Examining the Relationship Between Working Memory Capacity, Team Situational Awareness and Team Performance in Extreme Work Teams

Abstract

Extreme work teams such as the ones found in the military, police, and firefighter domains rely heavily on team situational awareness (TSA). In these domains, a lack of TSA has been associated with the loss of life. While there are several factors which may contribute to TSA and team performance (e.g. communication), selecting the right individuals with the right cognitive abilities may also play an important role. This study, therefore, examined the relationship between a team's mean working memory capacity (WMC), TSA, and team performance. Results showed that while within-team WMC differences were not associated with TSA or team performance, teams with a higher mean WMC did have a positive relationship with TSA, team specific queries, and had higher overlapping correct SA. A positive relationship was also found between TSA and two separate forms of team way-finding performance.