Deck 9: Group Performance and Productivity

Question 1

Social facilitation is to a _____ as social inhibition is to a _____.

A) process loss; process gain
B) process gain; process loss
C) coordination loss; motivation loss
D) motivation loss; coordination loss

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In 1898, Normal Triplett conducted the original studies of social facilitation. The participants in these studies were

A) bicyclers and children with fishing rods.
B) swimmers and pool players.
C) chickens and cockroaches.
D) college students and older adults.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

In a study conducted by Hazel Markus, college students performed a difficult task (tying a lab apron behind their back) and an easy task (tying their shoes). Which of the following did she find in conditions in which an audience was present?

A) Only social facilitation on easy tasks.
B) Only social inhibition on difficult tasks.
C) Social facilitation on difficult tasks and social inhibition on easy tasks.
D) Social inhibition on difficult tasks and social facilitation on easy tasks.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which is the correct order of events in Robert Zajonc's drive-arousal model of social performance?

A) Arousal $\rightarrow$ dominant response $\rightarrow$ perception of others $\rightarrow$ performance.
B) Dominant response $\rightarrow$ perception of others $\rightarrow$ arousal $\rightarrow$ performance.
C) Presence of others $\rightarrow$ arousal $\rightarrow$ dominant response $\rightarrow$ performance.
D) Performance $\rightarrow$ dominant response $\rightarrow$ arousal $\rightarrow$ emotional state.

Question 5

Lucinda is an expert golfer, whereas Diana is not very good. According to the principles of social facilitation,

A) Lucinda should play better when she is in a group, but Diana should play better alone.
B) Lucinda should play better when she is alone, but Diana should play better in a group.
C) Both Lucinda and Diana should play better in groups.
D) Both Lucinda and Diana should play better alone.

Question 6

Which of the following is predicted by the drive-arousal model of performance?

A) Performance will only be influenced by an audience who can see the performance, but not by the mere presence of others who cannot see the performance.
B) Performance will not be influenced by an audience who can see the performance, but will be influenced by the mere presence of others who cannot see the performance.
C) Performance will be influenced by both an audience and also by the mere presence of others.
D) Performance will not be influenced by the presence of others, unless they are of the same age and status as the performer.

Question 7

Which of the following is predicted by the evaluation-competition model of performance?

A) Performance will only be influenced by an audience who can see the performance, but not by the mere presence of others who cannot see the performance.
B) Performance will only be influenced by the mere presence of others, but not by an audience.
C) Performance will be influenced by both an audience and also by the mere presence of others.
D) Performance will not be influenced by the presence of others, unless they are of the same age and status as the performer.

Question 8

Which of the following would provide support for the distraction-conflict model of performance?

A) People perform more poorly on difficult tasks when others expect them to do well.
B) People perform more poorly on easy tasks when others expect them to do well.
C) Drive-arousal is greater on difficult tasks in audience conditions.
D) Drive-arousal is greater on easy tasks in audience conditions.

Question 9

Which of the following patterns demonstrate the Ringelmann effect?

A) Two men can lift 100 pounds; Three men can lift 300 pounds; Five men can lift 500 pounds.
B) Two men can lift 100 pounds; Three men can lift 120 pounds; Five men can lift 180 pounds.
C) Two men can lift 100 pounds; Three men can lift 180 pounds; Five men can lift 350 pounds.
D) Two men can lift 100 pounds; Three men can lift 150 pounds; Five men can lift 250 pounds.

Question 10

Two explanations for the Ringelmann effect are

A) drive-arousal losses and distraction-conflict losses.
B) drive-arousal losses and evaluation apprehension losses.
C) social loafing and coordination losses.
D) motivation losses and drive-arousal losses.

Question 11

Latané and his colleagues had research participants shout alone, in nominal groups, and in real groups. Which of the following equations represents the loudness of shouting, per person, in each of the conditions?

A) alone > real groups > nominal groups.
B) nominal groups > real groups > alone.
C) alone = real groups > nominal groups
D) alone > nominal groups > real groups.

Question 12

Latané and his colleagues had research participants shout alone, in nominal groups, and in real groups. The logic of the study was that _____ losses would be found in nominal groups, but that _____ would be found in real groups.

A) coordination; motivation
B) motivation; coordination
C) motivation; motivation and coordination
D) coordination; coordination and motivation

Question 13

In which of the following situations would social loafing most likely be observed?

A) In a small group.
B) In a group in which the contributions of each person are combined together so that we cannot tell who contributed what.
C) In a group in which the task is seen as important to the group members.
D) In a group in which everyone is working on the same task, and thus the quality of the individual work can be compared.

Question 14

In which of the following situations would social loafing most likely be observed?

