Deck 9: The Concepts of Groups

Question 1

Jose saw an ad that said he could make $25 if he tried a product,and then met others who tried the same product to give their opinions.Jose decided this was a great idea,so he called and hoped to get involved in this _____ group.

A)committee
B)work
C)focus
D)advertising

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Monique ran for student senate president,and she won.By senate law,the winner had to receive at least 50.1 percent of the vote.This is known as voting by _____.

A)consensus
B)majority
C)plurality
D)part-of-the-whole

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What is NOT a suggestion to prevent groupthink?

A)recognize the problem
B)seek information that challenges an emerging concurrence
C)verbally discuss every single issue the group faces
D)develop a norm in the group that legitimizes disagreement

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Generating ideas without evaluating them is a part of the group process referred to as _____.

A)1-3-6 decision-making technique
B)nominal group technique of decision making
C)brainstorming
D)2-4-6 decision-making technique

Question 5

Group storming is the period when _____.

A)conflict erupts
B)brainstorming occurs
C)groups come together
D)groups work together efficiently

Question 6

Conflict in a group appears during which of its stages?

A)norming
B)storming
C)conforming
D)performing

Question 7

The most recent board meeting of the International Listening Association took place through Skype®,a free program downloaded on to a computer that permits those in the contact list to have a voice-to-voice conversation over the computer.This type of meeting was a(n)_____ meeting.

A)part-of-the-whole
B)town hall
C)brainstorming
D)mediated

Question 8

Which is/are a sign of secondary group tension?

A)a sarcastic barb
B)hostile and antagonistic exchanges between members
C)an unexplained departure from the group norms
D)all of the above

Question 9

The textbook cites the poor decision-making strategies of the Kennedy administration's,which failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1961 as an example of _____.

A)groupthink
B)doublespeak
C)the risky shift phenomenon
D)brainstorming

Question 10

Group evolution can follow several stages.The rules by which the group will operate are developed in the _____ stage.

A)norming
B)storming
C)conforming
D)performing

Question 11

Power is typically held by how many persons in a group?

A)more than one person
B)at least two persons
C)five people
D)one person

Question 12

Groups like Parents Without Partners,Adult Children of Alcoholics,and P-Flag are best characterized as _____ groups.

A)study
B)work
C)support
D)committee

Question 13

In _____ voting,every member of the group must agree before it can be put into action.

A)part-of-the-whole
B)plurality
C)majority rule
D)consensus

Question 14

In a(n)_____ decision,the proposal with the most voters is adopted.This system is often used when more than two options are available.

A)plurality
B)majority
C)consensus
D)duality

Question 15

Once your group has worked through the storming stage and can go on and work together,the group has achieved group _____.

A)performing
B)conforming
C)adjourning
D)none of the above

Question 16

In general,members will feel a commitment to the group in the _____ stage.

A)norming
B)storming
C)conforming
D)performing

Question 17

Which is true about table configuration or shape as an important variable in group interaction?

A)The quality and amount of communication is less with a round configuration than with a rectangular table.
B)The quality and amount of communication is less with T-shaped or L-shaped seating arrangements than with rectangular arrangements.
C)People who do not want to participate usually select seats with the least interpersonal distance so they can maintain control of the situation.
D)In a classroom arranged in rows,students who participate the most tend to sit across the first two rows.

Question 18

Ming was elected as the student senator at her university.All senators' terms were for one year.She was shocked to discover that little work toward the senate's goals started until well after the third month.This is likely because _____.

A)the leadership was nondirective
B)the senate suffered from groupthink
C)working toward goals generally does not occur until the performing stage
D)in the first three months,elected groups must first work through risky-shift phenomenon

Question 19

The order of business for a meeting or discussion is called a(n)_____.

A)agenda
B)timetable
C)application
D)resume

Question 20

How should primary group tension be handled?

A)Get through the "meaningless stuff" quickly and immediately focus on the task.
B)Be concerned about it and force a discussion about it.
C)Let it take its natural course.
D)If you do not address it directly,it should go away on its own.

Question 21

In U.S.industry,the most prevalent type of group is the _____.

A)committee
B)focus group
C)work team
D)support group

Question 22

Focus groups are typically randomly selected by organizations wishing to test a product or service.

Question 23

One of the advantages to groups is that people are willing to take more risk.

