Investigating the encoding process of transactive memory development in group training

Participants were trained to perform an assembling type of task either individually or in 3-person groups. A week later, the same participants, regardless of their training conditions, performed the task in 3-person groups. This study investigated the encoding process of transactive memory development in groups whose members were trained together and that were later found to have developed effective transactive memory systems. Transactive memory is a group memory system that details the expertise possessed by group members along with an awareness of who knows what within the group. It was found that in groups with high transactive memory, (a) group members declared domains of expertise during earlier rather than later periods of group interaction, and (b) the frequency with which members evaluated others' expertise and competence increased over time. Further analyses of sequential patterns of conversations during group training and practice suggested that transactive encoding may include small cycles of questioning/no expertise/declaring expertise/evaluating/coordinating.