Deck 5: Cohesion and Development

Question 1

Summarize the methods and findings of Aronson and Mill's study of initiation.

Answer 1

Answers Will Vary

Question 2

Drawing on meta-analytic findings,explain the causal relationships between cohesion and performance in task-focused groups over time.

Answer 2

Answers Will Vary

Question 3

Apply the multi-component concept of cohesion to these three types of groups: a group of friends,a family,and a sports team.

Answer 3

Answers Will Vary

Question 4

Compare these five bases of cohesion: social cohesion,task cohesion,collective,emotional,and structural cohesion.

Question 5

Trace the development of a group you once belonged to (for example,a class you took last semester).Make note of the extent to which the group experienced each stage described by Tuckman.Which of the two theories of group development-Tuckman's stage model or Bale's equilibrium model-best describes your group?

Question 6

Summarize Tuckman's five-stage model of group development,naming and giving an example of each stage he identifies.

Question 7

Use the theory of cognitive dissonance to explain why members of a group may support a leader even after the leader has made a series of serious errors.

Question 8

Compare the concept of cohesion to the concept of entitativity.

Question 9

How did Herb Brooks increase the cohesiveness of the U.S.Olympic Hockey Team?

Question 10

Compare and contrast successive-stage theories of group development and cyclical models of development.

Question 11

Describe and give examples of observational and self-report methods for measuring group cohesion.

Question 12

Why do many military groups spend time marching in formation?

Question 13

Critique the use of hazing to increase the cohesion of fraternities and sororities on college campuses (using research evidence).

Question 14

The group you are leading seems apathetic,and members do not work well together.What methods could you use to increase their cohesiveness?

Question 15

Summarize the methods used and findings obtained by the Sherifs in their study of cohesion in small groups of boys at a summer camp.

Question 16

What is the difference between interpersonal attraction and cohesion?

Question 17

What is group cohesion?

Question 18

Explain why you agree with or disagree with the following statement: "Conflict is destructive to groups and should be avoided if possible."

Question 19

You are about to do a study of the relationship between team performance and team cohesiveness with soccer teams.Describe your predictions and the methods you plan to use.

Question 20

What are consequences (positive and negative)of working in cohesive groups?

Question 21

Collective efficacy is not just optimism,but members' shared belief that the group is capable of effectively enacting the activities necessary for successful performance.

Question 22

The core stages of Tuckman's model of group development are (in order): forming,storming,norming,performing,and adjourning.

Question 23

In general,cohesive groups outperform groups without cohesion.

Question 24

Increases in attraction between individual members tends to lower the group's overall social cohesion.

Question 25

Relational cohesion theory,like cognitive dissonance theory,argues that people tend to become more committed to their groups when the group causes members to experience negative,rather than positive,emotions.

Question 26

Social identity theory suggests that even large groups,such as ethnic groups and nationalities,can be cohesive.

Question 27

The successive stage theory states that groups repeatedly cycle through the stages of development as the group matures.

Question 28

A group's cohesion derives from one primary source: interpersonal attraction.

Question 29

According to the punctuated equilibrium model of group development,groups change gradually over time as they move through stages of orientation,conflict,structuration,and productivity.

Question 30

Cohesion,properly defined,is the attraction that takes place between individuals and does not entail attraction to the group.

Question 31

Group rituals,such as marching together,increase team work but lower overall group cohesion.

Question 32

If a group is to succeed,it is important that it does not enter a stage of conflict.

Question 33

Cohesiveness is such a complex concept that it cannot be defined.

Question 34

Cognitive dissonance is an adverse psychological state that occurs when an individual simultaneously holds two conflicting cognitions.

Question 35

Although performance can create a small level of cohesion,high cohesion is what causes higher levels of performance,not vice versa.

Question 36

Tentative communication and concern for ambiguity typify the orientation level of group development.

Question 37

Groups perform more effectively early in their development rather than later,since motivation to work wanes over time.

Question 38

Equifinality,in systems theory,is the potential to reach a given end state through any one of number of means.

Question 39

Open groups tend to be more cohesive than closed groups.

Question 40

If hazing increases an individual's investment in the group,it can increase loyalty to the group.

Question 41

The group is high in ___ cohesion,for all the members are personally committed to doing their part to help the group reach its goals.

A)attraction
B)social
C)collective
D)task
E)associative

Question 42

A multicomponent approach to cohesion assumes

A)cohesion is based primarily on interpersonal attraction.
B)there is no single sufficient condition that,when present,will generate group cohesion.
C)the concept of cohesion is,itself,not cohesive.
D)a group where members no longer feel emotionally connected to one another but are still proud to be members does not qualify as being cohesive.
E)a highly productive group marked by high levels of integrated teamwork but where members dislike each other does not qualify as being cohesive.