A) In a large group.
B) In a group in which the contributions of each person are identifiiable.
C) In a group in which the task is seen as important to the group members.
D) In a group in which everyone is working on the same task, and thus the quality of the individual work can be compared.

Question 15

Norbert Kerr conducted an experiment in which participants worked together on a task that required pumping air by squeezing a rubber bulb. In conditions in which the partner pumped enough air for the pair, the participant

A) slackened effort to avoid being perceived as a "sucker."
B) worked harder to match the partner's performance.
C) experienced the Ringelmann effect.
D) engaged in free riding.

Question 16

Norbert Kerr conducted an experiment in which participants worked together on a task that required pumping air by squeezing a rubber bulb. In conditions in which the partner was able to pump air but failed to do so, the participant

A) engaged in free riding.
B) slackened effort to avoid being perceived as a "sucker."
C) worked harder to match the partner's performance.
D) experienced the Ringelmann effect.

Question 17

Laurie lives in a house with three roommates. Normally, Laurie is very conscientious about doing the housework - she keeps up with the dishes and the other household tasks. Laurie notices, however, that her roommates are not doing their share of the housework, and so she stops doing the work herself. Laurie is experiencing

A) free riding.
B) the sucker effect.
C) the Ringelmann effect.
D) social loafing.

Question 18

The general finding in research testing the effectiveness of brainstorming is that brainstorming

A) is not as effective as one might expect it would be.
B) is very effective if conducted following the brainstorming rules.
C) is effective, but only on judgmental tasks.
D) is effective, but only on criterion tasks.

Question 19

Which of the following have been proposed as reasons why brainstorming is often not effective?

A) social loafing; the sucker effect; the advantage of numbers.
B) the advantage of numbers; evaluation apprehension; production blocking.
C) the sucker effect; coordination losses; production blocking.
D) social loafing; evaluation apprehension; production blocking.

Question 20

When Diehl and Stroebe gave their brainstorming groups extra time to work,

A) they still did not perform as well as the nominal groups.
B) they were as effective as the nominal groups.
C) they surpassed the nominal groups.
D) they did not experience free riding.

Question 21

Perhaps the major factor that reduces the effectiveness of brainstorming groups is that people who brainstorming

A) experience evaluation apprehension.
B) experience social loafing.
C) experience the sucker effect.
D) must monitor the behavior of others and wait until it is their turn to speak.

Question 22

When Joanna leaves her weekly meeting with her corporate team, she usually feels that the group has been very productive, and that the group has developed a lot of new and exciting ideas. Joanna may be experiencing

A) free riding.
B) social loafing.
C) the illusion of group effectivity.
D) the nominal group illusion.

Question 23

Which of the following techniques have been used to as alternatives to brainstorming?

A) The nominal group technique and the inspirational technique.
B) The inspirational technique and the stepladder technique.
C) The social loafing elimination technique and the free riding elimination technique.
D) The nominal group technique and the stepladder technique.

Question 24

Which of the following techniques is likely to improve the creativity of brainstorming groups?

A) Make sure that the groups are composed of friends rather than strangers.
B) Add more group members.
C) Ask the group members to write down their ideas on a piece of paper before the session begins.
D) Place the group members around a circular table.

Question 25

What is a group support system?

A) A method for increasing the contribution of group members in face-to-face discussions.
B) A method for increasing the creativity of face-to-face groups.
C) A computer program or network designed to improve group decision-making.
D) A computer program that allows group members to research new ideas online.

Question 26

Electronic brainstorming has been found to be

A) more effective than face-to-face brainstorming.
B) less effective than face-to-face brainstorming.
C) useful for creating new ideas, but not for adding to existing ideas.
D) most useful when the individuals who are brainstorming do not know each other ahead of time.

Question 27

Working groups are likely to be most effective when

A) the contributions of the individual group members are pooled together such that no one knows who contributed which idea.
B) the contributions of each individual are identifiable.
C) they are large, and the members have high social identity.
D) they are small, and there is little group cohesion.

Question 28

Define social facilitation and social inhibition and explain when they are likely to occur.

Question 29

Diagram and explain the drive-arousal model of the effects of others on group performance, and describe research that has tested it. Then consider other explanations that have been proposed to account for these effects.

Question 30

Define social loafing, free riding, and the sucker effect. What is the relationship among them, and under what conditions is each one most likely to occur? Describe some research that has demonstrated their occurrence. Be sure to consider the roles of dispensability and identifiability.

Question 31

What are the rules of brainstorming, and why is it used? What factors keep it from being particularly effective in real groups? Consider research that has tested its effectiveness.

Question 32

Consider techniques that have been used to improve brainstorming, and indicate why they may be effective.

Question 33

If you were given the goal of creating a group that would be maximally productive, what factors would you take into consideration and why?

Question 34

Given the findings reported in your textbook, do you believe that groups are effective? Why or why not?