Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL ON INTERNAL LEARNING IN TEAMS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF THE PERCEIVED TEAM STRUCTURE

ABSTRACT

Whereas past research on internal learning has focused on evaluating how the observed learning rates affect collaborative interactions among the various actors, we extend this literature by analyzing internal learning in teams and the role of psychological capital in this process. This study aims to analyze the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between positive psychological capital and internal learning in teams. Therefore, a self-report questionnaire was applied to 480 college students to test this relationship, using structural equation modeling. The results confirmed the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning in teams. Our work underlines the role of psychological capital in academic settings. On the other hand, due to rapid changes in today’s society, university students who will be future employees need to cultivate psychological capital in order to achieve better learning outcomes.

KEYWORDS:
Positive psychological capital; perceived team structure; internal learning in teams; learning process; undergraduate students

RESUMO

Pesquisas anteriores sobre a aprendizagem interna concentraram-se em avaliar como as taxas de aprendizagem observadas afetam as interações colaborativas entre os vários atores. Assim, agregamos valor a essa literatura ao analisar a aprendizagem interna em equipes e o papel do capital psicológico nesse processo. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar o papel mediador da estrutura percebida da equipe na relação entre capital psicológico positivo e aprendizagem interna em equipes. Para tanto, um questionário foi aplicado a 480 estudantes universitários para testar essa relação, utilizando a metodologia de modelagem de equações estruturais. Os resultados confirmaram o papel mediador da estrutura percebida da equipe na relação entre capital psicológico e aprendizagem interna em equipes. Argumentamos que este trabalho reforça o papel do capital psicológico em contextos acadêmicos. Por outro lado, devido às rápidas mudanças verificadas atualmente na sociedade, os estudantes universitários, que são futuros funcionários, precisam desenvolver o capital psicológico, a fim de obter melhores resultados de aprendizagem.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE
Capital psicológico positivo; estrutura percebida da equipe; aprendizagem interna em equipes; processo de aprendizagem; estudantes de graduação

RESUMEN

La investigación previa sobre el aprendizaje interno se ha centrado en evaluar cómo las tasas de aprendizaje observadas afectan las interacciones colaborativas entre los diversos actores. Por lo tanto, agregamos valor a esta literatura al analizar el aprendizaje interno en equipos y el papel del capital psicológico en este proceso. Este estudio tiene como objetivo analizar el papel mediador de la estructura percibida del equipo en la relación entre el capital psicológico positivo y el aprendizaje interno en los equipos. Por lo tanto, se aplicó un cuestionario a 480 estudiantes universitarios para probar esta relación, utilizando la metodología de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados confirmaron el papel mediador de la estructura percibida del equipo en la relación entre el capital psicológico y el aprendizaje interno en los equipos. Sostenemos que este trabajo refuerza el papel del capital psicológico en contextos académicos. Por otro lado, debido a los rápidos cambios observados en la sociedad actual, los estudiantes universitarios que son futuros empleados necesitan desarrollar capital psicológico para obtener mejores resultados de aprendizaje.

PALABRAS CLAVE
Capital psicológico; estructura de equipo percibida; aprendizaje interno del equipo; proceso de aprendizaje; estudiantes de pregrado

INTRODUCTION

Studies on individual learning show that it is at the heart of change and renewal (Argote & Miron-Spektor, 2011Argote, L., & Miron-Spektor, E. (2011). Organizational learning: From experience to knowledge. Organization Science, 22(5), 1123-1137. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0621
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0621...
). Collaborative activities that lead to individual learning are considered critical to achieving different positive outcomes (Song, Lim, Kang, & Kim, 2014Song, J. H., Lim, D. H., Kang, I. G., & Kim, W. (2014). Team performance in learning organizations: Mediating effect of employee engagement. Learning Organization, 21(5), 290-309. doi:10.1108/TLO-07-2012-0049
https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-07-2012-0049...
). Identification of the degree of involvement of individuals in the learning process has been considered the key issue in previous research (Bresman, 2010Bresman, H. (2010). External learning activities and team performance: A multimethod field study. Organization Science, 21(1), 81-96. doi:10.1287/orsc.1080.0413
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1080.0413...
). Thus, learning theories tend to emphasize goal orientation and collaborative interactions between the various actors in order to minimize errors and improve individual performance (Bunderson & Reagans, 2011Bunderson, J. S., & Reagans, R. E. (2011). Power, status, and learning in organizations. Organization Science, 22(5), 1182-1194. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0590
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0590...
).

The study of the background of individual learning focuses essentially on explaining the differences in observed learning rates and evaluates how other factors, such as the perceived team structure, interact to influence learning (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
). Although these approaches indicate certain individual learning processes, there remains a need for a more theoretical construction and effective practical applications that more comprehensively analyze how learning factors are facilitated (Yoon & Kayes, 2016Yoon, J., & Kayes, C. (2016). Employees’ self-efficacy and perception of individual learning in teams: The cross-level moderating role of team-learning behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(7), 1044-1060. doi:10.1002/job.2092
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2092...
). As Bunderson and Boumgarden (2010)Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
advocate, knowing more about the antecedent factors that affect individual learning is a valuable contribution, as it improves our understanding of learning processes.

Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a higher-order construct that integrates psychological resources (eg, self-efficacy), motivational resources (eg, hope), and other positive psychological resources (eg, optimism and resilience). We argue that PsyCap can be one of the above-mentioned antecedents, as it is considered to be a useful predictor of important results in academic settings (Datu & Valdez, 2019Datu, J. A., & Valdez, J. P. (2019). Psychological capital is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and school belongingness. School Psychology International, 1(1), 1-16. doi:10.1177/0143034319838011
https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034319838011...
; Luthans, Luthans, & Jensen, 2012Luthans, F. (2012). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(6), 695-706. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210...
). For Siu, Bakker, and Jiang (2014)Siu, O. L., Bakker, A. B., & Jiang, X. (2014). Psychological capital among university students: Relationships with study engagement and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(4), 979-994. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9459-2
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9459-...
, students and employees all work to achieve specific goals, such as good academic performance, completion of the course and their attainment of an academic degree. They also argued that PsyCap is a useful personal resource that assists in achieving objectives, and can, therefore, help university students face up to the challenges of their studies.

Previous research indicates the need for further studies on how to integrate psychological capital in the learning process (Daspit, Mims, & Zavattaro, 2015Daspit, J. J., Mims, T. C., & Zavattaro, S. M. (2015). The role of positive psychological states in online learning: Integrating psychological capital into the community of inquiry framework. Journal of Management Education, 39(5), 626-649. doi:10.1177/1052562914564980
https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562914564980...
). Herrmann (2013)Herrmann, K. J. (2013). The impact of cooperative learning on student engagement: Results from an intervention. Active Learning in Higher Education, 14(3), 175-187. doi:10.1177/1469787413498035
https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787413498035...
notes that there ‘are very few studies that attempt to look at internal learning beyond the organizational field. The present study intends to fill this gap in the research, by describing an approach to incorporating psychological capital and internal learning in teams. The aim of this study, therefore, is to analyze the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between positive psychological capital and internal learning in teams.

Daspit et al. (2015)Daspit, J. J., Mims, T. C., & Zavattaro, S. M. (2015). The role of positive psychological states in online learning: Integrating psychological capital into the community of inquiry framework. Journal of Management Education, 39(5), 626-649. doi:10.1177/1052562914564980
https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562914564980...
provided empirical evidence in support of the positive influence of psychological capital on the learning process of students during an online course. No evidence, however, has been gathered from analyzing the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and other variables, such as internal learning, which we believe to be an important theoretical contribution of this study.

