Ch09 Managing Conflicts of Interest.docx

Group Theory and Group Skills Exams Chapter 9: Managing Conflicts of Interest 1. When you desire something it is a a. Want b. Need c. Interest d. None of the above 2. When something is necessary for your survival, it is a a. Want b. Need c. Interest d. None of the above 3. The potential benefit we will gain by achieving our goals is a a. Want b. Need c. Interest d. None of the above 4. Roger is trying for a promotion. The pay increase he will receive represents a a. Want b. Need c. Interest d. None of the above 5. Helen sees a dress that she really loves. That dress represents a a. Want b. Need c. Interest d. None of the above 6. David has not eaten in several days. For him, food represents a a. Want b. Need c. Interest d. None of the above 7. Which is NOT something a conflict of interest is based on? a. Differences in wants, needs, goals, and values b. Scarcities of resources such as power or influence c. Rivalry d. Incompatible ideas 8. Conflicts are constructive to the extent that they a. Result in everyone’s best interest b. Strengthen relationships c. Allow the stronger party to win d. a and b e. All of the above 9. Bob is spreading false rumors about Frank. That is an example of a. Direct aggression b. Indirect aggression c. Emotional aggression d. Instrumental aggression 10. Debi and Rob have a disagreement that leads to a fist fight. This is an example of a. Direct aggression b. Indirect aggression c. Emotional aggression d. Instrumental aggression 11. In a conflict of interest, how you behave depends on a. How important your goals are to you b. How important the relationship is to you c. How important your job is to you d. a and b e. All of the above 12. When a relationship is more important than the goals, a person would use which conflict management strategy? a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations e. Forcing 13. When the goal is more important than relationships, a person would use which conflict management strategy? a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations e. Forcing 14. When both the goal and relationship is important, a person would use which conflict management strategy? a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations e. Forcing (shark) 15. When neither the goal nor the relationship is important, a person would use which conflict management strategy? a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations e. Forcing 16. Compromise usually occurs instead of problem-solving negotiation when a. No one wants to discuss the issue any longer b. Time is in short supply c. Bonus points are given for compromise d. None of the above 17. To be competent in managing conflicts a. Do whatever feels like the natural thing to do b. Learn to always use problem-solving negotiation c. Learn to do all five strategies d. Learn to avoid conflict 18. A telephone salesman tries to sell Janet some vitamins. When he refuses to take “no” for an answer, she hangs up on him. This is an example of a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations e. Forcing 19. Linda really wants a horse farm. David is not enthusiastic about the idea but he buys it for her anyway. This is an example of a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations e. Forcing 20. Which of the following strategies can be enacted by one person alone? a. Compromising b. Withdrawing c. Smoothing d. Problem-solving negotiations 21. When you use one strategy, it makes the others a. Less possible b. More possible c. Not possible d. They are equally possible 22. Les is running for public office and must maintain a congenial public image. Her avoidance of conflict is due to a. An internal barrier b. An external barrier c. A triggering barrier d. Fear of aggression 23. Maintaining the relationship in the future becomes important when interactions between the two of you are a. Durable and frequent b. Powerful and perceptive c. Conflicted and mediated d. Short-term and intense 24. If the time and place is NOT right for dealing with a conflict, it can be avoided by a. Decreasing barriers and removing triggering events b. Increasing barriers and strengthening triggering events c. Decreasing barriers and strengthening triggering events d. Increasing barriers and removing triggering events 25. When conflicts arise, you must a. Weigh short term gains against potential long term losses b. Weigh who will win and lose if a settlement is reached c. Try problem-solving negotiation first d. Withdraw until you have decided which strategy to use 26. When controlling the occurrence of a conflict you must consider a. The entry state of the disputants b. The exit state of the disputants c. The presence of the disputants d. Who is right and who is wrong 27. Edye complains to Buddy that she doesn’t have enough closet space. He finally agrees to let her have part of his closet space. That is an example of a. An entry state issue b. An integrative issue c. A distributive issue d. A family issue 28. When people with shared and opposed interests attempt to come to agreement, that is a. Mediation b. Negotiation c. Arbitration d. Conflict Prevention 29. Which types of interdependences are inherent in any negotiation? a. Participation interdependence b. Outcome interdependence c. Information interdependence d. Materials interdependence e. a, b, and c f. a, c, and d 30. When a negotiator is worried about whether to believe the other, that is a a. Dilemma of honesty b. Dilemma of trust c. Norm of reciprocity d. Norm of equity 31. When negotiators feel that they should return the same benefit or harm to the other, they are feeling the a. Dilemma of honesty b. Dilemma of trust c. Norm of reciprocity d. Norm of equity 32. When considering a goal dilemma, negotiators much consider how to a. Reach an agreement favorable to self and agreeable to other b. Reach an agreement favorable to self and not to the other c. Reach an agreement in the time available d. Manage conflicting offers from the other side 33. In distributive negotiation, the goal is to a. Maximize outcomes for both you and the other b. Minimize outcomes for both you and the other c. Maximize your outcomes while minimizing the other’s d. Minimize your outcomes while maximizing the other’s 34. Which action is NOT helpful in distributive negotiation? a. Making an extremely low opening offer b. Compromising slowly c. Using threats, promises, and arguments d. Negotiating until agreement is reached 35. When power among negotiators is unequal a. The low power person tends to distrust the high power person b. The high power person tends to distrust the low power person c. The low power person tends to underestimate the high power person d. The high power person tends to overestimate the low power person 36. The biggest problem with winning the distributive negotiation is a. The winner is likely to celebrate