork, higher social cue utilisation amongst ad hoc team members is associated with communication, workload perception, and overall performance.

The Role of Social Cue Utilization and Closing-the-Loop Communication in the Performance of Ad Hoc Dyads.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether social cue utilization impacts the performance of ad hoc dyads through its relationship with closing the loop, a communication process whereby team members respond more frequently to initiating statements made by others. BACKGROUND: There lacks unequivocal experimental evidence for any single cognitive-based process that might predict the performance of ad hoc teams. METHOD: Using a quasi-experimental design, 80 participants were classified into 40 dyads based on their levels of social cue utilization and attempted a team problem-solving task. A serial mediation model revealed an indirect effect of social cue utilization on the performance of ad hoc dyads through closing the loop. RESULTS: Analyses indicated that social cue utilization impacts on the performance of ad hoc dyads independently of nonverbal reasoning ability and emotional intelligence. Further, the level of social cue utilization within dyads exhibits a positive indirect impact on the performance of ad hoc dyads through closing the loop. CONCLUSION: Ad hoc dyads with higher levels of social cue utilization engaged in a greater frequency of closing-the-loop statements and showed better subsequent performance on a problem-solving task in comparison to dyads with lower levels of social cue utilization. APPLICATION: Potential applications include the optimization of ad hoc team composition within high reliability environments like aviation and power control as well as improving training interventions with a specific mechanism for improving the performance of ad hoc teams.