For Schaubroeck, Carmeli, Bhatia, and Paz (2016)Schaubroeck, J., Carmeli, A., Bhatia, S., & Paz, E. (2016). Enabling team learning when members are prone to contentious communication: The role of team leader coaching. Human Relations, 69(8), 1709-1727. doi:10.1177/0018726715622673
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726715622673...
, if there is no adequate learning process, team members will have difficulty in developing and implementing best practices for coordinating their actions when environmental changes require new approaches. We argue that this study could lead to certain practical implications because internal learning in teams allows students to focus on understanding concepts for relating new ideas to previous knowledge and experiences.

The remainder of this work is organized as follows. First, there is a literature review and the rationale for the hypotheses is presented. We then set out the methodological option and procedures, which are followed by an analysis of the results. We finally discuss the results and conclude with the implications of our findings.

LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESES

Psychological capital

Theoretical and empirical studies have supported the contention that positive psychological capital is as an emergent nuclear construct related to different positive outcomes, thus allowing for a positive evaluation of the circumstances and the probability of success, with effort and perseverance as motivating factors (Heleda et al., 2015Heled, E., Somech, A., & Waters, L. (2015). Psychological capital as a team phenomenon: Mediating the relationship between learning climate and outcomes at the individual and team levels. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(3), 303-314. doi:10.1080/17439760.2015.1058971
https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.10...
; Luthans, Avey, Avolio, & Peterson, 2010Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., Avolio, B. J., & Peterson, S. J. (2010). The development and resulting performance impact of positive psychological capital. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 21(1), 41-67. doi:10.1002/hrdq.20034
https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.20034...
).

According to Luthans, Avey, Avolio, Norman, and Combs (2006)Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., Avolio, B. J., Norman, S. M., & Combs, G. M. (2006). Psychological capital development: Toward a micro-intervention. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 27(3), 387-393. doi:10.1002/job.373
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.373...
, positive psychological capital is broadly defined as the positive psychological state of development of an individual, who can be characterized as: (1) having the confidence to take on challenging tasks and make the necessary effort to succeed (self-efficacy); (2) taking a positive approach to success, now and in the future (optimism); (3) persevering in achieving goals and, where necessary, redirecting their paths according to their goals in order to achieve success (hope); and (4) being able to overcome obstacles and adversity to achieve success (resilience), without ever giving up. In general, theoretical research considers four capacities of positive psychological capital, namely: self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience (Newman, Ucbasaran, Zhu, & Hirst, 2014Newman, A., Ucbasaran, D., Zhu, F., & Hirst, G. (2014). Psychological capital: A review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 120-138. doi:10.1002/job.1916
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1916...
). These capacities are interconnected, so if one is affected (e.g., optimism), others (eg, hope, self-efficacy and/or resilience) are also likely to be affected over time as well (Peterson, Luthans, Avolio, Walumbwa, & Zhang, 2011Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Oke, A. (2011). Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 4-24. doi:10.1002/job.653
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.653...
).

The attributes of these capacities can be defined as follows: (1) Self-efficacy - refers to the individual confidence that raises motivation levels and the cognitive resources that result in excellent performance (Bandura, 1982Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37(2), 122-147. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122
https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.1...
; Newman et al., 2014Newman, A., Ucbasaran, D., Zhu, F., & Hirst, G. (2014). Psychological capital: A review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 120-138. doi:10.1002/job.1916
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1916...
). (2); Optimism - is increasing the positive attributes and expectations with regard to the realization of future events (Harms & Luthans, 2012Harms, P. D., & Luthans, F. (2012). Measuring implicit psychological constructs in organizational behavior: An example using psychological capital. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(4), 589-594. doi:10.1002/job.1785
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1785...
); (3) Hope - a cognitive set derived from the interaction between agency (oriented determination to achieve goals) and directional plans (planning steps that lead to achieving objectives) Walumbwa, Luthans, Avey, and Oke (2011)Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Oke, A. (2011). Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 4-24. doi:10.1002/job.653
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.653...
; and (4) Resilience - the capacity that allows individuals to face up to adversity, or to adjust to it in a positive manner (King, Newman, & Luthans, 2015King, D. D., Newman, A., & Luthans, F. (2015). Not if, but when we need resilience in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(5), 782-786. doi:10.1002/job.2063
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2063...
).

Chen and Lim (2012)Chen, D. J., & Lim, V. K. (2012). Strength in adversity: The influence of psychological capital on job search. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(6), 811-839. doi:10.1002/job.1814
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1814...
pointed out that these four basic positive psychological capacities are likely to affect outcomes synergistically and are best represented by a higher-order construct called positive psychological capital. Avey (2014)Avey, J. B. (2014). The left side of psychological capital: New evidence on the antecedents of PsyCap. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 21(2), 141-149. doi:10.1177/1548051813515516
https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051813515516...
argues that PsyCap is not a single dimension (for example, simply optimism), but is rather a shared variation of all four dimensions. These four positive psychological capacities, therefore, are part of a larger, second-order construct, called PsyCap.

The combination of the four psychological capacities (self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience) provide a high level of psychological capital that allows an individual to focus on performing tasks and pursuing success in completing these tasks (Peterson et al., 2011Peterson, S. J., Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Zhang, Z. (2011). Psychological capital and employee performance: A latent growth modeling approach. Personnel Psychology, 64(2), 427-450. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01215.x
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011...
). More specifically, these capacities were determined to meet the criteria of inclusion, research, and validation of the measures of psychological capital as a theory, thus enabling it to be broadly developed and have greater impact (Walumbwa et al., 2011Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Oke, A. (2011). Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 4-24. doi:10.1002/job.653
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.653...
).

According to Daspit et al. (2015)Daspit, J. J., Mims, T. C., & Zavattaro, S. M. (2015). The role of positive psychological states in online learning: Integrating psychological capital into the community of inquiry framework. Journal of Management Education, 39(5), 626-649. doi:10.1177/1052562914564980
https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562914564980...
, psychological capital is a set of individual motivations that stimulate the development of learning outcomes. The expected relationship between psychological capital and individual learning, however, is not obvious and remains open to further investigation.

Internal learning in teams

Learning capacity and the individual adaptation of the actors are fundamental to the long-term performance and success of organizations (Argote & Miron-Spektor, 2011Argote, L., & Miron-Spektor, E. (2011). Organizational learning: From experience to knowledge. Organization Science, 22(5), 1123-1137. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0621
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0621...
).

Edmondson (1999, p. 353)Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. doi:10.2307/2666999 conceptualized individual learning in teams as an ongoing process of reflection and action, characterized by asking questions, seeking feedback, experimenting, reflecting on results, and discussing errors or unexpected outcomes of actions.

This process allows for a more comprehensive and robust understanding of future possibilities through the use of different information that is derived from the perceptions and perspectives of the team members, and by the critical analysis and evaluation of past actions (Bunderson & Reagans, 2011Bunderson, J. S., & Reagans, R. E. (2011). Power, status, and learning in organizations. Organization Science, 22(5), 1182-1194. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0590
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0590...
).

Individual work in a team enables communication and the sharing of knowledge - thus transforming the individual perspectives of perceived team members into explicit concepts that can positively influence other members (Kayes, Kayes, & Kolb, 2005Kayes, A. B., Kayes, D. C., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Experiential learning in teams. Simulation & Gaming, 36(3), 330-354. doi:10.1177/1046878105279012
https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878105279012...
; Kostopoulos, Spanos, & Prastacos, 2013Kostopoulos, K. C., Spanos, Y. E., & Prastacos, G. P. (2013). Structure and function of team learning emergence: A multilevel empirical validation. Journal of Management, 39(6), 1430-1461. doi:10.1177/0149206311419366
https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206311419366...
). The different perspectives and experiences of each individual are also what makes the interpersonal learning process possible through the formal or informal sharing of knowledge (Bunderson & Reagans, 2011Bunderson, J. S., & Reagans, R. E. (2011). Power, status, and learning in organizations. Organization Science, 22(5), 1182-1194. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0590
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0590...
).