in front of the lower b. The loser is apt to vent anger in front of the winner c. There is damage to the interpersonal relationship d. There is difficulty in enforcing the agreement 37. In integrative negotiation, the goal is to a. Maximize outcomes for both you and the other b. Minimize outcomes for both you and the other c. Maximize your outcomes while minimizing the other’s d. Minimize your outcomes while maximizing the other’s 38. In the one-step negotiation a. Whoever has the greatest need gets his or her way b. Whoever has the greatest power gets his or her way c. Whoever has the least power gets his or her way d. Whoever is the most insistent gets his or her way 39. Which is NOT helpful in integrative negotiating? a. Describing what you want b. Being aggressive in stating your wants c. Listening to and paraphrasing what the other person wants d. Describing your feelings 40. To clearly describe your wants, you should a. Make personal statements b. Be specific c. Focus on the long-term relationship d. a and b e. All of the above 41. Attempting to get the other person to agree to your position is most likely to result in a. Acceptance of your position b. Understanding of your position c. Rejection of your position d. It has no effect 42. Which is NOT a benefit of paraphrasing? a. It gives the other person feedback on how well you understood them b. It shows that you care enough to listen c. It helps you in judging and evaluating d. It helps you see the message from the sender’s perspective 43. Constructive acts toward another do not yield exceptionally positive consequences; destructive acts a. Are also not exceptional in the damage to relationships b. Are moderately detrimental to relationships c. Are exceptionally detrimental to relationships d. Are impossible to overcome 44. In fundamental attribution error, you attribute the causes of the opponent’s behavior to a. Situational factors b. Psychological states c. Greed d. Desire to win e. All of the above 45. It is helpful to define the conflict as a. A mutual problem b. Small and specific c. Global and general d. a and b e. All of the above 46. In order to communicate your feelings, you need to a. Let you emotions show (cry, etc.) b. Explain what your emotions are c. Use your emotions to make your point d. Hide your emotions 47. Why is it important to describe your feelings in negotiating conflict? a. It can make the other person feel sorry for you b. It builds a bond of sharing with the other person c. It allows you to vent your feelings by ranting and raving d. It is not important; keep your feelings to yourself 48. You can enlarge the shadow of the future by a. Highlighting the long-term cooperative relationship b. Deemphasizing problem solving c. Bringing up past arguments d. Being committed to winning your point 49. In exchanging reasons for positions, it is most important to a. Have your say b. Let the other person have their say c. Express cooperative intentions d. Have a third party listening 50. When presenting reasons for what you both want, it is most important to a. Listen carefully and decide if the other person’s reasons are valid b. Be ready to give better reasons than the other person c. Reaffirm how sad you will be if you do not get what you want d. Arrange to allow the other person to win 50% of the time 51. You can empower the other person by a. Being open to negotiations b. Being flexible about options c. Providing choice among options d. a and b e. All of the above 52. Reaching a wise decision requires reconciling a. Wants b. Goals c. Positions d. a and b e. All of the above 53. In discussing a conflict, negotiators should determine a. How the wants and goals are different b. How the wants and goals are the same c. Actions seen by the other as unacceptable d. a and b e. All of the above 54. In integrative negotiation, it is important to a. Come to a quick understanding b. Know and use the weaknesses of the other person c. Understand the other’s perspective d. Persuade the other person to see your side 55. To reach a wise agreement, you must be able to a. See the conflict from both your own and the other’s perspective b. Call in a mediator to check and give approval to your agreement c. Give in to the other person to make them happy d. Give in now but get what you want later 56. One of the most difficult and important aspects of conflict resolution is a. Explaining what you want b. Listening to what the other person wants c. Accurately defining the conflict d. Accurate perspective-taking 57. To engage in perspective taking, it is best to a. Role-play their position by paraphrasing it b. Understand how you would feel if you were the other person c. Learn more about the cultural background of the other person d. Take some time to think about their perspective 58. What is NOT an obstacle in inventing options? a. Judging prematurely b. Searching for multiple answers c. Assuming a limited amount that must be divided up d. Short sighted self concern 59. In inventing creative options, it is good to a. Make decisions quickly b. Stick to the things you know will work c. Think of as many options as possible d. Quickly discard complicated options 60. A fully negotiated conflict includes a. A mediator b. An arbitrator c. A commitment to honor the agreement d. Acknowledgement of the winning side 61. A wise agreement includes a. The ways each person will act differently in the future b. A counter signature from a mediator c. What will happen to the person who breaks the agreement d. What will happen to the relationship if one member breaks the agreement 62. A requirement in reaching a wise agreement is to a. Put the wants and needs of the other over your own b. Call in an arbitrator to aid in negotiations c. Stifle any feelings of animosity toward the other person d. Make a decision based on objective criteria 63. If you fail to negotiate a wise agreement, you should a. Give it up b. Start over c. Find a new group d. Agree to disagree 64. Reasons a person should refuse to negotiate include a. Illegal or Inappropriate behavior b. Inability to implement an agreement c. Intuition d. a and b e. All of the above 65. In Sherif’s study of intergroup conflict, the strategy that worked to eliminate rivalry was a. Contact in a pleasant situation b. Establishment of a common enemy c. Working toward a common goal d. Shooting fireworks together 66. In Sherif’s study of intergroup conflict it was found that a. Competition between groups led to conflicts b. Having a common enemy somewhat reduced the conflict c. Superordinate goals and activities eliminated the conflict d. All of the above 67. Two youth groups have a history of intergroup conflict. Which of the following would be the best way to resolve this conflict? a. Build a gymnasium which both groups may use b. Hold a basketball tournament in which both groups may participate c. Have both groups