Unveiling the Dynamics of Team Cognition in Emergency Response Teams

Reza Esmaeili ¹ Mohammad Yazdi ^2,3 Masoud Rismanchian ⁴ Mahnaz Shakerian ^4*

• ¹ Student Research Committee, Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
• ² School of Computing, Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), London, United Kingdom
• ³ Faculty of Science & Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• ⁴ Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Background: Effective emergency response in various industries depends on the synergy between team coordination and cognitive abilities. Industries should prioritize investing in the development of team cognition to improve readiness and ensure swift, effective responses to emergencies and crises. This study aimed to identify and model factors influencing team cognition within Emergency Re-sponse Teams (ERTs). Methods: This cross-sectional study undertook two principal phases: qualitative research using meta-synthesis and quantitative research using Best Worst Method (BWM), Interpretive Structural Model-ing (ISM), and Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM). These methods were employed to assign weights to factors, establish their hierarchy, and determine cause-and-effect relationships among team cognition shaping factors (TCSFs). Results: Through a comprehensive evaluation of the articles, 13 dimensions were identified as the primary TCSFs influencing team cognition. The reliability of the extracted factors was validated us-ing the Kappa indicator, with a value of 0.63 signifying an acceptable level of agreement. Using BWM analysis, "Team maturity (The team members' harmonization)" and "Inefficient 4Cs (commu-nication, coordination, cooperation, and collaboration)" were identified as the most influential factors shaping team cognition, with weights of 0.132 and 0.112, respectively. ISM analysis revealed "Im-proper team training programs" as a critical independent factor influencing other dimensions. FCM modeling further emphasized the significance of "Failure in decision-making" and "Leadership be-havior and performance" as pivotal contributors to team cognition, with "Team maturity" and "Ineffi-cient 4Cs" achieving the highest centrality scores of 13.44 and 13.28, respectively. Conclusion: Stakeholders can enhance team performance and effectiveness in emergency situations by understanding the relative importance of various factors, their hierarchical relationships, and the causal links between them. This allows for informed decision-making and targeted interventions, such as training programs to improve team maturity and team communication.