Different Methods of Team Adaptation in Response to Uncertainty

Abstract

Teams operating in high-stakes environments must adapt to various sources of uncertainty, including disruptions from teammates. This study examined how three-member teams operating a simulated UAV manage uncertainty caused by a teammate providing incorrect information. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, we assessed teammate influence and team performance quantitatively using mutual information and identified behavioral strategies from qualitative analysis. Quantitative results did not support our hypotheses, that the confederate navigator would exert less influence during perturbations than during normal segments and that navigator influence would be significantly related to team performance. However, an exploratory analysis revealed that pilots consistently exerted greater influence across all segments, suggesting their central role in coordination. Qualitative results revealed that timely detection, structured communication, and verification behaviors distinguished successful teams. These findings contribute to understanding adaptive teamwork in response to uncertainty and highlight the importance of training interventions for improving team resilience in dynamic environments.