Beyond Visible Differences: An Experimental Investigation Into the Role of Cognitive Diversity Awareness in Shaping Team Dynamics

ABSTRACT The relationship between team composition and organizational outcomes is a critical topic in many managerial and business contexts. In this study, we utilize an experimental research method to examine the impact of cognitive diversity on team dynamics. We contribute to the literature by demonstrating how revealing previously concealed cognitive diversity among team members affects team processes, particularly in situations where little information is available regarding team composition. The findings suggest that when team members have limited opportunities to discern each other's attributes through interaction, explicit information about group characteristics significantly influences behavior. Importantly, the results indicate that it is not cognitive diversity itself, but rather the awareness of diversity or similarity that drives its effect on team processes. From a team management perspective, these findings highlight that in newly formed groups where members are unfamiliar with one another, team processes and outcomes can vary depending on whether the similarities or differences among members are emphasized early on. The experimental framework developed in this study, based on student data, offers a valuable platform for further exploration of the role and effects of cognitive diversity in organizational settings.