Deck 11: Group Decision Making and Problem Solving

Question 1

Which ethical responsibility functions when group members promise to reveal their sources of information so others can evaluate them?

A) research
B) common good
C) reasoning
D) the social code
E) freedom of speech

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to your textbook, the following four prerequisites should be in place whenever a group seeks to make an important decision or solve a significant problem:

A) skilled chairperson, conscientious members, clear structure, constructive conflict.
B) clear goal, quality content, structured procedures, and commitment to deliberation.
C) questions of fact, conjecture, value, and policy.
D) voting, seeking consensus, brainstorming, and authority rule.
E) quantity, quality, validity, and reliability of research.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

This symptom of groupthink is expressed when a group member says: "Bob wanted to come to this meeting, but I told him that it wasn't necessary."

A) morality
B) stereotyping outsiders
C) mindguarding
D) illusion of unanimity
E) invulnerability

Answer 3

C

Question 4

According to Irving Janis, groupthink is the deterioration of group effectiveness caused by

A) group disagreement and conflict.
B) lack of appropriate group roles.
C) failure to get beyond the storming stage of group development.
D) in-group pressure to conform.
E) lack of a structured procedure for problem solving.

Question 5

When decisions are made using __________, groups may be asked to gather information for and recommend decisions to another person or larger group.

A) majority rule
B) groupthink
C) dependent decision making
D) false consensus
E) authority rule

Question 6

As a group decision-making tool, voting works best when

A) a group is pressed for time.
B) the issue is not highly controversial.
C) a group is too large to use any other decision-making method.
D) there is no other way to break a deadlock.
E) any of the above occurs.

Question 7

__________ occurs when group members reluctantly give in to group pressures or to an external authority in order to appear as though everyone agrees.

A) Majority rule
B) Two-thirds vote
C) Dependent decision making
D) False consensus
E) Authority rule

Question 8

Which ethical responsibility functions when group members consider the interests of those affected by their decisions?

A) research
B) common good
C) reasoning
D) the social code
E) freedom of speech

Question 9

Which of the following strategies should be used when seeking consensus?

A) Stubbornly argue only for your own position.
B) Change your mind in order to avoid conflict or reach a quick decision.
C) Welcome differences of opinion.
D) Agree to a decision or solution you don't support.
E) Use "easy" ways of reaching a solution such as flipping a coin, letting the majority rule, or trading one decision for another.

Question 10

Problem solving occurs when a group

A) reaches a conclusion or makes a decision.
B) passes judgment on an issue under consideration.
C) develops and agrees to a plan that reduces or eliminates the harmful effects of a problem.
D) chooses among alternatives.
E) analyzes the background, causes, and effects of an immediate problem.

Question 11

Which symptom of groupthink is expressed when a group member confronts another by saying: "Why aren't you in favor of this? You're the only one who's against it. Give it up!"

A) rationalization
B) self-censorship
C) mindguarding
D) pressure on dissent
E) illusion of invulnerability

Question 12

Which decision-making style is illustrated in the following comment? "If all of you think it's a good idea, then I'll vote for it too."

A) rational decision maker
B) intuitive decision maker
C) dependent decision maker
D) avoidant decision maker
E) spontaneous decision maker

Question 13

A company's recycling task force is composed of 15 members. If the task force makes decisions based on a consensus, how many members must be in favor of the group decision?

A) 5
B) 7
C) 8
D) 10
E) 15

Question 14

Which prerequisite for group decision making and problem solving focuses on the process of critical thinking that enlists the values of democracy and puts them in a communication context?

A) a clear goal
B) quality content
C) structured procedures
D) commitment to deliberation
E) brainstorming

Question 15

"What causes acid rain?" is an example of a question of

A) fact.
B) conjecture.
C) value.
D) policy.
E) opinion.

Question 16

This symptom of groupthink is expressed when a group member says: "Of course, we're right. We have a perfect safety record, have done this many times, and nothing's gone wrong."

A) morality
B) stereotyping outsiders
C) mindguarding
D) illusion of unanimity
E) invulnerability

Question 17

"Which candidate should we support as president of the student government association?" is an example of a question of

A) fact.
B) conjecture.
C) value.
D) policy.
E) opinion.

Question 18

If you want to minimize the chances of groupthink, you should pursue all of the following strategies except:

A) Ask each member to serve in the role of critical evaluator.
B) If possible, have more than one group work on the same problem independently.
C) Avoid asking questions and expressing disagreement.
D) Discuss the potential negative consequences of any decision or action.
E) Before finalizing the decision, give members a second chance to express doubts.

Question 19

Problem solving is a complex _____________ in which groups make multiple decisions as they analyze a problem and develop a plan for solving the problem or reducing its harmful effects.

A) situation
B) system
C) problem
D) process
E) event

Question 20

The primary goal of a jury is to

A) reach a decision.
B) solve a problem.
C) determine the whole truth.
D) answer a question of conjecture.
E) answer a question of value.

