Psychology 3694F-001
Teams and Work Groups in Organizations
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
This course examines and assesses psychological research on workgroups/teams. Particular attention is paid to issues associated with team composition, team processes, individual vs. group performance, and the organizational context in which teams operate. Methodological/statistical issues associated with workgroup/team research are given considerable emphasis.
3 seminar hours, 0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Natalie Allen
Office and Phone Number: Room 8412, SSC 519 661-3013
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: nallen@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: Trevor Coppins, PhD Candidate
Office Room 8433, SSC
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: tcoppins@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Classes: Monday 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Room 66 University Community Centre
Course Delivery Format: In person / Synchronous
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western
http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Custom package of readings for Psychology 3694F -- available from the Western Bookstore.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
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Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
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Knowledge of Key Theories / Findings Acquire knowledge about key theories and substantive research findings with respect to psychology research examining teams
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Reading & discussing course materials
Course instruction |
Course Test
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Knowledge of Methodologies Acquire knowledge about key methodological challenges faced -- and methodological strategies used -- by empirical researchers who study psychological issues associated teams
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Examining & discussing Method & Results sections of primary & meta-analytic studies Course instruction |
Course Test Research Translation (wherein understanding of methods of one’s chosen article is assessed) Research Essay (wherein methods are briefly described) |
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Application of Knowledge Enhance skills with respect to determining a cogent team-related psychological issue/question for which enough research has been done to merit some integration and application.
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Numerous examples of workplace relevance will be sought (from students), presented (by instructor), and discussed in class, so as to facilitate ideas for needed to forward a research essay proposal.
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Research Essay Proposal |
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Communication Skills Enhance written and verbal skills communication skills as they relate to the description of psychological phenomena related, to workplace teams.
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Preparing Research Translation & Essay
Participating in class discussions
Preparing for Group Project Presentation |
Research Translation
Research Essay
Participation in class discussions
Group Presentation |
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4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
5.0 EVALUATION
Research Translation 12.5 %
Research Essay Proposal 4.5 %
Course Exam 40 %
Project Presentation 10 %
Research Essay 25 %
Class Participation 8 %
PLEASE NOTE
Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your written assignments (Research Translation & Research Essay) must be at least 50%.
Note that per department policy, course grades will not be rounded.
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western's grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf):
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE
Research Translation October 5 Submit through OWL
Research Essay Proposal October 26 Submit through OWL
Course Test November 16
Team Project Presentations November 30 / December 7
Research Essay Due Friday, December 11 Submit through OWL
MISSING COURSEWORK POLICY
All written assignments (Research Translation, Research Essay Proposal, & Research Essay) are due on the days indicated on this outline. Late papers will received a penalty of 3% per day.
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
Please note: Students are responsible for reading the assigned material prior to class.
September 14 & 21 Introduction to Course / Overview of Team Research
Readings
Hackman (1998)
Williams & Allen (2008)
Allen & Hecht (2004a)
West, Brodbeck & Richter (2004)
Allen & Hecht (2004b)
Richter, Dawson, & West (2011)
Harrison, Banks, Pollack, O’Boyle, & Short (2017)
September 28 Levels, Emergence, & Expectations in Teams
Readings Klein & Kozlowski (2000)
Allen & O’Neill (2015)
Sleesman, Hollenbeck, Spitzmuller, & Schouten (2018)
October 5 Team Contexts & Forms NOTE: Research Translation Due
Readings Hughes et al. (2016)
Krumm, Kanthak, Hartmann, & Hertel (2016)
Allen & O’Neill (2015; revisited from last week)
Discussion of Research Essay & Group Presentations
October 12 No class: Thanksgiving Day
October 19 Team Composition & Selection Issues
Readings Allen & West (2005)
Barrick, Stewart, Neubert & Mount (1998)
Harrison, Price, & Bell (1998)
Bell, Villado, Lukasik, Belau, & Briggs (2011)
October 26 Team Design Issues NOTE: Research Essay Proposal Due
Readings Carter, Mead, Stewart, Nielson, & Solimeo (2019)
Dirks (2000)
DeJong, Dirks, & Gillespie (2016)
Pearsall, Christian, & Ellis (2010) (end of course packet)
Garbers & Konradt (2014) (end of course packet)
November 2 No class: Fall Reading Week
November 9 Team Process Issues
Readings Barrick, Stewart, Neubert, & Mount (1998); revisited from October 5
Castano, Watts, & Tekleab (2013)
Fahr, Lee, & Farh (2010)
O’Neill, Allen, & Hastings (2013)
Boies, Lvina, & Martens (2010)
Wang, Waldman, & Zhang, (2014)
November 16 Course Test
November 23 Group Presentation Work
November 30 &
December 7 Group Presentations
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf
If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:
- Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
- For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
- For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
Students seeking academic consideration:
- are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;
- are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;
- must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hoursafter the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence
10.0 Contingency Plan for Return to Lockdown
In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the course that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online as determined by the course instructor.
11.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE
In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette:
- please “arrive” to class on time
- please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet)
please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive
- or personal material
- to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise
- In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak
- In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable
- Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting
The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following:
- If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question.
- Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking.
- Self-identify when speaking.
- Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).
General considerations of “netiquette”:
- Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
- Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing.
- Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate.
- Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.
Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.
12.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2020-2021 Calendar References
Copyright Statement: All course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record classes, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
