Abstract: The present study is to examine some team process related antecedents of shared mental model and the relationship between shared mental model and team effectiveness. The antecedent variables include communication, free riding, and trust. The consequence variables include group efficacy, performance, satisfaction and friendship of team members. Data were collected from 158 MBA and graduate students, 35 teams in a university in Beijing. Two distinct methods were used to measure shared mental model: one was team members’ perceived similarity of their mental models; the other was intra-team consistency on task-specific critical strategies. Results showed that communication was positively related to shared mental model and free riding was negatively related to shared mental model. Shared mental model was positively related to team performance, satisfaction and friendship of team members, and group efficacy. Shared mental model mediated the relationship between team process variables and team effectiveness.

Key words: shared mental model, team, team effectiveness