Deck 8: Conflict in Teams

Question 1

Which of the following statements is TRUE about minorities in teams?

A) When minorities in a group express a differing opinion, the minority's opinion distracts the group in a negative way.
B) Groups who have been exposed to the minority dissenting opinion search for less information on an issue.
C) People exposed to minority opinions experience a decrease in their level of integrative thought.
D) When minorities in a group express a differing opinion, the general level of cognitive activity in the group increases, and group members engage in more message scrutiny.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Greater amounts of relationship conflict in a team are associated with lower levels of __________, and negatively associated with __________.

A) social loafing; team power
B) performance; team effectiveness
C) education; cognitive functioning
D) compliance; financial stability

Answer 2

B

Question 3

With regard to conflict in different cultures, which of the following is NOT true?

A) Language barriers in multicultural teams increase the likelihood of relationship conflict.
B) Americans and East Asians believe in addressing task conflict proactively.
C) East Asians are more likely than Americans to join a talented group that is known to have high-relationship conflict.
D) Americans are more likely than East Asians to join a talented group that is known to have high-relationship conflict.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

An example of a rights-based argument is __________; an example of a power-based approach is __________.

A) arguing about the terms of a contract; making a threat
B) making a threat; arguing the terms of a contract
C) focusing on interests; making a threat
D) arguing about the terms of a contract; arguing about precedent

Question 5

Relationship conflict is best described as conflict about:

A) tasks and the work to be done.
B) procedures, processes, and how the work should be done.
C) personalities, often involving anger and ego clashes.
D) ideology, philosophy, and fundamental belief systems.

Question 6

A team that has a large representational gap has:

A) success in enticing other team members to adopt their position.
B) a majority of members who privately agree with the minority.
C) disagreements about how to approach a task and who should do what.
D) inconsistent views and mental models about the definitions of the team's problem or task.

Question 7

__________ centers on disagreements that team members have about how to approach a task and who should do what.

A) Proportional conflict
B) Task conflict
C) Perceptual conflict
D) Process conflict

Question 8

__________ is the term used to describe a person's change in attitude and behavior as a result of their own thinking about a subject, and is more stable than an attitude change induced by peer pressure.

A) Direct influence
B) Interest-based approach
C) Compliance
D) Conversion

Question 9

Wageman and Donnenfeld's model of conflict resolution focuses on: team re)Design, task process coaching, conflict process coaching, and membership change. All of the following are true with regard to Wageman and Donnenfeld's conflict intervention model EXCEPT:

A) Of all four factors, team re)Design has the biggest impact on conflict resolution.
B) After the team has been well designed, the team leader should coach the team.
C) Changing members of the team will have its greatest impact only after the team design and team processes are addressed.
D) The team goal or shared vision should only be developed after the leader has coached about conflict.

Question 10

Which of the following is the best example of a task-content conflict?

A) Lori and Ted spend 20 minutes arguing over who will ship boxes to an event location.
B) Bob and Margie have a difficult time agreeing on how to allocate the scope of work to their different team members.
C) Amanda and Tammy disagree on the sequence of steps to complete a task.
D) Heather and Phyllis disagree about what the ultimate goal of their task-force should be.

Question 11

When people change their attitudes as a result of direct influence or pressure, this is referred to as:

A) the sleeper effect.
B) team power.
C) conversion.
D) compliance.

Question 12

Task conflict is best described as:

A) tasks and the work to be done.
B) procedures, processes, and how the work should be done.
C) personalities, often involving anger and ego clashes.
D) ideology, philosophy, and fundamental belief systems.

Question 13

In regard to the different methods that teams can take to approach conflict, what would be a good example of a collaborative, interest-based response?

A) "Larry, I've sensed that this is of great concern. While I'm not sure anything can change, we welcome your own views on this proposal. I think it is important that we all have a chance to understand your point of view."
B) "Look, Larry, you agreed to cover that part of the project when we first took on the challenge four years ago. As a matter of fact, I believe that I have an e-mail from you indicating you would agree to do that part of the work."
C) "I think you are completely out of line, Larry. I don't think that discussing unrealistic and selfish goals is a good use of our team time. I am ready to hear your solutions, but only on the condition that you start working with us as a team."
D) "Larry, due to issues this conflict has caused, we're going to have to let you go."

Question 14

Of the two ways which majorities and minorities influence their teams, which of the following is the best example of indirect influence?

A) Sarah convinces Holly and Sue to adopt her position on their team project.
B) Holly changes her behavior due to Sarah's influence.
C) Even though Sarah has convinced two members of the team to agree with her views, seven of the ten team members privately agree with Bob's minority viewpoint.
D) Sarah talks to Carl to try and convince him to understand and agree with her viewpoints on the project. Carl doesn't agree right away, but after thinking about it for a week, he decides that Sarah's view is best.

Question 15

Team members high in motivation to acquire relationship-threatening information, or "MARTI":

A) make more sinister attributions about their coworkers behaviors and intentions.
B) are more likely to include prospective group members in joining their group.
C) plan to accept newcomers to their group.
D) have lower levels of relationship conflict.

Question 16

Tom and Tim are in a five-person team. Tim perceives that the team's recent arguments pertain to team tasks. Tom does not detect such overtones of conflict in task discussions. The fact that they don't see conflict in the same way is an example of __________ conflict.

A) perceptual
B) process
C) task
D) proportional

Question 17

People who persist in the face of hardships and ridicule are viewed as particularly sincere, confident, and courageous, given that they are willing to risk social censure. The reason why harassed minorities are viewed in this positive way is known as the __________.

A) sleeper effect
B) indirect influence
C) courage hypothesis
D) norms of fairness

Question 18

How does "minority influence" benefit a team?

A) Statistical minorities simulate greater thought about issues.
B) Statistical minorities increase convergent thinking skills in a team.
C) Statistical minorities are effective in decreasing divergent thinking in a team.
D) Statistical minorities who are not harassed by the majority are more likely to be perceived as courageous.

Question 19

Using the managerial grid model, low concern for the self, coupled with high concern for the other party, would lead to:

A) collaboration.
B) competition.
C) compromise.
D) accommodation.

Question 20

According to the "Managerial Grid," concern for self and concern for the other person determines the conflict approach one uses. High concern for the self, coupled with high concern for the other party, would lead to:

A) collaboration.
B) competition.
C) avoidance.
D) compromise.

Question 21

John's team has contributed less work to the company project than Jay's team, who has done the lion's share of the work. When it is time to allocate budgets for the next phase of the project, what form of resource allocation would John's team prefer and Jay's team prefer?

A) Need; Equality
B) Equality; Equity
C) Equity; Need
D) Equity; Equality

Question 22

Members of teams who regard their organization to be market-focused tend to gather information about __________. Conversely, employees who regard their organization as bureaucratic tend to be most interested in gathering information on __________.

A) how they are treated by authority figures; reward allocation
B) reward allocation; how they are treated by authority figures
C) delegation of duties; who gets credit for success
D) who gets credit for success; delegation of duties

Question 23

The three most popular norms of fairness are: equality, also known as __________; equity, also known as __________; and needs also known as __________.

A) contribution-based justice; blind-justice; welfare-based justice
B) blind justice; contribution-based justice; welfare-based justice
C) welfare-based justice; contribution-based justice; blind justice
D) blind justice; welfare-based justice; contribution-based justice