Therefore, internal learning is based on the team members’ own experiences in generating new solutions and adopting novel approaches by way of inter-member interactions (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
). Internal learning can provide the team with opportunities to learn about all aspects of their work (Bresman, 2010Bresman, H. (2010). External learning activities and team performance: A multimethod field study. Organization Science, 21(1), 81-96. doi:10.1287/orsc.1080.0413
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1080.0413...
). According to Bresman and Zellmer-Bruhn (2013)Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
, the internal learning process is crucial because team members can obtain and master the latest information about technologies and markets (external learning), but without an effective internal learning process, this knowledge may not be properly harnessed (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
).

In this context, an analysis of individual learning in a team should essentially consider the internal learning of team members, since factors that promote internal learning end up driving external learning (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
). This is particularly important given the fact that individual learning can be enhanced by the inclusion of new and challenging tasks (Jiang, Jackson, & Colakoglu, 2015Jiang, Y., Jackson, S. E., & Colakoglu, S. (2015). An empirical examination of personal learning within the context of teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(5), 654-672. doi:10.1002/job.2058
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2058...
).

It has been suggested that the learning process is the main psychological and behavioral mechanism by which individuals acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for facing up to and succeeding in competitive environments (Yoon & Kayes, 2016Yoon, J., & Kayes, C. (2016). Employees’ self-efficacy and perception of individual learning in teams: The cross-level moderating role of team-learning behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(7), 1044-1060. doi:10.1002/job.2092
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2092...
). Despite the theoretical and practical conceptualization of PsyCap and the learning process, there are few studies that analyze the influence of psychological capital on the individual learning process. This study, therefore, integrates these two concepts.

Psychological capital and internal learning in teams

The influence of PsyCap on the learning process is indicated as being relevant by authors such as Yoon and Kayes (2016)Yoon, J., & Kayes, C. (2016). Employees’ self-efficacy and perception of individual learning in teams: The cross-level moderating role of team-learning behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(7), 1044-1060. doi:10.1002/job.2092
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2092...
. These authors emphasize that in many situations the learning process requires employees to face challenges, reflect on errors, and successfully perform tasks that involve risk.

When team members are actively involved in discussions that are geared toward achieving the stated objectives, they have the opportunity to exchange ideas and, in turn, share perceptions about the different alternatives that have been identified and, as a result, multiply the achievement of their goals, thus increasing their positive psychological capacities (Dawkins, Martin, Scott, & Sanderson, 2013Dawkins, S., Martin, A., Scott, J., & Sanderson, K. (2013). Building on the positives: A psychometric review and critical analysis of the construct of psychological capital. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(3), 348-370. doi:10.1111/joop.12007
https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12007...
).

According to Huang and Luthans (2014)Luthans, B. C., & Luthans, K. W. (2014). Building the leaders of tomorrow: The development of academic psychological capital. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 20(10), 191-199. doi:10.1177/1548051813517003
https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051813517003...
, in this context, individuals with a high level of psychological capital tend to distinguish themselves from others because of their ability to face up to challenging tasks, which can boost the learning process. Thus, the internal learning process requires collaborative reflection on the team’s experiences, with the objective of improving the collaboration capacity and the interaction patterns of its members (Schaubroeck et al., 2016Schaubroeck, J., Carmeli, A., Bhatia, S., & Paz, E. (2016). Enabling team learning when members are prone to contentious communication: The role of team leader coaching. Human Relations, 69(8), 1709-1727. doi:10.1177/0018726715622673
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726715622673...
). It is along these lines that we propose the following hypothesis:

  • H1: Psychological capital positively influences internal learning in teams.

Psychological capital and the perceived team structure

According to Bunderson and Boumgarden (2010)Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
, the perceived team structure refers to the division of labor into tasks and the relationships that are established according to the tasks that are assigned. Bresman and Zellmer-Bruhn (2013)Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
point to two main dimensions of perceived team structure: (1) specialization, which is the horizontal division of labor (e.g. tasks and roles); and (2) formalization, which is the explicit articulation of objectives, priorities, and procedures.

Previous research has highlighted the benefits of the perceived team structure with regard to issues of efficiency, predictability, and the accomplishment of tasks. For example, Bresman and Zellmer-Bruhn (2013)Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
emphasized that teams can create structures for themselves that fit the demands of their individual tasks. It has also been shown that the perceived team structure might be considered when there are few plans and procedures specifying how the work should be carried out (Bunderson & Boumgarden, 2010Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
).

Individuals with a high level of psychological capital tend to generate positive expectations that encourage them to achieve defined goals and deal with adverse situations (Newman et al., 2014Newman, A., Ucbasaran, D., Zhu, F., & Hirst, G. (2014). Psychological capital: A review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 120-138. doi:10.1002/job.1916
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1916...
). On the other hand, other authors, such as Bresman and Zellmer-Bruhn (2013)Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
, have stressed the relevance of the perceived team structure, arguing that structure allows team boundaries to be defined by dividing up tasks and allocating responsibilities by subtask.

The division of labor makes it possible to perform specific tasks that team members must complete to achieve their stated goals, which requires high levels of psychological capital for a better performance (Salas, Shuffler, Thayer, Bedwell, & Lazzara, 2014Salas, E., Shuffler, M. L., Thayer, A. L., Bedwell, W., & Lazzara, E. H. (2014). Understanding and improving teamwork in organizations: A scientifically based practical guide. Human Resource Management, 54(4), 599-622. doi:10.1002/hrm.21628
https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21628...
). As Siu et al. (2014)Siu, O. L., Bakker, A. B., & Jiang, X. (2014). Psychological capital among university students: Relationships with study engagement and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(4), 979-994. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9459-2
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9459-...
stated, individuals with high levels of PsyCap promote a positive approach within a team and can effectively improve the processes, priorities and working procedures of university students.

Ortega-Maldonado and Salanova (2017)Ortega-Maldonado, A., & Salanova, M. (2017). Psychological capital and performance among undergraduate students: The role of meaning-focused coping and satisfaction. Teaching in Higher Education, 23(3), 390-402. doi:10.1080/13562517.2017.1391199
https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.13...
found that students use their psychological capabilities to define tasks or reach academic goals. This research also shows that in numerous challenging academic situations, students may need a high level of psychological capital to exert the effort necessary for completing defined tasks and introducing a positive attribution with regard to succeeding when problems and adversity appear. Individuals with high levels of psychological capital have the ability to structure their work to achieve the desired goals (Goertzen & Whitaker, 2015Goertzen, B. J., & Whitaker, B. L. (2015). Development of psychological capital in an academic-based leadership education program. Journal of Management Development, 34 (7), 773-786. doi:10.1108/jmd-07-2013-0100
https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd-07-2013-0100...
). Taking this conclusion into account, we hypothesize that:

  • H2: Psychological capital positively influences the perceived team structure.

The perceived team structure and internal learning in teams

The perceived team structure enables the actions of team members to be shaped and may be applicable to various types of perceived teams and organizational units (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
). Teams that have high-level collective perceptions are more likely to recognize and seize the emerging opportunities that are conducive to the learning process (Jansen, Kostopoulos, Mihalache, & Papalexandris, 2016Jansen, J. J., Kostopoulos, K. C., Mihalache, O. R., & Papalexandris, A. (2016). A socio-psychological perspective on team ambidexterity: The contingency role of supportive leadership behaviours. Journal of Management Studies, 53(6), 939-965. doi:10.1111/joms.12183
https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12183...
).

