Ch01 Group Dynamics.docx

Group Theory and Group Skills Exams Chapter 1: Group Dynamics 1. Which is NOT a defining attribute of a group? a. Mutual goal b. Unstructured relationships c. Positive interdependence d. Interpersonal interaction. 2. Which is a characteristic of a group but NOT of an aggregate? a. Share some common characteristics b. Are present at the same time and at the same place c. Find belonging to the group emotionally rewarding d. Share the same norms and rules to the same extent 3. Which of the following is the best example for a group? a. College students listening to Professor Hamilton’s lecture b. Shoppers at the local grocery store taking advantage of the sale c. Members of Brazil’s soccer team playing against England d. People from a suburb commuting to work 4. Which of the following is NOT a group? a. Members of Brazil’s soccer team playing against England b. Students of an inner-city high school c. Mexican Americans living in L.A. d. Passengers waiting for flights to take off 5. Social psychologists subscribing to the group orientation believe that a. Studying individuals is not sufficient to understand how groups work b. The sum of individual behavior equals groups behavior, consequently social psychologists should focus on individual behavior c. You can’t stumble over a group d. Using individual members as the unit of analysis is appropriate as long as the group in question is homogeneous 6. According to Solomon Ash’s metaphor of water for understanding groups, a. The properties of the constituting members of a group will sufficiently explain the behavior and effect of a group b. A group as a unit is always a unique entity, thus examining the members of a group will not help us learn more about the group c. We need to understand both the characteristics of the members, and of their combination as an entity d. Pseudogroups don’t stick together because they don’t have any interest in working together. 7. Understanding group dynamics is central to all of the following EXCEPT a. Maintaining a viable family b. Long term maintenance of psychological health c. Effective business d. Facilitating mother-child bonding 8. Group structure can be defined as a. A stable pattern of interaction among group members b. The sum of the roles members take on c. The norms members willingly accept d. The expectations defining the appropriate behavior of an occupant of position toward the occupant of another position 9. In a class, nerd, clown, princess and jockey are all examples of a. Roles b. Norms c. Group structure d. Status 10. Courtesy, mutual respect and responsibility are all examples of a. Roles b. Norms c. Group structure d. Status 11. James Barrett is a tax auditor working for the IRS. When his wife asks for help for her private company’s tax evasion, Mr. Barrett will probably experience _______. a. Norm conflict b. Role conflict c. Status conflict d. Identity crisis 12. Roles and norms are alike in that they are both a. Expectations guiding one’s behavior b. Common beliefs determining one’s world view c. Determined by one’s status in a group d. Present only in pseudo- and traditional work groups 13. Status refers to a. Popularity within the group b. Group achievement achieved through cooperation c. One group member’s power within the group d. A social norm 14. Mr. Fox is recognized as a master teacher yet the school board does not act on his suggestions for change. You could say that he is a __________individual in the school where he works. a. Low status with high power b. Low status with low power c. High status with high power d. High status with low power 15. High status members of a group tend to a. Work in high performance groups b. Be treated more tolerantly c. Demonstrate autokinetic effect d. Permit a wide range of behavior for the other group members 16. Milgram’s (1974) study on obedience to authority showed the power of a. Status b. Norms c. Roles d. Group structure 17. What percentage of the subjects in the role of “teachers” administered the maximum voltage (450 volts) to the learners in Milgram’s (1954) famous study on obedience to authority? a. 30% b. 45% c. 60% d. 75% 18. Whereas _______ differentiate members’ rights and obligations; _______ integrate the actions of all members. a. Group structure; norms b. Group structure; roles c. Norms; roles d. Roles; norms 19. Group norms will a. Maintain behavioral consistency b. Strengthen authority c. Ensure autokinetic effect d. Make group members more liberal in their political views 20. Which of the following statement is NOT true for norms? Norms a. Are social products b. Regulate all aspects of behavior in a group c. Are often internalized by group members d. Have an “ought to” or “must” quality 21. Muzafer Sherif’s (1936) study on the autokinetic effect showed that norms a. Develop out of interaction b. Are imposed by confederates c. Are internalized by naïve subjects only d. Will affect students with liberal political leanings 22. Newcomb’s (1943) study at Bennington College showed that a. Groups punish nonconforming behavior b. Groups reward conforming behavior c. Groups one identifies with affect one’s political orientation d. Reference groups determine the extent of autokinetic effect 23. After a year at college, Taylor considered his dorm roommates as his best friends. He liked the same kind of music, books, clothing, dance as they did, and thought very similarly about politics. He soon lost touch with his old friends from high school. His college roommates became his a. Idols b. Conforming group c. Bennington group d. Reference group 24. Members of this kind of group would be more efficient if they worked alone than when working in group setting. a. Pseudogroups b. Traditional work groups c. Effective groups d. High performance groups 25. A crucial difference between pseudogroups and traditional work groups is that pseudogroup members _______, whereas in traditional work groups _________. a. Don’t talk to each other; they communicate to a certain extent b. Compete against each other; they communicate about how the work will get done c. Commit themselves to the shared goals of the group and communicate only to achieve that; they withhold information from each other d. Are forced to work together; they work together happily 26. A shared characteristic of pseudogroups and traditional work groups is that members are a. Positively interdependent b. Evaluated as individuals c. Committed to the group’s success only to a mediocre extent d. Exploited by each other 27. The following are all defining characteristics of effective groups EXCEPT one. Which one? a. Positive interdependence b. Clear operational goals c. Almost impossible to achieve d. Members are happy to work together 28. A crucial difference between traditional work groups and effective groups is that traditional work group members are ______, whereas in effective groups ______ a. Not held accountable; they are held accountable as individuals b. Not held accountable; they are held accountable as a group c. Held accountable as individuals; they are held accountable as a group d. Held accountable as a group; they are held accountable as individuals 29. Which type of group makes free rides for loafers possible? a. Pseudogroups b. Traditional work groups c. Effective groups d. High-performance groups 30. Which of the following groups is characterized by positive interdependence? a. Pseudogroups b. Traditional work groups c. Effective groups d. High-performance groups e. A and C f. B and C g. B and D h. C and D 31. Which of the following groups are rare? a. Pseudogroups b. Traditional work groups c. Effective groups d. High-performance groups 32. Which of the following traits do effective groups share? a. It achieves its goal b. Decisions are always made by the highest authority c. Groupthink is prevalent d. Members maintain good working relationships e. Conflicts are resolved through distributive negotiations f. The group adapts to changing conditions g. Leadership is delegated. h. a, d and f i. a, b and g j. d, f and g k. all of the above l none of the above 33. The following are guidelines for effective group functioning. All of them are valid EXCEPT one. Which one? a. Match the procedure of decision making with the needs of the situation. b. Members’ power should be based on personality characteristics. c. Make sure that all members are involved in the group’s work, and committed to implementing the group’s decisions. d. Engage in controversy by disagreeing and challenging each other’s conclusions. 34. Among the guidelines for creating effective groups is a. Give one member the power to make the group work b. Designate the leader so every knows who to follow c. Ensure that conflicts are avoided so that the group can make adequate progress d. Match decision making procedures with the needs of the situation 35. Match the stages from Tuckman’s model with their descriptions ____a. Forming 1. Group members actively work together to achieve group goals ____b. Storming 2. Group disbands ____c. Norming 3. Period of uncertainty, trying to establish procedures and roles ____d. Performing 4. Coming to a consensus on norms and roles ____e. Adjourning 5. Conflicts arise 36. Tuckman’s five-stage model of group development is different from Johnson’s seven-stage model in that Tuckman’s model is primarily applicable to groups with a. Passive leaders b. Strong coordinators c. Social interdependence d. Mutual accountability 37. Based on Johnson’s seven-stage model, when should the coordinator establish the group goals and positive interdependence? a. Defining and structuring procedures b. Conforming to procedures and getting acquainted c. Recognizing mutuality and building trust d. Committing to and taking ownership of the goals 38. A shared element between Tuckman’s five-stage model and Johnson’s seven-stage model is that a. The coordinator has to explain the procedures to be used, and establish positive interdependence b. At one point members rebel against working with the group toward achieving the group goal c. Group norms become internalized in the first two stages d. Both are recurring phase models 39. What should a coordinator do to deal with conflict in a group? a. Ignore them b. Tighten control and enforce group norms c. Mediate them d. Take ownership of the group’s success 40. Motivation for the group’s success becomes intrinsic rather than extrinsic during which state of group development? a. Defining and structuring b. Conforming and getting acquainted c. Rebelling and differentiating d. Committing to the groups goals, procedures and members 41. The field of group dynamics came into being primarily to study a. How to strengthen democratic organizations b. How early humans interacted c. How war develops d. How to further free enterprise 42. On problem-solving and decision-making tasks, which is more productive? a. Individuals b. Groups c. Both are the same 43. The study of group dynamics became prominent in the 1940s because there was a strong need to understand how a. Theory can be applied to practice b. Autocratic organizations work c. Democratic organizations work d. Social facilitation affects performance on simple tasks 44. Triplett’s study on the effect of other people’s presence on motor performance tasks showed that individuals performed ___________ when racing against other people _________ when racing against the clock. a. Better; than b. Worse; than c. Slightly worse; than d. The same; as 45. Norman Triplett’s 1898 study is important because it was the first attempt to experimentally study the impact of a. Similarity on conformity b. Group polarization when faced with conflict of interest c. Social interdependence on task performance d. Social loafing in decision making 46. Contestants in a talent show have been asked to write a speech on Martin Luther King. Based on Zajonc’s research on social