Question 21

Which of the following steps is not part of the Standard Agenda format?

A) task clarification
B) establishment of procedure
C) problem identification
D) fact-finding
E) solution suggestions

Question 22

Which of the following is not an effective guideline for successful brainstorming?

A) Evaluate ideas only at the end of the brainstorming session.
B) Post the ideas for all to see.
C) Wait for members to think awhile before starting the brainstorming.
D) Avoid combining ideas.
E) Avoid praising or criticizing another member's ideas.

Question 23

All of the following guidelines will help you chair an effective meeting except:

A) Establish group rules for member behavior.
B) Explain what has already been discussed to any latecomers.
C) Summarize ideas and suggestions.
D) Delegate someone to take the minutes.
E) Distribute the minutes of the meeting to members soon after the meeting has occurred.

Question 24

In what order should the four steps in the DOT problem-solving process occur?

A) generate ideas, sort ideas, prioritize ideas, and post ideas
B) problem identification, problem analysis, solution suggestions, and solution implementation
C) generate ideas, post ideas, sort ideas, and prioritize ideas
D) information sharing, discussion, decision making, and solution implementation
E) task clarification, problem identification, fact finding, and solution selection

Question 25

___________ occurs when groups are so focused on analyzing a problem that they fail to make a decision.

A) False consensus
B) Minority reports
C) Decreasing options
D) Analysis paralysis
E) Argumentativeness

Question 26

Which decision-making style is demonstrated by a group member who says, "I just can't deal with this right now"?

A) rational decision maker
B) intuitive decision maker
C) dependent decision maker
D) avoidant decision maker
E) spontaneous decision maker

Question 27

Which group problem solving technique did Andre Delbecq and Andrew Van de Ven develop?

A) Nominal Group Technique
B) Normal Group Technique
C) Decreasing Options Technique
D) Standard Agenda Technique
E) Group Norming Technique

Question 28

Which decision-making style is illustrated in the following comment? "I've carefully considered all the issues."

A) rational decision maker
B) intuitive decision maker
C) dependent decision maker
D) avoidant decision maker
E) spontaneous decision maker

Question 29

The goal of the DOT method is:

A) to generate ideas.
B) to promote consensus seeking.
C) to develop leaders.
D) to reduce the quantity of ideas to a manageable number.
E) to identify problems with research.

Question 30

In which step of the Standard Agenda process would group members ask, "How serious or widespread is the problem?" and "What are the causes of the problem?"

A) task clarification
B) solution suggestions
C) solution implementation
D) fact-finding and analysis
E) problem identification

Question 31

Different types of technology are not equally suited to all types of virtual groups. If a group needs to make a decision, which technologies would be the least effective?

A) telephone or computer audio conference
B) email, bulletin board, or restricted blog
C) videoconference with text and graphics
D) videoconference without shared documents
E) electronic meeting system with audio, video, and graphics

Question 32

Different types of technology are not equally suited to all types of virtual groups. If a group needs to work on a collaborative project such as analyzing complex data, developing a design, or drafting a policy, which technology would be the most effective?

A) telephone or computer audio conference
B) email
C) bulletin board or restricted blog
D) videoconference without shared documents
E) collaborative writing with audio and video

Question 33

In which of the following situations should a group avoid using brainstorming?

A) When there is a need to number the ideas.
B) When creativity needs to be encouraged.
C) When the group knows what went wrong and how to fix it.
D) When a clear question or statement of the problem needs to be made.
E) When the ideas need to keep coming.

Question 34

A(n) __________ is the outline of items to be discussed and the tasks to be accomplished at a meeting.

A) set of minutes
B) action item
C) agenda
D) report
E) call to order

Question 35

Your group must come up with a discussion topic for a class assignment. Group members work together suggesting as many topics as they can. Members invite all ideas and do not criticize the suggestions of other members. Which decision-making method is the group using?

A) the functional approach
B) the single question format
C) brainstorming
D) consensus seeking
E) the Standard Agenda

Question 36

Which of the following problem-solving procedures is based on John Dewey's reflective thinking process?

A) the functional approach to problem solving
B) the DOT method
C) brainstorming
D) consensus seeking
E) the Standard Agenda

Question 37

The Decreasing Options Technique (DOT)

A) helps groups reduce and refine a large number of suggestions and ideas into a manageable set of options.
B) follows a practical set of steps that begins with the problem itself and then moves to a systematic consideration of possible solutions and their implementation.
C) is a simple method for generating as many ideas as possible in a short period of time.
D) is a process for reaching consensus.
E) is designed to help groups avoid or reduce the chance of groupthink.

Question 38

Careful planning of a meeting can prevent how much wasted time for each hour of a group's meeting?

A) 10 minutes
B) 15 minutes
C) 20 minutes
D) 25 minutes
E) 30 minutes

Question 39

Which group problem solving technique has two phases-idea generation and idea evaluation and voting?