For Noe, Clarke, and Klein (2014)Noe, R. A., Clarke, A. D., & Klein, H. J. (2014). Learninginthe twenty-first century workplace. Annual Review of Psychology, 9(1), 245-275. doi:10.1146/annurevannurevorgpsych-031413-091321
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurevannurevor...
, the perceived team structure facilitates the learning process, precisely because it promotes interactions between team members. In such a context, learning presupposes that the activities and individual efforts of team members are oriented toward achieving objectives that have been defined by a process of activity formalization and specialization (Bunderson & Reagans, 2011Bunderson, J. S., & Reagans, R. E. (2011). Power, status, and learning in organizations. Organization Science, 22(5), 1182-1194. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0590
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0590...
).

The learning process depends on the existence of defined objectives and shared tasks within the team (Mathieu, Tannenbaum, Donsbach, & Alliger, 2014Mathieu, J. E., Tannenbaum, S. I., Donsbach, J. S., & Alliger, G. M. (2014). A review and integration of team composition models: Moving toward a dynamic and temporal framework. Journal of Management, 40(1), 130-160. doi:10.1177/0149206313503014
https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313503014...
). Therefore, as work structuring has become increasingly important in education and in the workplace, more emphasis is being placed on the learning process and on individual learning capacity (Kayes et al., 2005Kayes, A. B., Kayes, D. C., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Experiential learning in teams. Simulation & Gaming, 36(3), 330-354. doi:10.1177/1046878105279012
https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878105279012...
). For these reasons we argue that the perceived team structure contributes to internal learning. Thus, we assume that:

  • H3: The perceived team structure positively influences internal learning in teams.

The mediating role of the perceived team structure

Previous research has paid little attention to the mediating role of the perceived team structure in developing learning processes that have an internal focus (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
). Similarly, Bunderson and Boumgarden (2010)Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
argue that the perceived team structure is a category of a team’s characteristics that researchers often ignore. For Crawford and Lepine (2013)Crawford, E. R., & Lepine, J. A. (2013). A configural theory of team processes: Accounting for the structure of taskwork and teamwork. Academy of Management Review, 38(1), 32-48. doi:10.5465/amr.2011.0206
https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0206...
, these team process theories have focused more on the content and temporal relevance of work.

We argue that the perceived team structure can mediate the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning. In reflecting on the mediating role of the perceived team structure, Bunderson and Boumgarden (2010)Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
emphasize that it has important implications for individual learning with an internal focus.

Psychological capital allows student attitudes to be influenced when structuring activities and tasks, which can create conditions that are favorable to the internal learning process. As Nielsen, Newman, Smyth, Hirst, and Heilemann (2016)Nielsen, I., Newman, A., Smyth, R., Hirst, G., & Heilemann, B. (2016). The influence of instructor support, family support and psychological capital on the well-being of postgraduate students: A moderated mediation model. Studies in Higher Education, 42(11), 2099-2115. doi:10.1080/03075079.2015.1135116
https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.11...
stress, individuals with a high level of PsyCap have the confidence (self-efficacy) necessary for dealing with the challenging tasks they face at work, and believe they will be able to face up to these challenges (optimism) by redirecting paths to facilitate goals (hope) and recover from adversity (resilience). For Nigah, Davis, and Hurrell (2012)Nigah, N., Davis, A. J., & Hurrell, S. A. (2012). The impact of buddying on psychological capital, work engagement and turnover intentions: An empirical study of socialization in the professional services sector. Thunderbird International Business Review, 54(6), 891-905. doi:10.1002/tie.21510
https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.21510...
, these abilities were considered to be personal psychological resources that individuals can use to structure both their tasks and the relationships that are established according to the tasks that are defined, which contributes to the individual learning process.

In line with this, we argue that the perceived team structure functions as a mediating mechanism, linking psychological capital to student learning. Although there is little evidence of the effect of psychological capital on internal learning by way of the perceived team structure, there is increasing evidence that psychological capital is linked to a trend that maintains the cognition and assessments of an individual and enables them to handle a variety of situations. Such situations include an individual having the confidence to undertake challenging tasks, generate alternative solutions in adversity, persevere under difficult circumstances, and recover quickly from failures and learn from them (Harms, Krasikova, & Luthans, 2018Harms, P. D., Krasikova, D. V., & Luthans, F. (2018). Not me, but reflects me: Validating a simple implicit measure of psychological capital. Journal of Personality Assessment, 100 (5), 1-12. doi:10.1080/00223891.2018.1480489
https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2018.14...
). This evidence leads us to formulate the following hypothesis:

  • H4: The perceived team structure mediates the relationship between PsyCap and internal learning in teams.

A conceptual model of the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning in teams is presented in Figure 1. The conceptual model also presents the hypotheses being studied.

Figure 1
A conceptual model of the relationship between psychological capital, perceived team structure and internal learning in teams

METHOD

Participants and the procedure

Study participants were undergraduate students from three large higher education institutions (two public and one private). These higher education institutions were selected from a list of eight such institutions. They were selected by random sampling, as suggested by Lohr (1999)Lohr, S. (1999). Sampling: Design and analysis. Pacific Grove, CA: Duxbury Press..

Students from 13 different undergraduate courses (including Psychology, Pedagogy, Clinical and Organizational Psychology, Linguistics-Portuguese, Geography, Physiotherapy, Accounting and Taxation, Biology and History) took part in this study. Collection of the data was authorized by the board of each institution and permission was granted by the professor of each of the modules in which the survey took place.

Participants voluntarily completed the questionnaire in person during the class period, using paper and a pencil. Study participants also completed a questionnaire about their work in a team as related to specific course units. As the two study variables (perceived team structure and internal learning) were obtained from students who worked in teams, we also asked them to think about their individual work with other team members rather than the work of the team as a whole, as recommended by Lee, Kwon, Shin, Kim, and Park (2018)Lee, S., Kwon, S., Shin, S. J., Kim, M., & Park, I.-J. (2018). How team-level and individual-level conflict influences team commitment: A multilevel investigation. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(1), 1-13. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02365
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02365...
. It is also been shown that to measure a construct at the individual-level of analysis of individuals who worked in teams, they need to respond by having a team member as reference (Jehn, 1995Jehn, K. A. (1995). A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(2), 256-282. doi:10.2307/2393638
https://doi.org/10.2307/2393638...
).

During this phase in the research, 600 surveys were distributed and 480 valid surveys (an 80% response acceptance rate) were received back during the month of August 2018. All participants were informed that participation was voluntary and that the collected data would be handled by the researchers involved in the study in a confidential way and would be used only for purposes of the study. All participant questions were addressed during the data collection process.

Of the participants, 54 percent were men and their average age was 24 (the ages ranged from 17 to 58). The most significant courses were Economics (25 percent), Business Management (12 percent), Nursing (11 percent) and Linguistics-English (8 percent), with 64 percent of the participants studying in the morning, 2 percent in the afternoon, and 34 percent in the after-work period. Furthermore, 61 percent of the students were in their first year, 21 percent in the second year, 11 percent in the third year and 7 percent in the fourth year.

Measures

PsyCap. We used the version of the 24-item questionnaire that was adapted for academic research by Luthans et al. (2012)Luthans, F. (2012). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(6), 695-706. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210...
. The 24 items that measure psychological capital were adapted from published scales that have been used in previous studies, such as those by Luthans and Luthans (2014)Luthans, B. C., Luthans, K. W., & Jensen, S. M. (2012). The impact of business school students' psychological capital on academic performance. Journal of Education for Business, 87(5), 253-259. doi:10.1080/08832323.2011.609844
https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2011.60...
and Luthans, Luthans, and Palmer (2016)Luthans, K. W., Luthans, B. C., & Palmer, N. F. (2016). A positive approach to management education: The relationship between academic PsyCap an student engagement. Journal of Management Development, 35(9), 1-22. doi:10.1108/JMD-06-2015-0091
https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-06-2015-0091...
.