work together to sponsor carwashes in order to build a needed basketball court d. None of the above 68. Blake and Mouton found that intergroup conflicts tend to a. Decrease group cohesion b. Increase group cohesion c. Decrease use of an arbitrator d. Increase use of an arbitrator 69. Which is NOT a trap that Blake and Mouton found tend to escalate a conflict a. Win-lose dynamic b. Psycodynamic fallacy c. Self-fulfilling prophecy d. Splintering of the losing group 70. In the self-fulfilling prophecy a. Treat the other group in such a way that their false assumption about it comes true b. See the actions of the other group as an attempt to dominate them c. See the motivations of the other group as due to personality factors rather than to the dynamics of intergroup conflict 71. In the psychodynamic fallacy, groups a. Treat the other group in such a way that their false assumption about it comes true. b. See the actions of the other group as an attempt to dominate them c. See the motivations of the other group as due to personality factors rather than to the dynamics of intergroup conflict 72. When two groups are placed in the same room and given unrelated tasks, they often begin to a. Ignore the other group b. Cooperate with the other group c. Compete with the other group d. Splinter into subgroups 73. When we hold less favorable views about groups to which we do not belong it is called a. Social identity theory b. In-group-out-group bias c. Decategorization d. Self-fulfilling prophecy 74. Social identity theory states that group members a. Identify with their group so they have fun people to associate with b. See their group as better than other groups c. Use their groups to get benefits for others d. Occurs when everyone in the group agrees on their identity 75. Social categorization theory states that a. Personal and social identities create bias b. Social categories are hierarchical c. People discriminate within their social group d. Most people are fair-minded 76. In social identity and social categorization theories, individuals emphasize the ___________ of their group members and the __________ of the outgroup a. Dissimilarities; similarities b. Similarities; dissimilarities c. Dissimilarities; dissimilarities d. Similarities; similarities 77. In studying contact theory, researchers found that favorable attitudes toward members of another group depended on the a. Nature of the contact b. Frequency of the contact c. Length of the contact d. Intensity of the contact 78. Which of the following is NOT an ingredient for reducing prejudice? a. Cooperative action with mutual goals b. Personal interactions among diverse members c. Social norms favoring acceptance d. Unequal status of members in the two groups 79. Reduced prejudice is found where individuals had an outgroup a. Coworker b. Neighbor c. Friend d. All of the above 80. A mediator is a. A disinterested third party who makes a decision on how to resolve a conflict. b. A neutral third party who assists people in negotiating a constructive resolution to their conflict c. A negotiator who has more expertise than the person being negotiated with. d. None of the above 81. A mediator facilitates conflicts by a. Giving disputants a chance to vent their feelings b. Presenting alternative solutions c. Allows disputants to “save face” d. Facilitates communication between disputants e. c and d f. All of the above 82. When a binding settlement of a conflict is determined by a disinterested third party, that is a. Negotiation b. Mediation c. Arbitration d. Cancellation TRUE OR FALSE It is a good practice to avoid conflict whenever possible. When the relationship is important but the goal is not, you should withdraw. When you use one conflict strategy, it makes using the others less possible. In on-going relationships, the quality of the relationship is more important than achieving the goal. In distributive negotiations, the goal is to win. In distributive negotiations, you can use threats, if necessary. In an on-going relationship, both parties should get what they want about half the time. In one-step negotiations, whoever has the greatest need gets his/her way. Paraphrasing is restating in your own words what a person says, feels, or means. Constructive acts toward others yield exceptionally positive consequences while destructive acts are not exceptionally detrimental. In a conflict, it is constructive to tell the other person how they should feel about the conflict. A person can only have one perspective at a time. Accurate perspective-taking is one of the easier aspects of conflict resolution. All issues are negotiable if you try hard enough. Superordinate goals are tasks that cannot be ignored but are beyond the skills of one side to accomplish. Conflict between groups is characterized by groups seeing the best parts of itself and the worst parts of the other group. When two groups are placed in the same room and given unrelated tasks, they often begin to cooperative with each other. The frequency of contact between members of different ethnic groups will result in less prejudice. Being a member of a group that contains out-group members will reduce prejudice. Understanding the experiences of low-power groups will help awaken a sense of injustice in majority group members. A mediator is a neutral person who helps disputants reach an agreement. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS What is the difference between a conflict positive group and a conflict negative one? What are conflicts of interests? Explain how conflicts can be constructive. Name and explain the five basic strategies for dealing with conflict. What are the strategies used in distributive negotiations? What are the steps for integrative negotiations? Explain how the dilemma of honesty and openness affects negotiation. Explain how the dilemma of trust affects negotiation. How does the norm of reciprocity affect negotiation? How does the norm of equity affect negotiation? Explain the trust dynamics between high and low power negotiators. What is the one-step negotiation and how is it resolved? What is paraphrasing and why is it important in negotiating? Explain the fundamental attribution error. Explain what is important in defining a conflict. Explain why it is important to describe your feelings in negotiation. Why is it important to understand the other’s perspective in negotiation? What are ways to invent creative options? What are the ingredients of a wise agreement? Briefly explain Sherif’s summer camp experiment and how they established intergroup rivalry and what they had to do to eliminate it. What are superordinate goals and how do they help resolve conflict between antagonistic groups? What did Blake and Mouton find out about the dynamics of intergroup conflict? What is ingroup-outgroup bias and why is it important to know about? Explain what happens to the