A) Nominal Group Technique
B) Normal Group Technique
C) Decreasing Options Technique
D) Standard Agenda Technique
E) Group Norming Technique

Question 40

In a standard business meeting agenda, which of the following items should come after the chair has called the meeting to order?

A) review and approve the minutes and agenda
B) reports by officers and committees
C) unfinished business
D) new business
E) announcements

Question 41

Members from high-power-distance cultures probably expect or want

A) more structure and instructions from a leader.
B) less structure and instructions from a leader.
C) more nurturing from a leader.
D) less nurturing from a leader.
E) a closer relationship with a leader.

Question 42

The list of group research strategies includes assessing the group's current knowledge.

Question 43

Groupthink most often occurs in groups that are highly cohesive and whose members strictly conform to group norms.

Question 44

Randy Hirokawa believes, "The ability of a group to gather and retain a wide range of information is the single most important determinant of high-quality decision making."

Question 45

Voting works best when a group is too large to use any other decision-making method.

Question 46

The groupthink symptom of morality would be evident if one member said to another: "We're right. We've done this before and nothing's gone wrong."

Question 47

Voting is always the best and fairest way to make group decisions.

Question 48

"Should we move to a three-party system based on the latest poll results?" is a question of value.

Question 49

The groupthink symptom of morality would be evident if one member said to another: "What does she know? She only read the report and I doubt that she keeps track of the issues."

Question 50

Effectively motivating group members from different cultures can be difficult. Members from low-context cultures are motivated by

A) subtle, nonverbal acknowledgment from other group members.
B) competition and opportunities for leadership.
C) opportunities to work on multiple tasks with flexible deadlines.
D) recognizing members who follow instructions accurately and efficiently.
E) words of praise and tangible rewards.

Question 51

As difficult as it can be to make personal decisions, the challenge is multiplied many times over in a group.

Question 52

Dedication is one of the prerequisites for group decision making and problem solving.

Question 53

Decision making refers to the passing of judgment on an issue and the act of reaching a conclusion or making up your mind.

Question 54

"Do antibiotics cure the common cold?" is a question of fact.

Question 55

In a group setting, problem solving results in a position, opinion, judgment, conclusion, or action.

Question 56

The first and most important task for all decision-making and problem-solving groups is to make sure that everyone understands and supports the group's goal.

Question 57

A question of policy asks whether something will or will not happen.

Question 58

"What is the cause of the reduction in the value of crude oil?" is a question of conjecture.

Question 59

Effectively motivating group members from different cultures can be difficult. Members from high-power-distance cultures are motivated by

A) subtle, nonverbal acknowledgment from other group members.
B) competition and opportunities for leadership.
C) opportunities to work on multiple tasks with flexible deadlines.
D) recognition for following instructions accurately and efficiently.
E) words of praise and tangible rewards.

Question 60

The groupthink symptom of self-censorship would be evident if one member said to another: "Why are you holding us up on this issue?"

Question 61

The Nominal Group Technique doesn't work particularly well when individual judgments and expertise are valued.

Question 62

A group member who solicits advice and opinions from others before making a decision ("If you think it's okay, that's fine with me") probably uses an avoidance decision making style.

Question 63

Consensus is reached when at least twice as many group members vote for a proposal as against it.

Question 64

The Nominal Group Technique has two phases: an idea-generation phase and an evaluation/voting phase.

Question 65

The Decreased Options Technique (DOT) works best when a group must sort through a multitude of ideas and options.

Question 66

Thinking and Feeling are the two traits in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator that focus on how we make decisions.

Question 67

In terms of ethical group decision making, revealing the sources of information and evidence so everyone can evaluate them represents the social code responsibility.

Question 68

A group member who says "I can't explain why-it just feels like the right thing to do," probably uses a rational decision making style.

Question 69

A group member who feels uncomfortable making decisions probably uses an avoidant decision making style.

Question 70

The correct order of steps in the Decreased Options Technique (DOT) is to generate individual ideas, prioritize ideas, sort ideas, and post ideas for all to see.

Question 71

Brainstorming works best if the group knows what went wrong and how to fix it.

Question 72

To achieve group consensus, it is a good idea to change your mind to avoid conflict or to reach a quick decision.

Question 73

All group members should take notes during a brainstorming session.

Question 74

Consensus works best when group members trust one another and expect honesty, directness, and candor.

Question 75

In term of ethical group decision making, respecting established group norms represents the social code responsibility.

Question 76

Brainstorming should not be used if group members are very self-conscious and highly sensitive to implied criticism.

Question 77

False consensus occurs when group members refuse to give in to group pressures or external authority.

Question 78

Groups that pursue consensus accept the fact that disagreement and conflict are usually unavoidable.

Question 79

In a brainstorming session, quantity is more important than the quality of ideas.

Question 80

When using the Decreased Options Technique (DOT), group members are given a limited number of colored stickers to "dot" the most important ideas or options during the sort ideas step.