The scale comprises four subscales with 6 items each, corresponding to positive psychological capacities, that evaluate: self-efficacy (e.g.: “I feel confident when I look for a solution to a long-term problem”); hope (e.g.: “If I found myself in a difficult situation at work of course, I could think of many ways to get out of it”"); resilience (e.g.: “When I come across an obstacle in my studies, I find it difficult to recover and move forward”); optimism (e.g.: “In terms of my studies, I’m optimistic about what’s going to happen in the future”).

The responses were given on a 6-point Likert scale, from (1) “Totally Disagree” to (6) “Totally Agree”. According to Luthans et al. (2012)Luthans, F. (2012). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(6), 695-706. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210...
, the 24-item positive psychological capital scale presented in the original study has a Cronbach’s αs of 0.90.

Perceived team structure. We used the scale developed and validated by Bunderson and Boumgarden (2010)Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
, consisting of 9 items with two subscales, specialization (e.g.: “Our individual tasks are very clear and we don’t deviate from them”), and formalization (e.g.: “We follow a very structured work schedule”). Cronbach’s Alpha reported by the authors is 0.75. In a later study, Bresman and Zellmer-Bruhn (2013)Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
validated the scale and found a Cronbach Alpha of 0.73. The responses were given on a 7-point Likert scale, from (1) “Totally Disagree” to (7) “Totally Agree”.

Internal learning in teams. We used the scale that was developed and initially validated by Edmondson (1999)Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. doi:10.2307/2666999, and later confirmed and validated by Bresman and Zellmer-Bruhn (2013)Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783...
, which relates to internal learning and has 7 items. As examples of the items we have: “We regularly reserve time to find ways to improve the group's work processes” and “People in the team often speak up to test assumptions about issues under discussion”. The response scale used is a 7-point Likert type scale, from (1) “Totally Disagree” to (7) “Totally Agree” with a Cronbach Alpha of 0.71.

The total scale with 40 items was translated into Portuguese using the translation/retroversion method. The original scale and translated versions were carefully compared at this stage by a native English speaker, with a Portuguese-English language professor assisting us in this process.

Control variables. Previous research (e.g., Schneider & Preckel, 2017Schneider, M., & Preckel, F. (2017). Variables associated with achievement in higher education: A systematic review of meta-analyses. Psychological Bulletin, 143(6), 565-600. doi:10.1037/bul0000098
https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000098...
) argued that student learning outcomes may be influenced by the year of their course. We included this demographic variable, therefore, in our analyses. The year of the course was a self-report measure.

Measurement validity

We ran a confirmatory factor analysis for each construct to examine their factorial structure. The quality of the local adjustment of the model was based on the factorial weights and individual item reliability. We also examined convergent validity (i.e., composite reliability) (Fornell & Larcker, 1981Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. doi:10.2307/3151312
https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312...
).

Confirmatory factor analysis, which was carried out using Amos software on the Positive Psychological Capital scale, resulted in adequate values. The model has moderate and good factorial weights (λ ≥0.30) and appropriate individual reliabilities (r2≥0.10). The final model has excellent adjustment indices* (c2 (145) = 242.993, r <0.001; TLI = 0.908; CFI = 0.922; GFI = 0.949; SRMR = 0.044; RMSEA = 0.038). The Cronbach Alpha for the Positive Psychological Capital dimension was 0.86. It is important to emphasize that in this study we used PsyCap as a second-order factor, since several studies have shown that PsyCap as a second-order construct has a stronger impact on results than the four psychological capacities separately (Alessandri, Consiglio, Luthans, & Borgogni, 2018Alessandri, G., Consiglio, C., Luthans, F., & Borgogni, L. (2018). Testing a dynamic model of the impact of psychological capital on work engagement and job performance. Career Development International, 23(1), 33-47. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
https://doi.org/0.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210...
; Avey, Reichard, Luthans, & Mhatre, 2011Avey, J. B., Reichard, R. J., Luthans, F., & Mhatre, K. H. (2011). Meta-analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(2), 127-152. doi:10.1002/hrdq.20070
https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.20070...
; Badran & Youssef-Morgan, 2015Badran, M. A., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2015). Psychological capital and job satisfaction in Egypt. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 30(3), 354-379. doi:10.1108/JMP-06-2013-0176
https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2013-0176...
).

Adequate values were obtained using confirmatory factor analysis for the Perceived Team Structure scale. The model has moderate and good factorial weights (λ ≥0.40) and appropriate individual reliabilities (r2≥0.16). The final model has good adjustment indices c2 (26) = 89.137, r <0.001; TLI = 0.899; CFI = 0.927; GFI = 0.962; SRMR = 0.045; RMSEA = 0.071. The Cronbach alpha for the team structure was 0.82.

Adequate values were obtained using confirmatory factor analysis for the Internal Learning scale. The model has moderate and good factorial weights (λ ≥0.40) and appropriate individual reliabilities (r2≥0.16). The final model has excellent adjustment indices (c2 (7) = 23.797, r <0.001; TLI = 0.950; CFI = 0.977; GFI = 0.984; SRMR = 0.034; RMSEA = 0.071). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal learning is 0.76.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics

Table I presents the means, standard deviations, Cronbach’s alphas (in parentheses) and Pearson’s correlations of the variables being studied. According to Table I, the internal consistencies are generally acceptable. The perceived team structure mediation model on internal learning was adjusted to 480 respondents. The model has an acceptable adjustment (c2 (450) = 716.726, r <0.001; TLI = 0.90 CFI = 0.902; GFI = 0.915; SRMR = 0.050; RMSEA =0.035).

Table 1
Means, standard deviations and correlations between study variables

We used a structural equation modeling power analysis program with an anticipated effect size of 0.144 at a probability level of 0.05 and a statistical power level of 0.80, as suggested by Westland (2010)Westland, C. J. (2010). Lower bounds on sample size in structural equation modeling. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 9(6), 476-487. doi:10.1016/j.elerap.2010.07.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2010.07...
. The results showed that in order to have a sample size that was acceptable for testing the research hypotheses, this study needed a minimum of 379 participants. We consequently argued that the sample size of the present study (480 students) indicates that the explanatory power is acceptable.

Assessing common method bias

Richardson, Simmering, and Sturman (2009)Richardson, H. A., Simmering, M. J., & Sturman, M. C. (2009). A tale of three perspectives. Organizational Research Methods, 12(4), 762-800. doi:10.1177/1094428109332834
https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428109332834...
pointed out that common method bias might have significant implications for the relationships between the measurements of different constructs. For Podsakoff et al. (2003)Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879-903. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.8...
, the use of statistical remedies might possibly minimize the effects of common method bias on the study findings. Since the data from this study were obtained from the same source, we evaluated the effect of this variation by re-estimating the measurement model, adding a latent common method factor (Harman’s single-factor test).

The model fit without the common method factor produced the following adjustment indices: (c2 (422) = 663.455, r <0.001; TLI = 0.901; CFI = 0.911; GFI = 0.918; SRMR = 0.049; RMSEA = 0.035). While the inclusion of the common method factor only slightly improved the model fit in certain indices, the results are as follows: (2 (421) = 666.986, r <0.001; TLI = 0.899; CFI = 0.909; GFI = 0.919; SRMR = 0.039; RMSEA = 0.035).

However, the proportion of total variance explained by this method factor was 15 percent, below the 25 percent suggested by Williams et al. (2010)Williams, L. J., Hartman, N., & Cavazotte, F. (2010). Method Variance and Marker Variables: A Review and Comprehensive CFA Marker Technique. Organizational Research Methods, 13(3), 477-514. doi:10.1177/1094428110366036
https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428110366036...
. We argue, therefore, that same-source bias cannot be considered a threat to the findings of this study.