Question 43

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Most researchers currently agree that cohesion refers to attraction to the group,not attraction to individual members.
B)Increases in attraction to the group as a whole increases a group's cohesion,but increases to specific individuals in the group lowers a group's cohesion.
C)Social cohesion is multileveled: it includes attraction to individuals and attraction to the group as a whole.
D)Only relatively small groups (fewer than 50 members)can develop the strength of association among members to become cohesive.

Question 44

Thomas believes that a group is cohesive when it is marked by strong positive bonds of affection between members of a group.Thomas considers cohesion to be

A)a multidimensional construct.
B)group unity.
C)entitativity.
D)teamwork.
E)a form of attraction.

Question 45

Which of the following fits least well with the others?

A)collective effervescence
B)morale
C)esprit de corps
D)positive affective tone
E)collective efficacy

Question 46

Which of the following statements is true?

A)A group that is confident is high in collective efficacy.
B)Cohesion is based on attraction,and is separate and distinct from the group's level of coordination and goal-orientation.
C)Because task cohesion requires modification of individual tendencies,increases in task cohesion tend to reduce the level of social cohesiveness of the group.
D)Collective efficacy is a group's shared belief that it can successfully execute the actions required to be successful.
E)All the statements listed are true.

Question 47

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Emotions are psychological states,and so groups cannot be said to have emotional reactions.
B)Collective rituals,such as marching,increase teamwork but minimize the group's collective emotions.
C)The more members identify with the group,the more likely they will adopt and display the group's collective affective state.
D)Groups can experience emotions collectively so long as all the members of the group can personally experience the event that triggered the emotional reaction.
E)Collective emotions,unlike other shared beliefs,can be experienced by only one or two of the members of a group.

Question 48

Coach Brooks wanted to build the team's collective cohesion,so he:

A)cut players who caused friction and conflict from the group.
B)organized the group carefully to promote its overall stability.
C)worked to build the group into an "us" and a "we."
D)bolstered the morale of the group.
E)made certain all were united in the pursuit of the same goal.

Question 49

Collective cohesion is to ___ as structural cohesion is to ___.

A)attraction;goals
B)unity;affect
C)belonging;membership
D)unity;stability
E)motivation;efficacy

Question 50

What was the one characteristic of the U.S.Hockey Team that contributed the most to their win over the Russians?

A)training
B)cohesiveness
C)skill
D)youth
E)morale

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Entitativity and cohesion are basically the same thing.
B)As individual's social identity increases,the overall cohesiveness of the group decreases.
C)Evidence indicates that individuals who sacrifice their lives for their group may be experiencing identity fusion (the individual identity is fused with the collective).
D)All the listed statements are true.

Question 52

For a group to have high collective efficacy

A)the leader must feel that the group is capable of success.
B)group members must feel they can do what it takes to succeed.
C)members must be confident.
D)members must work well together.

Question 53

The systems theory concept of equifinality suggests

A)cohesion cannot be defined.
B)cohesion influences outcome,but not process.
C)cohesion is influenced by a recursive feedback process.
D)a group's cohesion can be traced back to one or more causes.
E)a group is more than the sum of its parts.

Question 54

Who defined group cohesion as "the total field of forces which act on members to remain in the group"?

A)Leon Festinger and his colleagues
B)Michael Hogg
C)Bruce W.Tuckman
D)Coach Paul ("Bear")Bryant
E)Coach Herb Brooks

Question 55

Which of the following is most closely associated with task cohesion?

A)social attraction
B)esprit de corps
C)entitativity
D)commitment
E)collective efficacy

Question 56

According to the Sherifs' studies of cohesion conducted with young boys attending summer camps

A)Liking between individual members causes cohesion,rather than cohesion causing liking between members.
B)Groups that engage in positive,enjoyable activities tend to become cohesive.
C)A group,to become cohesion,must sometimes ostracize the least-liked members.
D)Highly stratified groups are more cohesive than groups with reciprocal,overlapping attraction patterns.
E)The presence of subgroups,or cliques,within a group tends to increase the group's overall cohesiveness.

Question 57

Relational cohesion theory argues that

A)groups working on tasks that require behavioral synchrony ("jointness")tend to become more cohesive over time.
B)cohesion results from shared commitment to goals.
C)attraction between members is a more important determinant of cohesion than is coordination of members' efforts.
D)cohesion is the result of strong,positive relationships among members.

Question 58

The group is high in ___ cohesion,for it gives members a feeling of belongingness,"weness," and inclusion.

A)attraction
B)social
C)collective
D)task
E)associative

Question 59

Liking for the group is ___ cohesion,whereas high levels of goal-focused team work is ___ cohesion.

A)emotional;team
B)social;structural
C)social;task
D)attraction;performing
E)personal attraction;social attraction

Question 60

Which one illustrates the multilevel nature of cohesion?

