Performance and Satisfaction in Conflicted Interdependent Groups: When and How Does Self-Esteem Make a Difference?

Abstract

Drawing upon behavioral plasticity arguments, we posited that self-esteem is an important factor explaining the effects of two group characteristics, relationship conflict and task interdependence, on group members' performance and satisfaction. Results based on data from a sample of individuals working in classroom groups over a four-month period showed that when task interdependence was high, low self-esteem attenuated the negative relationship between relationship conflict and peer evaluations and exacerbated the positive relationship between relationship conflict and absenteeism.