Hypothesis tests

In relation to the hypothesis test, we adopted a bootstrap approach with a 90% confidence interval over the indirect standardized effects. The adjusted model explains 55% of the variability of Internal Learning. The results show that psychological capital has a positive and statistically significant influence on internal learning (β = 0.113; p = 0.006). Hypothesis H1 is, therefore, supported. PsyCap had a significant and positive influence on the perceived team structure (b = 0.45; r <0.001), thus supporting H2. Perceived team structure is significantly and positively associated with internal learning (b = 0.73; r <0. 001), which supports H3. The results show that perceived team structure fully mediates the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning (indirect effect = 0.33; 90% CI limits to] 0.22, 0.46 [), thus supporting hypothesis H4.

Figure 2
Final model

DISCUSSION

The aim of this study was to analyze the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning. The results confirmed the existence of a positive relationship between psychological capital and internal learning. This highlights the importance that positive psychological capacities have on building strength and contributing to the alertness of individuals, thus contributing to internal learning (Chen & Lim, 2012Chen, D. J., & Lim, V. K. (2012). Strength in adversity: The influence of psychological capital on job search. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(6), 811-839. doi:10.1002/job.1814
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1814...
).

Individuals with these psychological capacities exert efforts which, when well executed, lead to certain successful results (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998Stajkovic, A. D., & Luthans, F. (1998). Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 240-261. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.240
https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.2....
). This relationship between psychological capital and internal learning seems to happen because of the strong link between psychological capital and successful academic outcomes (Luthans, Luthans, & Chaffin, 2018Luthans, K. W., Luthans, B. C., & Chaffin, D. (2018). Refining grit in academic performance: The mediational role of psychological capital. Journal of Management Education, 43(1), 1-27. doi:10.1177/1052562918804282
https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562918804282...
). Learning activities also require concrete and substantial efforts, such as identifying problems, and seeking information for solving problems (Huang & Luthans, 2014Huang, L., & Luthans, F. (2014). Toward better understanding of the learning goal orientationn-creativity relationship: The role of positive psychological capital. Applied Psychology, 64(2), 444-472. doi:10.1111/apps.12028
https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12028...
).

The relationship between psychological capital and perceived team structure was also confirmed. As Luthans et al. (2018)Luthans, K. W., Luthans, B. C., & Chaffin, D. (2018). Refining grit in academic performance: The mediational role of psychological capital. Journal of Management Education, 43(1), 1-27. doi:10.1177/1052562918804282
https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562918804282...
reported, individuals with high levels of psychological capital deal best with errors, failure, and setbacks, and usually do not allow difficult circumstances to prevent them from achieving high levels of performance. These factors may be sufficient to encourage individuals to seek other relevant paths for clearly defining their objectives and procedures. Psychological capital is also important for revealing individual psychological factors related to the structuring process (Daspit et al., 2015Daspit, J. J., Mims, T. C., & Zavattaro, S. M. (2015). The role of positive psychological states in online learning: Integrating psychological capital into the community of inquiry framework. Journal of Management Education, 39(5), 626-649. doi:10.1177/1052562914564980
https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562914564980...
).

A longitudinal (4-week interval) study of 391 Dutch university students showed that personal resources, such as self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience are indeed important in predicting greater student involvement in achieving better outcomes (Ouweneela, Blanca, & Schaufeli, 2011Ouweneela, E., Blanca, P. M., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Flourishing students: A longitudinal study on positive emotions, personal resources, and study engagement. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(2), 142-153. doi:10.1080/17439760.2011.558847
https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2011.55...
).

The third hypothesis on the positive relationship between perceived team structure and internal learning was also confirmed. This result seems to confirm what was reported by Bunderson and Boumgarden (2010)Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
that the identification of roles among group members facilitates information sharing and makes it possible to perform tasks that can boost the learning process. Structure is fundamental to the learning process, as learning requires some level of confidence and the potential to achieve the desired performance. In turn, this requires a clear definition of objectives and procedures (Yoon & Kayes, 2016Yoon, J., & Kayes, C. (2016). Employees’ self-efficacy and perception of individual learning in teams: The cross-level moderating role of team-learning behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(7), 1044-1060. doi:10.1002/job.2092
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2092...
).

Finally, the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning has been confirmed. This finding is consistent with previous research (e.g. Bunderson & Boumgarden, 2010Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
), which argues that the perceived structure can promote learning and create a safe environment within the team, thus facilitating the sharing of information. The perceived structure of the activities also tends to provide experimentation and the search for new insights, which may have a positive impact on the learning process (Bunderson & Boumgarden, 2010Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483...
).

CONCLUSIONS

Studies conducted over the years have shown that psychological capital is related to several important outcomes, both inside and outside the work environment (e.g. Dawkins et al., 2013Dawkins, S., Martin, A., Scott, J., & Sanderson, K. (2013). Building on the positives: A psychometric review and critical analysis of the construct of psychological capital. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(3), 348-370. doi:10.1111/joop.12007
https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12007...
; Krasikova, Lester, & Harms, 2015Krasikova, D. V., Lester, P. B., & Harms, P. D. (2015). Effects of psychological capital on mental health and substance abuse. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 22(3), 280-291. doi:10.1177/1548051815585853
https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051815585853...
; Luthans, Youssef, & Rawski, 2011Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Rawski, S. L. (2011). A tale of two paradigms: The impact of psychological capital and reinforcing feedback on problem solving and innovation. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 31(4), 333-350. doi:10.1080/01608061.2011.619421
https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2011.61...
; Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Rawski, S. L. (2011). A tale of two paradigms: The impact of psychological capital and reinforcing feedback on problem solving and innovation. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 31(4), 333-350. doi:10.1080/01608061.2011.619421
https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2011.61...
; Newman et al., 2014Newman, A., Ucbasaran, D., Zhu, F., & Hirst, G. (2014). Psychological capital: A review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 120-138. doi:10.1002/job.1916
https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1916...
). The aim of this study was to analyze the mediating role of the perceived team structure in the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning. The study provided empirical evidence of the influence of psychological capital on the internal learning process by way of the perceived team structure. Therefore, we argue that this study is important, not only because it can be applied in academic settings for enhancing the student learning process, but also because it raises new theoretical issues and challenges for future studies.

Theoretical and practical implications

The study contributes to the literature in different ways. We provide evidence that the relationship between psychological capital and internal learning is mediated by the perceived team structure. This confirms that one of the distinctive features of psychological capital, and one that has an important practical contribution to make, is its openness to change and development (Choi & Lee, 2014Choi, Y., & Lee, D. (2014). Psychological capital, Big Five traits, and employee outcomes. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 29(2), 122-140. doi:10.1108/JMP-06-2012-0193
https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2012-0193...
; Han, Brooks, Kakabadse, Peng, & Zhu, 2012Han, Y., Brooks, I., Kakabadse, N. K., Peng, Z., & Zhu, Y. (2012). A grounded investigation of Chinese employees’ psychological capital. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 27(7), 669-695. doi:10.1108/02683941211259511
https://doi.org/10.1108/0268394121125951...
; Nwanzu & Babalola, 2019Nwanzu, C. L., & Babalola, S. S. (2019). Examining psychological capital of optimism, self-efficacy and self-monitoring as predictors of attitude towards organizational change. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 11(1), 1-12. doi:10.1177/1847979019827149
https://doi.org/10.1177/1847979019827149...
).

It also provides additional empirical evidence for the idea that psychological capacities, such as self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience, can be used to enhance the internal team learning process. These results are important because they underline the need for training interventions that are designed to develop psychological capacities (Rebelo, Dimas, Lourenço, & Palácio, 2018Rebelo, T., Dimas, I. D., Lourenço, P. R., & Palácio, Â. (2018). Generating team PsyCap through transformational leadership. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 24(7/8), 363-379. doi:10.1108/tpm-09-2017-0056
https://doi.org/10.1108/tpm-09-2017-0056...
). Studies by Luthans and Youssef-Morgan (2017)Luthans, F., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2017). Psychological capital: An evidence-based positive approach. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4(1), 339-366. doi:10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113324
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych...
present insights and practical guidelines for developing PsyCap.

