Deck 10: The Anatomy of Small Groups

Question 1

Joshua, a member of your dorm council, has been a very disruptive group member- speaking out of turn, dominating discussions, making inappropriate remarks, and quarreling with other council members. What steps should be taken to deal effectively with Joshua?

A) Confront Joshua about his disruptive behavior after the council meeting.
B) Expel Joshua from the council.
C) Continue to allow Joshua to dominate conversation so that he will run out of steam.
D) Challenge Joshua on every point he makes so that he will realize that he can't bully the council.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Sarah is a devil's advocate. During group discussions she

A) attempts to convert group members to a pet cause or viewpoint
B) tries to motivate the group to be productive
C) monopolizes discussion and prevents others from expressing their points of view
D) gently challenges prevailing viewpoints in a group to test and evaluate their strength

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is not a valid conclusion based on research about the situational perspective on leadership effectiveness?

A) No single style of leadership will be effective in all situations.
B) When the readiness level of followers is low, the participating and delegating styles are most appropriate.
C) Using the telling style with an able and talented worker will seem like micromanaging and is likely to produce resentment.
D) When the readiness level of followers is high, the participating and delegating styles are most appropriate.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Communication competence and leadership effectiveness interrelate in which of the following ways?

A) The We-Not Me orientation of the communication competence model is crucial for leadership effectiveness.
B) The most effective leaders are those who put aside their ego needs in favor of the group's goal.
C) Effective leaders try to empower group members and try not to stand out as dominant and deserving of adoration.
D) all of the above

Question 5

Which of the following is not an informal type of roles in small groups?

A) disruptive roles
B) explicit roles
C) maintenance roles
D) task roles

Question 6

Pete plays the harmonizer-tension reliever role during group discussion on an issue that provokes strong disagreement among members. As a harmonizer-tension reliever, Pete

A) engages in horseplay and diverts attention from the group task
B) clarifies ideas for the group
C) maintains the peace; uses gentle humor
D) gently challenges prevailing points of view in the group

Question 7

A group

A) is composed of no fewer than three individuals
B) is still a group even if members are primarily interested in individual accomplishment while in the group
C) has no common purpose
D) cannot be successful in a highly individualist culture

Question 8

You have just joined the "Parents Without Partners" support group. Because it is a typical support group, you can expect to experience

A) the prevention form of power
B) the dominance form of power
C) empowerment
D) negative synergy

Question 9

Social loafing is

A) negative synergy
B) the tendency of team members to reduce their work effort
C) primarily a male behavior; few females exhibit it
D) more common in collectivist cultures

Question 10

The class clown is unable to be serious even when it is necessary for the class to function. This behavior can best be described as

A) an informal role
B) role fixation
C) a task role
D) a maintenance role

Question 11

Which of the following are unlikely to emerge as leaders of a small group?

A) quiet members
B) vocal members
C) bossy members
D) all of the above

Question 12

Women and minorities can improve their chances of emerging as leaders of groups in which of the following ways?

A) Emphasize task-relevant communication.
B) Be the first to speak on discussion issues.
C) Become a skillful communicator.
D) all of the above

Question 13

Social loafing

A) increases as the size of a group becomes smaller
B) increases as the size of a group becomes larger
C) is more common in high-power-distance cultures
D) all of the above

Question 14

The following are determinants of likely group success:

A) group size
B) cohesiveness
C) diversity of experiences
D) all of the above

Question 15

All of Jim's friends show up for dinner at 5:30 even though the dining hall is open until 7:30. This is an example of

A) an explicit norm
B) an implicit norm
C) formal roles
D) none of the above

Question 16

Paul is always the first one to object to any group proposal. Paul is most likely

A) an information seeker
B) a clarifier
C) a devil's advocate
D) an energizer

Question 17

John consistently expands on the ideas of other members of the group, but he rarely offers ideas of his own. He is most likely the

A) information seeker
B) elaborator
C) energizer
D) information giver

Question 18

Which of the following is considered a maintenance role in a group?

A) gatekeeper
B) clown
C) energizer
D) devil's advocate

Question 19

Certain people make great leaders.

Question 20

People standing in a checkout line at the supermarket meet the definition of a group.

Question 21

Most small groups can identify what they want/need in a leader.

Question 22

High-power-distance cultures tend to expect and prefer the directive leadership style.

Question 23

All groups have norms, especially if they are longstanding groups.

Question 24

Leader emergence in small groups is a process of elimination. Group members know what they don't want in a leader but are less certain what they do want.

Question 25

Groups expect more from leaders who are assigned than from those that emerge naturally.

Question 26

A leader sets the emotional tone of the group.

Question 27

"Group Genius" can help to overcome a lack of knowledge.

Question 28

The group process results in positive synergy, which leads to the group's producing greater results than the separate individuals could.

Question 29

Groups of six or more tend to have less success than smaller groups.

Question 30

Formal roles identify functions, not positions.

Question 31

Groups improve decision making.