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I don't have the source handy but there is research showing that if you ask individuals on a successful project the % that they contributed, the total of the perceived contributions generally equals around 140%. I've wondered if simply pointing out this issue might help reduce the inflated sense of personal contribution

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I wasn't able to find your particular point in my searching, but I did find a paper from 2000 that came to a similar conclusion[1]

"This difference in perception has a potential of creating tension within the team and disrupting the cooperation, because there is a possibility that every single team member may feel to be undervalued by others and not receive his or her due."

"The perception gap can be a threat to the team and its goals. Facing the gap requires interpersonal skills on the part of the team management and team members."

[1] http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=077...

Kind of similar to Gestalt theory... The whole is greater than merely the sum of its parts.

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