losing side in win-lose negotiations. Explain the premises of social identity and social categorization theory. Explain the conditions needed for changing people’s prejudices. Explain how to awaken a sense of injustice in majority group members. Explain the job of a mediator. Explain the difference between mediation and arbitration. Chapter 9: Managing Conflicts of Interest A B C C A B D D B A D C E D B B C B C B A B A D A A C B E B C A C D A C A A B E C C C B D B B A C A E D E C A D A B C C A D B E C D C B D A C C B B A B A D C B F C FALSE FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE Additional Exercises for Chapter 9: Managing Conflicts of Interest Group-Member Excellence The objective of this exercise is to examine the dynamics of negotiation among members of the same group. The exercise can be conducted in less than one hour. The procedure for the coordinator is as follows:  1. Randomly divide the class into groups of seven: six participants and one observer. You need at least two groups. For each group, make up six bags of marbles (one for each participating member) consisting of varied colors (see the following table). Distribution of Marbles to the Six Negotiators Member Red Blue Green White 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 1 2 3 3 2 3 4 1 2 3 2 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 2 3  3. From each group, collect one dollar from each member (excluding the observer). The money will be awarded to group members who negotiate successfully and achieve the assigned goal.  4. Distribute the instructions: a. One copy of the general instruction sheet to all group members (six negotiators and one observer). b. One copy of the observers’ instructions to each observer. c. Without letting the groups know that they are getting different instructions, give half the groups a copy of the Instructions for Win–Lose Negotiation and the other half a copy of the Instructions for Problem-Solving Negotiation.  5. Meet with the observers to make sure they understand their responsibilities.  6. Distribute a bag of marbles to each group member. Each member has ten marbles. The number of each color varies from member to member.  7. Negotiation Task: “The goal of negotiations is to collect fifteen marbles of the same color. In addition, for each marble over fifteen you will also receive a 10% bonus. Thus, if you turn in eighteen green marbles, you will receive the regular award for fifteen marbles plus 30% more. You may only negotiate with members of your group.” Answer any questions members have about the exercise. Announce that participants have ten minutes to achieve the goal. Give the signal to begin.  8. Self-Monitoring Task: After ten minutes, announce “Time is up! Stop negotiating. Write down two adjectives that describe your feelings during the negotiations.”  9. Determine how many negotiators succeeded in collecting fifteen marbles of the same color. Determine bonuses for collecting more than fifteen. Divide the money accordingly. If no group member collected fifteen marbles, the money goes into a class fund to purchase food for the next class session. 10. Small-Group Processing 1: a. In each group the observer reports his or her observations. Members are to discuss and summarize the experience: (1) What negotiation strategies were used? (2) How did members react to one another’s strategies? (3) How successful was each strategy? (4) How often did coalitions form in which two or more members pooled their marbles and negotiated with other members as a bloc? (5) What side agreements were made about the money? (6) Did any member collect two colors of marbles in order to be flexible until the last few minutes? What other interesting strategies were used? b. Record the adjectives written down by each member. c. Summarize (1) members’ negotiation strategies, their success, and the reactions of groupmates, (2) members’ adjectives, and (3) conclusions group members drew from the experience. Plan how to make a five-minute presentation of your summary to the class as a whole. 11. Whole Class Processing: a. Have each group (1) share their instructions for negotiation (problem-solving or win–lose) and (2) present a five-minute summary of their experiences and conclusions. Record the results on the following table. Group Problem-Solving Instructions Win-Lose Instructions No. Successful Adjectives No. Successful Adjectives 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total Conclusions: b. Ask participants to reflect on the information from all the groups and share their conclusions about the effectiveness of the problem-solving and win–lose strategies. Summarize the major points of the discussion. 12. Have participants read the subsequent sections on negotiation and compare their conclusions about the exercise with the material in those sections. General Instructions Systems for evaluating the performance of group members have many shortcomings. Different members behave in different ways to accomplish their objectives. These variations make most comparisons difficult and unfair. To overcome this problem, we have developed a simulation. All members will participate (except for the observer). From your behavior in this exercise, we will be able to tell if you are a poor, average, good, or excellent group member. The exercise provides an impartial and equal measure of your performance. You are being issued a bag containing ten marbles of four different colors: red, green, blue, and white. Each negotiator has ten marbles, but different negotiators have different numbers of each color (you may have two white marbles, but another member may have four). Your goal is to collect fifteen marbles of the same color. You will receive a 10% bonus for each marble over the fifteen that you collect. Thus, if you collect eighteen green marbles, you will receive the regular award for fifteen marbles plus 30% more. The money collected will be divided among the group members who succeed in obtaining fifteen or more marbles. You have ten minutes to negotiate with other members of your group (you may not negotiate with members of the other group). Observers’ Instructions As an observer, your task is to obtain as much information about the interaction among group members as possible. Concentrate on: 1. What negotiation strategies group members are using. 2. How group members react to one another’s strategies. 