Drawing Team Members Together: Intersection of Socialization Tactics and Proactivity With Cohesion.

Abstract

The effects of having new individuals join a team introduce competitive and cooperative actions that are challenging to groups. Employing socialization tactics that provide tailored role information and cultivate opportunities for social connection is positively related to perceptions of cohesion. However, the socialization process likely relies on the specific actions undertaken by members of the group on their own behalf (i.e., proactivity behaviors). The purpose of the present study was to examine how individual proactive behaviors interact with the group's socialization tactics to predict group cohesion. Athletes' (N = 398) responses to surveys were analyzed via polynomial regressions and response surface analyses to examine the independent and interactive effects of the predictor variables on cohesion. The results pointed to the importance of employing socialization tactics that can work in tandem with proactive behaviors, such that both approaches contributed uniquely to the integration of new and existing members on sport teams.