Question 24

One of the major causes of groupthink is pressure for members to conform.

Question 25

What risk do persons who are not the boss run when seated at the "head" seats at either end of a rectangular table?

A)They risk being ignored.
B)They risk not having a chance to speak.
C)They risk signaling to the boss that they believe they should be in charge,thus creating tension with the boss.
D)There is no risk in this position as it is one of established authority.

Question 26

Work teams improve employee morale if all members of the team want to be there.

Question 27

The town meeting format,in which a prepared statement setting out the parameters of the meeting is followed by a forum discussion between the speaker and audience,has a long history in the United States.

Question 28

Within group,norming procedures that should be determined include all of the following EXCEPT _____.

A)planning an agenda
B)selecting members
C)handling routine housekeeping details
D)preparing for the next meeting

Question 29

In general,a committee has the right to make and enact a decision.

Question 30

A group differs from a collection of individuals in that a group has a goal.

Question 31

A family is an assemblage of people that are blood related and do not have to be legally defined.

Question 32

Study groups are difficult to organize and be productive.What is a basic principle to follow when working in study groups?

A)limit the group to participants that will help the learning process
B)meet at least two times a week
C)spend the first part of the meeting gossiping to become better acquainted
D)designate a leader to lead all the meetings

Question 33

When conflict erupts in a group,the group enters a period of primary group tension.

Question 34

To avoid secondary group tension,an agenda should be strictly followed.

Question 35

The student senate was voting on whether student funds should be used for the new recycling effort on campus.The vote was six yes,three no,and two abstain.The motion passed because the _____ method of voting was in effect.

A)consensus
B)majority
C)plurality
D)part-of-the-whole

Question 36

Anne was just hired as a soccer coach at the local high school.As the preseason practices went on,she could see five phases her soccer players went through in becoming a team.Which is the correct order?

A)storming,adjourning,norming,performing,and conforming
B)norming,conforming,storming,performing,and adjourning
C)norming,storming,conforming,performing,and adjourning
D)storming,conforming,norming,performing,and adjourning

Question 37

A decision made by a group after conducting a discussion is less conservative and has more risk than one made individually.This theory is known as the risky shift phenomena.

Question 38

Recognition of the importance of work teams is based on the success of Japanese and Swedish practices.

Question 39

The greatest advantage of groups is that they often get the job done faster than individuals working alone do.

Question 40

The 1-3-6 Decision-Making Technique allows for more ideas from all individuals while avoiding most criticisms and destructive comments.

Question 41

Analyze a group you have belonged to by recounting the step-by-step stages it went through.Use examples to explain each of the steps.Using what you know now about groups,explain where and how you could have intervened to make the group more effective.

Question 42

Compare and contrast the Six-Step Standard Agenda and the 1-3-6 method of decision making.

Question 43

Assume you are organizing a study group for students interested in taking the Young Business Professionals' Certification Examination at the end of this semester.Cite and explain three rules you would require that all members agree to follow.Also,explain how you would gain commitment for the rules and what the consequences for not following them would be.

Question 44

Choose a national/international conflict the world is experiencing today.Apply the Six-Step Standard Agenda to the issue and explain how an organization like the United Nations might benefit from it.

Question 45

Group projects are a popular way for college professors to assign work.In theory,they have to give students experience with working in groups,as they will be performing group work for the rest of their lives.However,students often dislike group work assignments.Using the concepts from the textbook,identify three problems with group work assignments and provide a solution for each that will be fair to each student,but still involve group work.

Question 46

If the boss sits in the middle of one side of a rectangular table,and you want to be perceived as confident and important,then it is best to sit at one of the ends of the table.

Question 47

Identify three advantages and three disadvantages of groups as discussed in the textbook.

Question 48

What is a "hot group"? Identify three conditions needed for their formation and success.

Question 49

What is groupthink? What factors contribute to its formation? Give an example of groupthink from history.

Question 50

Identify the difference between primary group tension and secondary group tension,and give specific examples of where you have seen it in a group.

Question 51

Derrick,the president of the student senate,is in charge of running the board meeting where several new marketing campaigns will be proposed.He is not sure which voting method to use.Explain to Derrick the benefits and drawbacks to each of the following methods:
(a)Majority vote
(b)Consensus
(c)Plurality
(d)Part-of-the-whole voting