3. How successful the strategies are. Observations of any other aspect of group behavior will also be helpful. Write down your observations. Make as many observations as possible. Instructions for Win–Lose Negotiation In this exercise your group is to adopt a win–lose negotiation strategy in which each member will try to obtain more marbles of the same color than anyone else. Obviously, some of the members of your group are going to win and some are going to lose. You want to be a winner. Be a tough negotiator. Make extreme opening offers and compromise slowly. Hide as much information from other group members as you can. Trust no one. Say whatever will be helpful in negotiating with the other members. During the negotiations try to achieve the best outcome for yourself, and use your power and skill in any way that helps you do so. Remember, if you keep the other group members from winning, you will increase your own chances of winning. Instructions for Problem-Solving Negotiation In this exercise your group is to adopt a problem-solving negotiation strategy in which members try to find a creative solution to the problem that benefits as many members as possible. In negotiating with other group members, communicate openly and honestly about what you want and try to identify as many ways as possible to maximize joint gain. Search for a rational agreement that ensures both your own and other group members’ success. Avoid all threats and deceptions, which might destroy trust among group members. The problem is to figure out how as many group members as possible can achieve the goal. Answer to Fallout Shelter Exercise: 1. Containers of water. (The average person would need at least 1 quart of liquid per day. Each person should be allowed to drink according to need because studies have shown that nothing is gained by limiting the liquids below the amount demanded by the body. Two weeks is probably the maximum time needed to stay in the shelter. After that, other sources of water could be found.) 2. Canned and dried foods. (Enough food should be on hand to feed everyone for two weeks, if possible. However, most people can get along on about half as much food as usual and can survive for several days without any food. Therefore, this is not as important as the water.) 3. One large and one small garbage can with lids. (Next to water and food, the most important concern is sanitation. Poor sanitation will attract diseases and vermin. The small garbage can can be used as a toilet, and the large garbage can can be used to store garbage and human wastes until they can be taken outside and buried. Burial of the garbage is important to prevent spread of disease by rats or insects.) 4. First-aid kit and iodine and medicines. (Useful if anyone gets hurt or falls ill; should include medicine for anyone with chronic illness. The iodine can be used to sterilize water.) 5. Battery-powered radio. (Useful for obtaining information about what is happening outside the shelter and for information on when it is safe to come out. Useful for contact with outside world.) 6. Soap and towels. (Useful and important for sanitation.) 7. Liquid chlorine bleach. (Useful for sprinkling in the toilet to control odors and germs; it could also be used to sterilize any water that has become cloudy and might contain bacteria.) 8. Matches and candles. (Would help illuminate the shelter and thus make it more comfortable, particularly because there is not likely to be any natural source of light or electricity available.) 9. Blankets. (Would be used for heat and comfort; would be of important but moderate use.) 10. Flashlight and batteries. (Useful for illumination.) 11. Cooking and eating utensils. (Useful in preparing and serving foods but not essential.) 12. Broom. (Useful for brushing radioactive fallout off anyone who had to leave the shelter for emergency reasons before he or she reentered.) 13. Canned heat stove. (Useful if a heat supply is needed. However, it can be used only if there is adequate ventilation for the fumes; it could be dangerous.) 14. Geiger counter. (Unnecessary. It could be used to check the level of radiation outside the shelter to determine when it is safe to emerge, but the same information and more can be obtained from the radio. Also, fallout particles are visible and the radiation from them is given off quickly, so danger from radiation could be reduced by waiting twenty-four to forty-eight hours after the large particles have stopped falling.) 15. Foam fire extinguisher. (Useful for fighting fires outside the shelter but could not be used within the shelter because of danger from the fumes.) *This exercise is based on information in Protection in the nuclear age (Washington, D.C.: Department of Defense, Civil Defense Preparedness Intergroup Conflict This exercise studies the dynamics of intergroup conflict and negotiation among groups with conflicting positions. It takes two hours. The procedure for the coordinator is as follows: 1. Introduce the exercise as an experience in intergroup conflict and negotiation. Divide the participants into four groups of not less than six members each, and distribute a copy of one of the accompanying instruction sheets to each group. Emphasize that the exercise will determine which group is best. 2. Have each group meet separately to select a negotiator and to develop their proposals on the issue. They have half an hour to do this. At the end of this period give them the accompanying reaction form and ask them to answer only questions 1, 2, and 5 and to write the name of their group at the top. 3. Have the negotiators meet in the center of the room, each with her group sitting behind her. Give each group representative five minutes to present her group’s proposals. After each representative has completed her presentation, have all participants complete the reaction form, answering all questions. 4. Tell the groups to reconvene separately and brief their negotiator on the best way to proceed in a second presentation of their position. The groups have fifteen minutes to confer. At the end of this period they again answer questions 1, 2, and 5 on the reaction form. 5. Have the negotiators again meet in the center of the room with their groups seated behind them. They have up to half an hour to reach an agreement. Group members can communicate with their negotiator through written notes. At the end of fifteen minutes stop the negotiations and have everyone again complete the questionnaire. Negotiations then resume, and at the end of the thirty-minute period everyone answers the reaction form for the last time. 6. Conduct a general session in which the results of the questionnaire are presented and discussed. Ask group members how they feel about the experience, and then focus on the experience of the negotiators. 7. Have the groups meet separately to discuss how well they worked together and what the experience was like for them. Develop a list of conclusions about intergroup conflict and place it on newsprint. 