Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity Impact on Collective Efficacy – towards Team Cohesion: A China Youth Football Team Analysis

In this empirical study we provide an explanation of team cohesion as a result of collective efficacy according to social cognitive theory. We measure the levels of collective efficacy, team cohesion, role ambiguity and role conflict on the sample of Chinese youth football teams, and indicate predictive values of each factor, thus contributing to the sports psychology field, regarding football players development. According to the results of our study, team cohesion and collective efficacy are mutually correlated. In that respect, team cohesion is regarded as an outcome of collective efficacy. Role ambiguity was found to be significant in affecting the players’ perception of efficacy but in positive way. However, that contradicts to our theoretical assumption, stating that role ambiguity has a negative impact on collective efficacy. Individual perceptions of the players’ regarding their role do not seem to change the collective perception, taking into account ambiguity factor. Role conflict encouraged a negative prediction of collective efficacy at an interpersonal level.