Limitations and future directions

This study has its limitations. One limitation concerns the potential problem of common method bias, since we used the same source for collecting the data. In addressing this issue in the study results, we used statistical remedies, such as the addition of the latent factor method. The results show that common method bias cannot be considered a threat to the findings of this study. However, further research may alleviate the potential common method bias problem by collating data from multiple sources (e.g. obtaining psychological capital measures from students, teachers, and the managers of higher education institutions).

On the other hand, the PsyCap questionnaire used in this study is traditionally applied in organizational settings. Although we used the version of the questionnaire adapted for academic research by Luthans (2012Luthans, F. (2012). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(6), 695-706. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210...
), we encourage future researchers to further examine the applicability of the PsyCap instrument in other contexts, outside the work environment.

  • Evaluated through a double-blind review process. Scientific Editor: Darcy Mitiko Mori Hanashiro
  • NOTE
    *Acceptability parameters of Structural Equation Modelling (Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black, 1995):
    • - Chi-Square (χ2): p-value ≤ 0,05.

    • - Goodeness of Fit Index (GFI): ≥ 0.90.

    • -Comparative Fit Index (CFI): ≥ 0.90.

    • - Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI): ≥ 0.90.

    • - Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA): ≤ 0.08

    • - Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR): ≤ 0.08

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  1. This work was supported by Portuguese national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the project UIDP / 00713/2021.

  2. We are grateful to the Editor-in-chief and two anonymous reviewers for their significant contributions to improving this study.