8. Again conduct a general session, this time to discuss the conclusions reached by each group. Instructions to Coordinator for Use of the Reaction Forms 1. Pick one person in each group—as many assistants as you need—to hand out and collect the reaction forms and to compute the group mean for each question each time the forms are used. 2. Copy the four accompanying charts on a blackboard or large sheets of newsprint. After each use of the reaction forms, calculate the group means and place them on the charts, using a different color for each group. The response to question 5 should be listed for use in the discussion sessions. Do not let the participants see the results until the general session in which the results are discussed. 3. In discussing the results of each question, look for certain trends. The response to question 1 should be somewhat high in the beginning, increase after comparison with other group’s proposals, and drop off if agreement is reached. If no agreement is reached, it should not drop off. For question 2, look for the “hero–traitor” dynamic: Satisfaction goes up if the negotiator convinces other groups that her proposals are best and goes down if she compromises the group’s position. It is often helpful to look at the notes passed to the negotiator to see how the group is reacting. The responses to question 3 should be the reverse of the responses to question 1 (if satisfaction with one’s own group’s proposal is high, satisfaction with the other group’s proposals is low, and vice versa). This usually amounts to devaluing the other group’s proposals and a loss of objectivity in evaluation. Question 4 usually demonstrates overconfidence in one’s own group’s proposal, though this sense of superiority gradually slips from an initial high as negotiations progress. Intergroup Conflict Exercise: Teachers’ Group You are residents of Engleston, a medium-sized but quickly growing suburban community that is within commuting distance of a large city. Engleston has recently been torn by a number of civil rights demonstrations centering on the issue of school integration. Two of the public schools in Engleston enroll approximately 90% of the underprivileged, culturally different white and black children in the community. Moreover, the high school dropout rate (60%) has shown the inadequacy of the educational program for these youngsters. Acts of vandalism and other forms of juvenile delinquency have been pronounced and costly to the town, and most of those responsible are among the dropouts. Four opposing groups in the community, yours among them, have suggested various solutions to some of these problems. The school board has asked the four groups to get together and settle on a single set of four to six proposals, which it will then implement. As a member of the teachers’ group, you are essentially opposed to breaking up the schools in any way. You are interested in creating better schools and are generally in favor of expanding the educational program. Your group is to submit four to six recommendations for dealing with the problems at a meeting at which your representative and one from each of the other three groups will be present. You and your groupmates may prepare a simple chart of the main points you wish to emphasize. Try to make your recommendations original and creative, because it will be to your advantage if the other groups accept your proposals. After the representatives have presented their group’s proposals, they will negotiate a composite proposal of four to six points to be presented to the school board. Parents’ Group You are residents of Engleston, a medium-sized but quickly growing suburban community that is within commuting distance of a large city. Engleston has recently been torn by a number of civil rights demonstrations centering on the issue of school integration. Two of the public schools in Engleston enroll approximately 90% of the underprivileged, culturally different white and black children in the community. Moreover, the high school dropout rate (60%) has increasingly shown the inadequacy of the educational program for these youngsters. Acts of vandalism and other forms of juvenile delinquency have become pronounced and costly to the town, and most of those responsible are among the dropouts. Four opposing groups in the community, yours among them, have suggested various solutions to some of these problems. The school board has asked the four groups to get together and settle on a single set of four to six proposals, which it will then implement. You are a member of the parents’ group. Because the tax rate is already one of the highest in the state, you favor solutions that will not increase your taxes. You feel that teachers and administrators have been lax, and that what is needed is more efficient and immediate use of the present resources. You are absolutely against any busing of students, and want all students to attend the school closest to their home. Your group is to submit four to six recommendations for dealing with the problems at a meeting at which your representative and one from each of the other three groups will be present. You and your groupmates may prepare a simple chart of the main points you wish to emphasize. Try to make your recommendations original and creative, because it will be to your advantage if the other groups accept your proposals. After the representatives have presented their group’s proposals, they will negotiate a composite proposal of four to six points to be presented to the school board. Civil Rights Group You are residents of Engleston, a medium-sized but quickly growing suburban community that is within commuting distance of a large city. Engleston has recently been torn by a number of civil rights demonstrations centering on the issue of school integration. Two of the public schools in Engleston enroll approximately 90% of the underprivileged, culturally different white and black children in the community. Moreover, the high school dropout rate (60%) has increasingly shown the inadequacy of the educational program for these youngsters. Acts of vandalism and other forms of juvenile delinquency have become pronounced and costly to the town, and most of those responsible are among the dropouts. Four opposing groups in the community, yours among them, have suggested various solutions to some of these problems. The school board has asked the four groups to get together and settle on a single set of four to six proposals, which it will then implement. As a member of the civil rights group, you are totally committed to immediate integration. You believe the schools have to be integrated through immediate busing of students. You feel that reforms generally take place too slowly, and you are extremely dissatisfied with the present situation. Your group is to submit four to six recommendations for dealing with the problems at a meeting at which your representative and one from each of the other three groups will be present. You and your groupmates may prepare a simple chart of the main points you wish to emphasize. Try to make your recommendations original and creative, because it will be to your advantage if the other groups accept your proposals. After the representatives