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This study investigates differences in collaborative behaviors among undergraduate engineering capstone students through a behavioral sorting methodology. Using the Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (CATME-B), 25 students from a senior-level interdisciplinary engineering capstone course sorted collaborative behaviors according to their observed frequency in collaborative experiences. The sorting revealed patterns worth further investigation across technical/task-oriented, process-oriented, and interpersonal/social dimensions of collaboration, with variations emerging between demographic groups. Technical behaviors showed consistent observation across the sample, while process-oriented and interpersonal behaviors exhibited notable variability. The initial results suggest that collaborative behaviors may be influenced by sociocultural dynamics, with students adapting their engagement strategies in response to identity-related and culturally situated contexts. This preliminary investigation indicates the need for further research to examine how students’ perceptions and attitudes toward collaborative behaviors influence their engagement in engineering group work; particularly focusing on the relationships between individual beliefs, group contexts, and behavioral choices. Such understanding could inform theoretical models of engineering collaboration and guide the development of evidence-based approaches to collaborative learning. 

This project explores the collaborative skills occurring within engineering education and practice. While technical competence is crucial, collaborative skills are paramount in engineering enterprises, and current evidence suggests working in teams does not ensure the development of effective collaboration behaviors among engineers. Yet, lifelong learning requires engineers to navigate complex interactions within diverse design teams, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of collaboration. To address this gap, our study aims to identify the least-performed effective collaboration behaviors in engineering capstone teams and explore the reasons behind this occurrence. This investigation is part of a larger study that employs the Reasoned Action Approach1 where we seek to uncover individual beliefs and factors influencing the performance of target behaviors. These insights serve as tools for engineers, students, educators, and managers to assess and enhance collaboration skills, fostering effective teamwork in engineering settings. Ultimately, this overarching goal of advancing professional formation in engineering distills into the key question: Why do individuals exhibit variations in performing effective collaboration behaviors in engineering teams?