When confidence comes too soon: Collective efficacy, conflict and group performance over time

Groups with a strong sense of collective efficacy set more challenging goals, persist in the face of difficulty, and are ultimately more likely to succeed than groups who do not share this belief. Given the many advantages that may accrue to groups who are confident, it would be logical to advise groups to build a strong sense of collective efficacy as early as possible. However, drawing on Whyte's (1998) theory of collective efficacy and groupthink, we argue that when confidence emerges toward the begining of a group's existence, group members may be less likely to engage in productive conflicts that are necessary to function effectively. Therefore, a strong sense of collective efficacy early in a group's existence might actually have a negative effect on group performance over time. We found support for these predictions in a longitudinal study of classroom project teams.