have presented their group’s proposals, they will negotiate a composite proposal of four to six points to be presented to the school board. School Administrations’ Group You are residents of Engleston, a medium-sized but quickly growing suburban community that is within commuting distance of a large city. Engleston has recently been torn by a number of civil rights demonstrations centering on the issue of school integration. Two of the public schools in Engleston enroll approximately 90% of the underprivileged, culturally different white and black children in the community. Moreover, the high school dropout rate (60%) has increasingly shown the inadequacy of the educational program for these youngsters. Acts of vandalism and other forms of juvenile delinquency have become pronounced and costly to the town, and most of those responsible are among the dropouts. Four opposing groups in the community, yours among them, have suggested various solutions to some of these problems. The school board has asked the four groups to get together and settle on a single set of four to six proposals, which it will then implement. As a member of the school administrators’ group, you are generally satisfied with the way things are and believe that anything but gradual and carefully planned change would lead to chaos. Moreover, you believe that the complaining has been done chiefly by extremist groups at work in the community. In your opinion, all school policy decisions should be made by your group, and parents, teachers, and community groups should not butt in. Your group is to submit four to six recommendations for dealing with the problems at a meeting at which your representative and one from each of the other three groups will be present. You and your groupmates may prepare a simple chart of the main points you wish to present. Try to make your recommendations original and creative, because it will be to your advantage if the other groups accept your proposals. After the representatives have presented their group’s proposals, they will negotiate a composite proposal of four to six points to be presented to the school board. Reaction Form Group 1. How satisfied are you with your own group’s proposals? Very dissatisfied 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 Very satisfied 2. How satisfied are you with the negotiator your group has selected? Very dissatisfied 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 Very satisfied 3. How satisfied are you with the proposals of the other groups? Very dissatisfied 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 Very satisfied 4. How do you think the final composite proposal will compare with your group’s proposals? Very inferior 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 Very superior 5. Write one adjective describing the way you now feel about what is taking place. Other Intergroup Conflict Exercises Other intergroup conflict exercises can easily be created around the general procedure given on page 412. The task can be to state the five most important principles of leadership, the qualities of an effective supervisor, the five most important things for effective decision making, and so on. The dynamics of intergroup conflict are so predictable that if participants are divided into groups and told to compete, develop their position, and represent that position in negotiations, the dynamics are bound to occur. Artillery Salvos This exercise is designed to increase participants’ understanding of a group’s decision-making process during an intergroup conflict and to further their understanding of the dynamics of intergroup conflict. Here is the procedure for the coordinator: 1. Divide the class into groups of six (four members and two observers). Introduce the exercise as an experience in group decision making during an intergroup conflict. State that each group will have the same task, the same instructions, and the same time limit. Performance on the task will be scored objectively. Each group member is to contribute fifty cents to a pool; the group with the highest score will collect 70% of the pool and the group with the next highest score will collect 30%. After the scores of the groups have been tabulated and the pool money has been distributed, the two winning groups must decide how to allocate their money by some rule other than dividing the money equally among group members. In other words, each member of the winning groups must receive a different amount of money. Each group will have ten minutes to plan its organization prior to performing the task; each will have twenty minutes to complete the task. 2. While the groups begin organizing, brief the observers. They are to observe the task and maintenance behaviors of the group members (they will need copies of the task behavior and maintenance behavior forms in Chapter 5 for this purpose), note the dynamics of the decision making within the groups, and record the effects of intergroup competition on intragroup functioning. These participants are covered in this chapter and in Chapters 5 and 6. As soon as the briefing is over, the observers return to their groups. 3. At the end of ten minutes, distribute copies of the accompanying instruction sheet and the grid sheet. Then take a grid sheet and draw the target mass anywhere on it, using the model on page 418 as an example. Record the salvos fired by each group, and give the groups their total score for each salvo. Deal only with the official representatives of the groups. Do not accept more than four salvos from any one group. 4. At the end of twenty minutes, stop all action. Announce the winning groups and distribute the money between them. While the winning groups are dividing the money, ask the other groups to (a) describe the process by which they made decisions and (b) classify each person in the group in terms of the task and maintenance behaviors in which he engaged. 5. Give each group fifteen minutes to analyze its effectiveness. Groups should use the information gathered by their observers as a beginning point of the discussion. Conclusions about the impact of intergroup competition on intragroup functioning should be written on newsprint and shared with the other groups during the last few minutes of the exercise. Artillery Exercise Instructions You are an artillery unit. A set of enemy tanks is moving through a thickly wooded area. You cannot see the tanks and do not know where in the area they are. If the tanks make it through the woods, they will fire on your infantry units and inflict heavy casualties. Your task is to destroy the tanks while they are still in the woods. You have only sixteen shells. You will fire these shells in salvos of four shots. In your four salvos you must locate the tanks and destroy as many as possible. 1. The object of the exercise is to get the highest possible score from shooting sixteen times at the target.  