REFERÊNCIAS

  • Alessandri, G., Consiglio, C., Luthans, F., & Borgogni, L. (2018). Testing a dynamic model of the impact of psychological capital on work engagement and job performance. Career Development International, 23(1), 33-47. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
    » https://doi.org/0.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
  • Argote, L., & Miron-Spektor, E. (2011). Organizational learning: From experience to knowledge. Organization Science, 22(5), 1123-1137. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0621
    » https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0621
  • Avey, J. B. (2014). The left side of psychological capital: New evidence on the antecedents of PsyCap. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 21(2), 141-149. doi:10.1177/1548051813515516
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051813515516
  • Avey, J. B., Reichard, R. J., Luthans, F., & Mhatre, K. H. (2011). Meta-analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(2), 127-152. doi:10.1002/hrdq.20070
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.20070
  • Badran, M. A., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2015). Psychological capital and job satisfaction in Egypt. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 30(3), 354-379. doi:10.1108/JMP-06-2013-0176
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2013-0176
  • Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37(2), 122-147. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122
    » https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122
  • Bresman, H. (2010). External learning activities and team performance: A multimethod field study. Organization Science, 21(1), 81-96. doi:10.1287/orsc.1080.0413
    » https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1080.0413
  • Bresman, H., & Zellmer-Bruhn, M. (2013). The structural context of team learning: Effects of organizational and team structure on internal and external learning. Organization Science, 24(4), 1120-1139. doi:10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
    » https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0783
  • Bunderson, J. S., & Boumgarden, P. (2010). Structure and learning in self-managed teams: Why “bureaucratic” teams can be better learners. Organization Science, 21(3), 609-624. doi:10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
    » https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0483
  • Bunderson, J. S., & Reagans, R. E. (2011). Power, status, and learning in organizations. Organization Science, 22(5), 1182-1194. doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0590
    » https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0590
  • Chen, D. J., & Lim, V. K. (2012). Strength in adversity: The influence of psychological capital on job search. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(6), 811-839. doi:10.1002/job.1814
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1814
  • Choi, Y., & Lee, D. (2014). Psychological capital, Big Five traits, and employee outcomes. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 29(2), 122-140. doi:10.1108/JMP-06-2012-0193
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2012-0193
  • Crawford, E. R., & Lepine, J. A. (2013). A configural theory of team processes: Accounting for the structure of taskwork and teamwork. Academy of Management Review, 38(1), 32-48. doi:10.5465/amr.2011.0206
    » https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0206
  • Daspit, J. J., Mims, T. C., & Zavattaro, S. M. (2015). The role of positive psychological states in online learning: Integrating psychological capital into the community of inquiry framework. Journal of Management Education, 39(5), 626-649. doi:10.1177/1052562914564980
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562914564980
  • Datu, J. A., & Valdez, J. P. (2019). Psychological capital is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and school belongingness. School Psychology International, 1(1), 1-16. doi:10.1177/0143034319838011
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034319838011
  • Dawkins, S., Martin, A., Scott, J., & Sanderson, K. (2013). Building on the positives: A psychometric review and critical analysis of the construct of psychological capital. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(3), 348-370. doi:10.1111/joop.12007
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12007
  • Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. doi:10.2307/2666999
  • Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. doi:10.2307/3151312
    » https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312
  • Goertzen, B. J., & Whitaker, B. L. (2015). Development of psychological capital in an academic-based leadership education program. Journal of Management Development, 34 (7), 773-786. doi:10.1108/jmd-07-2013-0100
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd-07-2013-0100
  • Hair, J., Anderson, R., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (1995). Multivariate data analysis Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Han, Y., Brooks, I., Kakabadse, N. K., Peng, Z., & Zhu, Y. (2012). A grounded investigation of Chinese employees’ psychological capital. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 27(7), 669-695. doi:10.1108/02683941211259511
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941211259511
  • Harms, P. D., Krasikova, D. V., & Luthans, F. (2018). Not me, but reflects me: Validating a simple implicit measure of psychological capital. Journal of Personality Assessment, 100 (5), 1-12. doi:10.1080/00223891.2018.1480489
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2018.1480489
  • Harms, P. D., & Luthans, F. (2012). Measuring implicit psychological constructs in organizational behavior: An example using psychological capital. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(4), 589-594. doi:10.1002/job.1785
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1785
  • Heled, E., Somech, A., & Waters, L. (2015). Psychological capital as a team phenomenon: Mediating the relationship between learning climate and outcomes at the individual and team levels. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(3), 303-314. doi:10.1080/17439760.2015.1058971
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1058971
  • Herrmann, K. J. (2013). The impact of cooperative learning on student engagement: Results from an intervention. Active Learning in Higher Education, 14(3), 175-187. doi:10.1177/1469787413498035
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787413498035
  • Huang, L., & Luthans, F. (2014). Toward better understanding of the learning goal orientationn-creativity relationship: The role of positive psychological capital. Applied Psychology, 64(2), 444-472. doi:10.1111/apps.12028
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12028
  • Jansen, J. J., Kostopoulos, K. C., Mihalache, O. R., & Papalexandris, A. (2016). A socio-psychological perspective on team ambidexterity: The contingency role of supportive leadership behaviours. Journal of Management Studies, 53(6), 939-965. doi:10.1111/joms.12183
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12183
  • Jehn, K. A. (1995). A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(2), 256-282. doi:10.2307/2393638
    » https://doi.org/10.2307/2393638
  • Jiang, Y., Jackson, S. E., & Colakoglu, S. (2015). An empirical examination of personal learning within the context of teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(5), 654-672. doi:10.1002/job.2058
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2058
  • Kayes, A. B., Kayes, D. C., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Experiential learning in teams. Simulation & Gaming, 36(3), 330-354. doi:10.1177/1046878105279012
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878105279012
  • King, D. D., Newman, A., & Luthans, F. (2015). Not if, but when we need resilience in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(5), 782-786. doi:10.1002/job.2063
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2063
  • Kostopoulos, K. C., Spanos, Y. E., & Prastacos, G. P. (2013). Structure and function of team learning emergence: A multilevel empirical validation. Journal of Management, 39(6), 1430-1461. doi:10.1177/0149206311419366
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206311419366
  • Krasikova, D. V., Lester, P. B., & Harms, P. D. (2015). Effects of psychological capital on mental health and substance abuse. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 22(3), 280-291. doi:10.1177/1548051815585853
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051815585853
  • Lee, S., Kwon, S., Shin, S. J., Kim, M., & Park, I.-J. (2018). How team-level and individual-level conflict influences team commitment: A multilevel investigation. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(1), 1-13. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02365
    » https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02365
  • Lohr, S. (1999). Sampling: Design and analysis. Pacific Grove, CA: Duxbury Press.
  • Luthans, B. C., & Luthans, K. W. (2014). Building the leaders of tomorrow: The development of academic psychological capital. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 20(10), 191-199. doi:10.1177/1548051813517003
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051813517003
  • Luthans, B. C., Luthans, K. W., & Jensen, S. M. (2012). The impact of business school students' psychological capital on academic performance. Journal of Education for Business, 87(5), 253-259. doi:10.1080/08832323.2011.609844
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2011.609844
  • Luthans, F. (2012). The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(6), 695-706. doi:10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0210
  • Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., Avolio, B. J., Norman, S. M., & Combs, G. M. (2006). Psychological capital development: Toward a micro-intervention. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 27(3), 387-393. doi:10.1002/job.373
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.373
  • Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., Avolio, B. J., & Peterson, S. J. (2010). The development and resulting performance impact of positive psychological capital. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 21(1), 41-67. doi:10.1002/hrdq.20034
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.20034
  • Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., & Rawski, S. L. (2011). A tale of two paradigms: The impact of psychological capital and reinforcing feedback on problem solving and innovation. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 31(4), 333-350. doi:10.1080/01608061.2011.619421
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2011.619421
  • Luthans, F., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2017). Psychological capital: An evidence-based positive approach. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4(1), 339-366. doi:10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113324
    » https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113324
  • Luthans, K. W., Luthans, B. C., & Chaffin, D. (2018). Refining grit in academic performance: The mediational role of psychological capital. Journal of Management Education, 43(1), 1-27. doi:10.1177/1052562918804282
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562918804282
  • Luthans, K. W., Luthans, B. C., & Palmer, N. F. (2016). A positive approach to management education: The relationship between academic PsyCap an student engagement. Journal of Management Development, 35(9), 1-22. doi:10.1108/JMD-06-2015-0091
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-06-2015-0091
  • Mathieu, J. E., Tannenbaum, S. I., Donsbach, J. S., & Alliger, G. M. (2014). A review and integration of team composition models: Moving toward a dynamic and temporal framework. Journal of Management, 40(1), 130-160. doi:10.1177/0149206313503014
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313503014
  • Newman, A., Ucbasaran, D., Zhu, F., & Hirst, G. (2014). Psychological capital: A review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 120-138. doi:10.1002/job.1916
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1916
  • Nielsen, I., Newman, A., Smyth, R., Hirst, G., & Heilemann, B. (2016). The influence of instructor support, family support and psychological capital on the well-being of postgraduate students: A moderated mediation model. Studies in Higher Education, 42(11), 2099-2115. doi:10.1080/03075079.2015.1135116
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2015.1135116
  • Nigah, N., Davis, A. J., & Hurrell, S. A. (2012). The impact of buddying on psychological capital, work engagement and turnover intentions: An empirical study of socialization in the professional services sector. Thunderbird International Business Review, 54(6), 891-905. doi:10.1002/tie.21510
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.21510
  • Noe, R. A., Clarke, A. D., & Klein, H. J. (2014). Learninginthe twenty-first century workplace. Annual Review of Psychology, 9(1), 245-275. doi:10.1146/annurevannurevorgpsych-031413-091321
    » https://doi.org/10.1146/annurevannurevorgpsych-031413-091321
  • Nwanzu, C. L., & Babalola, S. S. (2019). Examining psychological capital of optimism, self-efficacy and self-monitoring as predictors of attitude towards organizational change. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 11(1), 1-12. doi:10.1177/1847979019827149
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1847979019827149
  • Ortega-Maldonado, A., & Salanova, M. (2017). Psychological capital and performance among undergraduate students: The role of meaning-focused coping and satisfaction. Teaching in Higher Education, 23(3), 390-402. doi:10.1080/13562517.2017.1391199
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.1391199
  • Ouweneela, E., Blanca, P. M., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Flourishing students: A longitudinal study on positive emotions, personal resources, and study engagement. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(2), 142-153. doi:10.1080/17439760.2011.558847
    » https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2011.558847
  • Peterson, S. J., Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Zhang, Z. (2011). Psychological capital and employee performance: A latent growth modeling approach. Personnel Psychology, 64(2), 427-450. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01215.x
    » https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01215.x
  • Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879-903. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
    » https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
  • Rebelo, T., Dimas, I. D., Lourenço, P. R., & Palácio, Â. (2018). Generating team PsyCap through transformational leadership. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 24(7/8), 363-379. doi:10.1108/tpm-09-2017-0056
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/tpm-09-2017-0056
  • Richardson, H. A., Simmering, M. J., & Sturman, M. C. (2009). A tale of three perspectives. Organizational Research Methods, 12(4), 762-800. doi:10.1177/1094428109332834
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428109332834
  • Salas, E., Shuffler, M. L., Thayer, A. L., Bedwell, W., & Lazzara, E. H. (2014). Understanding and improving teamwork in organizations: A scientifically based practical guide. Human Resource Management, 54(4), 599-622. doi:10.1002/hrm.21628
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21628
  • Schaubroeck, J., Carmeli, A., Bhatia, S., & Paz, E. (2016). Enabling team learning when members are prone to contentious communication: The role of team leader coaching. Human Relations, 69(8), 1709-1727. doi:10.1177/0018726715622673
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726715622673
  • Siu, O. L., Bakker, A. B., & Jiang, X. (2014). Psychological capital among university students: Relationships with study engagement and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(4), 979-994. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9459-2
    » https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9459-2
  • Schneider, M., & Preckel, F. (2017). Variables associated with achievement in higher education: A systematic review of meta-analyses. Psychological Bulletin, 143(6), 565-600. doi:10.1037/bul0000098
    » https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000098
  • Song, J. H., Lim, D. H., Kang, I. G., & Kim, W. (2014). Team performance in learning organizations: Mediating effect of employee engagement. Learning Organization, 21(5), 290-309. doi:10.1108/TLO-07-2012-0049
    » https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-07-2012-0049
  • Stajkovic, A. D., & Luthans, F. (1998). Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 240-261. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.240
    » https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.240
  • Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., Avey, J. B., & Oke, A. (2011). Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 4-24. doi:10.1002/job.653
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.653
  • Westland, C. J. (2010). Lower bounds on sample size in structural equation modeling. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 9(6), 476-487. doi:10.1016/j.elerap.2010.07.003
    » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2010.07.003
  • Williams, L. J., Hartman, N., & Cavazotte, F. (2010). Method Variance and Marker Variables: A Review and Comprehensive CFA Marker Technique. Organizational Research Methods, 13(3), 477-514. doi:10.1177/1094428110366036
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428110366036
  • Yoon, J., & Kayes, C. (2016). Employees’ self-efficacy and perception of individual learning in teams: The cross-level moderating role of team-learning behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37(7), 1044-1060. doi:10.1002/job.2092
    » https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2092

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    14 July 2021
  • Date of issue
    2021

History

  • Received
    04 Dec 2019
  • Accepted
    26 Aug 2020
Fundação Getulio Vargas, Escola de Administração de Empresas de S.Paulo Av 9 de Julho, 2029, 01313-902 S. Paulo - SP Brasil, Tel.: (55 11) 3799-7999, Fax: (55 11) 3799-7871 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rae@fgv.br