Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing

Although extant research has emphasized task-oriented processes in teams, its focus on dynamic teams in digital environments remains limited, particularly regarding non-linear effects. Integrating attention capacity theory and activation theory, this study proposes a curvilinear (inverted-U) relatio...

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Main Authors: Jing Yang, Tang Yao, Jun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548846/full
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author Jing Yang
Tang Yao
Jun Wang
author_facet Jing Yang
Tang Yao
Jun Wang
author_sort Jing Yang
collection DOAJ
description Although extant research has emphasized task-oriented processes in teams, its focus on dynamic teams in digital environments remains limited, particularly regarding non-linear effects. Integrating attention capacity theory and activation theory, this study proposes a curvilinear (inverted-U) relationship between task-oriented interaction and team organizing efficiency in digitally-mediated teams. Analyzing 455 spontaneous sports teams from an open-boundary organizational platform revealed support for the proposed curvilinear relationship, with team identification moderating the effect. Specifically, when team identification was low (vs. high), the inverted-U relationship was more salient. With high (vs. low) team identification, teams exhibited relatively higher levels of team organizing efficiency, regardless of task-oriented interaction. These findings establish diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction as a fundamental boundary condition for digitally-mediated organizing efficacy, advancing theory on dynamic team coordination and offering pragmatic guidelines for managing technology-mediated sports collaboration.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1664-1078
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychology
spelling doaj-art-cfeb998c1d1b49ee914acd9ba0ed28e12025-08-20T03:47:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-08-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15488461548846Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizingJing Yang0Tang Yao1Jun Wang2School of Mathematics, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing, ChinaAlthough extant research has emphasized task-oriented processes in teams, its focus on dynamic teams in digital environments remains limited, particularly regarding non-linear effects. Integrating attention capacity theory and activation theory, this study proposes a curvilinear (inverted-U) relationship between task-oriented interaction and team organizing efficiency in digitally-mediated teams. Analyzing 455 spontaneous sports teams from an open-boundary organizational platform revealed support for the proposed curvilinear relationship, with team identification moderating the effect. Specifically, when team identification was low (vs. high), the inverted-U relationship was more salient. With high (vs. low) team identification, teams exhibited relatively higher levels of team organizing efficiency, regardless of task-oriented interaction. These findings establish diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction as a fundamental boundary condition for digitally-mediated organizing efficacy, advancing theory on dynamic team coordination and offering pragmatic guidelines for managing technology-mediated sports collaboration.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548846/fulltask-oriented interactiondiminishing returnsteam identificationteam efficiencydynamic teamsamateur sports organizing
spellingShingle Jing Yang
Tang Yao
Jun Wang
Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing
Frontiers in Psychology
task-oriented interaction
diminishing returns
team identification
team efficiency
dynamic teams
amateur sports organizing
title Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing
title_full Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing
title_fullStr Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing
title_full_unstemmed Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing
title_short Diminishing returns of task-oriented interaction in digitally-mediated dynamic teams: evidence from amateur sports organizing
title_sort diminishing returns of task oriented interaction in digitally mediated dynamic teams evidence from amateur sports organizing
topic task-oriented interaction
diminishing returns
team identification
team efficiency
dynamic teams
amateur sports organizing
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1548846/full
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AT tangyao diminishingreturnsoftaskorientedinteractionindigitallymediateddynamicteamsevidencefromamateursportsorganizing
AT junwang diminishingreturnsoftaskorientedinteractionindigitallymediateddynamicteamsevidencefromamateursportsorganizing