Sociometric characteristics of the effectiveness of team interaction of individuals with different expression of a field-dependent cognitive style

Background: The effectiveness of team interaction is often assessed through sociometric indicators, namely sociometric status and emotional reciprocity. At the same time, interpersonal interaction is a cognitive process, since it includes such mental processes as perception, categorization, thinking, speech, etc., which serve for information processing. These individual differences in the way information is processed underlie the concept of cognitive styles. Therefore, cognitive styles can hypothetically be considered as characteristics of interpersonal interaction and a predictor of its effectiveness. Aim: The paper aims to determine the sociometric characteristics of the effectiveness of team interaction of persons with different degree of the field-dependent cognitive style. Materials and methods. To assess field-dependence/field-independence, the Gottschaldt Embedded Figures method was used. The effectiveness of team interaction was assessed using the Moreno small group study method. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann-Whitney test using IBM SPSS Statistics 23. Results. It was found that persons with a mobile field-dependent cognitive style had a significantly higher hierarchical position and a stable position in the system of interpersonal relations compared with persons with a polar field-dependent cognitive style. Evidence was obtained on the splitting of field dependence into polar field-dependent and mobile field-dependent styles. Conclusion. Field-dependence/field-independence can be considered as one of the basic inner qualities of a person's intellectual activity, which influences his/her behavior and interpersonal communication.