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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether enhancing team mental models (TMM), more specifically task models and team interaction models, improved teamwork in dynamic situations. Measures of performance, coordination, and communication were collected during a forest firefighting simulation task (C³Fire) and compared across three learning conditions. The purpose of these learning conditions was to either enhance task TMM by providing additional information on environmental dynamics or team TMM by providing additional information on the roles of each team member and possible interaction strategies. In the control condition, no additional information was provided. Also, task complexity was varied through transparency of courses of action (COA). The results showed better team performance and coordination in conditions with a more obvious COA. However, there was no significant effect of learning condition on team effectiveness. A trend in the data suggests that teams given additional information on team interaction or task factors spent more time communicating. These findings are discussed in the context of previous research and potential avenues for future investigations.

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The Enhancement of Mental Models and its Impact on Teamwork

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