A)A group where members no longer feel emotionally connected to one another does not qualify as being cohesive.
B)A highly productive group marked by low levels of integrated teamwork does not qualify as being cohesive.
C)Cohesion is based on attraction and teamwork.
D)Frank may feel that the group is a cohesive one,but his teammate Ed may not.
E)The members of a cohesive group like each other as individuals,but they also express liking for the group as a whole.

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT a currently accepted component of a multilevel conception of cohesion?

A)Cohesion is attraction to the group.
B)Cohesion is group unity.
C)Cohesion is teamwork.
D)Cohesion is positive affective tone.
E)Cohesion is strength of group mind.

Question 62

The stages in Tuckman's group development model are,in order,

A)storming,forming,norming,conforming,adjourning.
B)forming,storming,norming,performing,adjourning.
C)forming,norming,storming,performing,adjourning.
D)forming,storming,conforming,performing,adjourning.
E)storming,norming,conforming,reforming,adjourning.

Question 63

A police task force working to reduce violent crime lacked cohesion initially,and even spent several months embroiled in conflict.Gradually,it became better organized and more effective.Members worked together well for several years,then the group disbanded.The task force's development is consistent with a ___ model.

A)hierarchical phase
B)successive-stage
C)cyclical
D)balance
E)punctuated equilibrium

Question 64

___ groups tend to be more cohesive than ___ groups.

A)Larger;smaller
B)Closed;open
C)Disorganized;structured
D)Stratified;nonhierarchical
E)Social;task-focused

Question 65

Which statement describes a group at the orientation,or forming,stage of development?

A)Members tend to go along with whatever the leader suggests.
B)Members challenge the leader's ideas.
C)Members rely on each other.
D)The group encourages high performance and quality work.
E)The members identify duties and responsibilities.

Question 66

The U.S.Hockey team,when it played the Russians,was likely at the ___ stage of development.

A)forming
B)storming
C)adjourning
D)norming
E)performing

Question 67

The Strikers,a soccer team,goes through periods where members play well and show great unity,but between these phases they tend to experience periods of internal conflict.The Striker's development is consistent with a ___ model.

A)hierarchical phase
B)successive-stage
C)cyclical
D)balance
E)punctuated equilibrium

Question 68

When you are traveling by plane,what stage would you like your cockpit crew to have attained?

A)storming
B)reforming
C)norming
D)performing
E)adjourning

Question 69

People in a group are nervous,very quiet,and overly polite because they have only just met one another.The group is

A)not yet officially a group.
B)experiencing conflict.
C)in the forming,or orientation,stage.
D)in the task-performance stage.
E)in the individual-collective stage.

Question 70

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Cohesive groups tend to be less structured in comparison to non-cohesive groups.
B)Certain types of group structures are associated with higher levels of cohesiveness.
C)Groups with highly unified subgroups tend to be more cohesive than groups without subgroups.
D)Stratified groups tend to be more cohesive than groups with extended and mutual ties among all members.

Question 71

Group structures,like roles and authority hierarchies,develop during the ____ stage.

A)forming
B)storming
C)adjourning
D)norming
E)performing

Question 72

A campus group that was trying to prevent hazing discussed its options for several years.However,when a student died from hazing,the group became more unified and productive,and eventually it changed the campus's attitude toward hazing.The task force's development is MOST consistent with a ___ model.

A)hierarchical phase
B)successive-stage
C)cyclical
D)balance
E)punctuated equilibrium

Question 73

Several experts who study group development believe that

A)conflict is destructive to groups and should be avoided if possible.
B)conflict usually only yields positive effects.
C)conflict is a normal and necessary part of group interaction.
D)groups must learn to avoid conflict.

Question 74

____ is greater in noncohesive groups than in cohesive groups.

A)Intermember attraction
B)Intermember cooperation
C)Acceptance of deviancy
D)Conformity pressure

Question 75

Cohesiveness can be measured by

A)observing how well teams work together.
B)noting how frequently people use plural rather than singular pronouns.
C)sociometry.
D)using self-report scales such as the Group Attitude Scale.
E)using any of the methods listed here.

Question 76

Which is one of the stages of development identified by Tuckman?

A)forming
B)conforming
C)reforming
D)de-forming

Question 77

Elizabeth measures how groups change and evolve over time.She studies

A)group development.
B)cognitive dissonance.
C)group cohesion.
D)group synergy.

Question 78

Which of the following is NOT one of the stages identified by Tuckman in his theory of group development?

A)storming
B)reforming
C)norming
D)performing
E)adjourning

Question 79

Conflict is to the ____ stage as increased cohesion is to the ____ stage.

A)storming;norming
B)trouble;conforming
C)disorientated;orientation
D)storming;conforming
E)stress;relaxation

Question 80

Bales' equilibrium model (which argues that,over time,the group oscillates between task and interpersonal concerns)is an example of a ___ model.

A)hierarchical phase
B)successive-stage
C)cyclical
D)balance
E)punctuated equilibrium