2. The shots have to be fired in four salvos of four shots each. Any salvo may be fired at any time prior to the expiration of the twenty minutes. The coordinator will give a score of zero for any shots not fired before time expires.  3. On the ten-by-ten square grid there is a formation of tanks consisting of between six and fifteen adjacent squares. Adjacent means horizontally or vertically, not diagonally.  4. The squares in which the target is located differ in point value: Some are worth one point, some three points, and some five.  5. A salvo is “fired” by being announced to the coordinator in terms of the coordinates of its targets (for example, A3, E5, C10, F2). The coordinator will then announce the total score obtained by the group for that salvo. He or she will not report the point value of an individual shot, only the total salvo score.  6. Shots may continue to be fired at the same squares. For example, if a group fires a four-shot salvo and gets a score of six points, it may continue to fire its remaining salvos at these same squares and obtain a score of six points for each salvo.  7. Your group must select a representative who will announce the coordinates of all salvos to the coordinator. Only that person’s “shots” will be accepted. If the representative announces a shot not on the grid—for example, P5—the coordinator will give a score of zero.  8. Your group may mark its grid sheet in any way it chooses.  9. Your group may not ask any questions of the coordinator. All the necessary instructions are contained on this sheet. 10. Remember, the twenty-minute period began with the distribution of these instructions. Grid Sheet A B C D E F G H I J Intergroup Confrontation (I) This procedure was developed by Blake and Mouton (1962). It has been used successfully in intergroup conflicts in a variety of organizations for every type of intergroup conflict you can imagine. Its purpose is to change the win–lose orientation to a problem-solving orientation. This exercise takes at least two hours to conduct (Blake and Mouton usually took about twenty hours to use the procedure in actual union–management conflicts). 1. Introduce the exercise as an experience in resolving conflicts between two or more groups. The objective is to change a win–lose to a problem-solving orientation. Discuss the previous success Blake and Mouton have had with the procedure in difficult union–management conflicts. Use the accompanying descriptions of a union–management conflict to set up a role play that participants can use in the exercise. 2. Each group meets separately and develops on newsprint (a) how it sees itself as a group and (b) how it sees the other group. Allow the groups at least thirty minutes to complete this task. 3. The two groups come together and share their descriptions. They compare how each side sees itself with how the other group sees it. Often each group sees the other as unreasonable, unethical, and unwilling to cooperate, while seeing itself as extraordinarily reasonable, ethical, and cooperative. The differences in the perception of how each group sees the other group are then clarified. 4. The two groups meet separately for twenty minutes to diagnose their present relationship. They should answer such questions as “What problems exist?” “Why aren’t the problems being constructively solved?” “What does the other group contribute to the conflict?” “What does one’s own group contribute to the conflict?” The groups should write down this material on newsprint to share with the other group. 5. The groups meet together to share their diagnoses. They summarize the key issues causing the conflicts and the main sources of friction. The two groups should keep the integrative, problem-solving negotiation procedure in mind as they plan the next steps in resolving their conflict. 6. The two groups assess their reactions to the exercise and summarize what they have learned about resolving intergroup conflict. Conclusions about preventing intergroup conflict should also be presented and discussed. Union–Management Conflict The union in a midsized manufacturing company has asked the management for across-the-board increases in pay and fringe benefits. The management has refused to meet what it considers excessive demands and has made an offer that the union leadership considers unacceptable. Still without a contract agreement at midnight of the day before the old contract expires, the union has voted to go on strike and remain on strike until a satisfactory agreement is reached. Divide into union and management groups and carry out the procedure. Intergroup Confrontation (II) The following is a conflict resolution procedure for establishing cooperative goals among conflicting groups so that all members are committed to achieving their joint goals (Beckhard, 1969). The objective is provide a framework for resolving conflicts through highlighting common goals. Beckhard conducts the exercise as a one-day activity, but it can be shortened to a couple of hours when used strictly for learning. 1. Introduce the exercise as an experience in setting cooperative goals among groups in conflict with one another. Emphasize that the exercise is an opportunity for participants to learn how to resolve intergroup conflict. They should be open and honest in the expression of their ideas and feelings. The union–management situation used in the previous exercise can be applied here for role-playing purposes. 2. Divide the participants into groups of four or five and have them meet separately. The task of these conflicting groups is to think of ways in which life would be better for their members and their relationships with other groups. Ask each group to make a list of the ideas and write them down on newsprint. This phase takes between thirty and forty-five minutes. 3. You and the participants categorize the ideas listed. 4. Have the groups complete the following tasks: a. Go through the entire list and select three or four items that most effect you and your group. Rephrase the items into goals, determine what actions your group will take to achieve them, and establish a timetable for doing so. Prepare to report your decisions in a general session. b. Go through the list again and select those items you think all groups should give highest priority to but that your group cannot achieve alone. 5. In a general session, have the groups share the results of their meetings. Combine the lists. The groups should then outline plans of action for implementing their decisions and determine the necessary follow-up procedures. During the discussion they should emphasize intergroup cooperation. 6. Ask the groups to assess their reactions to the exercise and summarize what they have learned about resolving intergroup conflicts. Conclusions about preventing intergroup conflict should also be presented and discussed.