facilitation-impairment we can expect that contestants perform _________ on the speech writing task when watched by an audience ________ when they write the speech without an audience. a. Better; than b. Slightly better; than c. Worse; than d. The same; as 47. Contestants in a talent show have been asked to type the name “Martin Luther King” as many times as they can in 3 minutes. Based on Zajonc’s research on social facilitation-impairment we can expect that the contestants perform ________________ on the typing task when watched by an audience ________ when they type without an audience. a. Better; than b. Worse; than c. Slightly worse; than d. The same; as 48. The 1980s and 1990s brought about a resurgence in the study of group dynamics because a. Festinger’s theories of social comparison clarified the role of attitudes and values b. Lewin, Lipitt and White’s study on leadership models showed that important social issues can be studied experiementally c. Asch’s study on conformity convinced social psychologists that there was a strong need to investigate social interdependence d. Several methodological and statistical problems have been solved 49. Kurt Lewin’s term “action research” means that a. Research should take place through observation in real life settings b. Theories should have practical significance in solving social problems c. Researchers should enter the life space of the experimental subjects d. Practitioners are more important than theorists when it comes to solving social problems. 50. An example of an online group having a positive effect on an individual’s personal geography is a. A scholar attends a conference being held overseas where other experts will be presenting new, ground-breaking research in her field b. A man suffering from a medical affliction joins a local support group which hosts a discussion forum where members can interact outside of group c. A college student studying abroad uses Skype to stay in touch with her family. d. An American scientist working on a new theory uses email and web-conferencing to share ideas with a group of scientists working on a similar theory in Singapore. TRUE OR FALSE 51. The individualistic orientation of studying groups posits that groups can be understood by considering only the qualities and characteristics of each member. 52. There is a general consensus among social psychologists concerning the existence of groups. 53. Knowledge of group dynamics is central to effective businesses and industries. 54. In an effective group, the individual members’ goals are matched with group goals. 55. Ineffective groups are characterized by one-way communication. 56. Traditional work groups are more productive than pseudogroups. 57. Roles are always formally assigned to group members. 58. Once you assume a role, you are expected to act accordingly – deviations are not approved of. 59. The function of roles is to ensure that group members are connected to each other in a way so that the group’s goals are achieved. 60. Roles and norms are interrelated but different concepts. 61. Studies have shown that the opinions of low status people tend to be ignored more often than that of high status people. 62. One’s status is determined by one’s role in an organization. 63. Norms differ in their importance – some are essential to observe, while others tolerate more deviation. 64. In any group, the same norms apply to everyone. 65. All groups have some norms. 66. In effective groups, disagreements are avoided. 67. A group challenging the authority of the group leader means that the leader did not do his/her job right. 68. In Johnson’s seven-stage model not all stages last the same amount of time. 69. The study of group dynamics started in the age of the Enlightenment, in the 18th century. 70. Triplett’s study showed that an audience improved performance on motor performance tasks. 71. Social psychology can be studied experimentally. 72. According to Lewin, social psychologists need to do research that helps solve social problems. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS 73. Define what a small group is. 74. Explain how group orientation is different from individualistic orientation. 75. Explain why it is important to study group dynamics. 76. Explain what a role conflict is, and provide one example. 77. Explain what a role conflict is and give an example. 78. What are group norms and how do they influence individual behavior? 79. Explain the differences among pseudogroups, traditional work groups, effective groups and high performance groups. 80. List and briefly explain the seven guidelines for creating effective groups. 81. Explain the difference between recurring-phase and sequential stage theories. 82. Briefly describe Tuckman’s five-stage theory. 83. Briefly describe Johnson’s seven-stage theory 84. Explain the relationship among theory, research and practice 85. Explain Kurt Lewin’s term ”action research” Chapter 1: Group Dynamics B A C D A C D A A B B A C D B C C D A B A C D A B B C C B H D H B D A A B C D A B C A C C A D B D TRUE FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE FALSE FALSE TRUE FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE Additional Exercises for Chapter 1: Group Dynamics Developing an Effective Group The purpose of this exercise is to give participants some practice in planning how to develop an effective group. The procedure for the exercise is as follows: 1. The class forms groups of four. 2. Groups read and discuss the Sinking Boat Situation, and then answer the following questions about the situation: a. Which alternative would you choose if you were there? b. Which alternative would you want your companions to choose? c. What kind of people would you want as companions in such a situation? d. What should the goals of the group be? e. How should leadership be managed? f. Who should have the most power in making decisions? g. What decision-making procedure should be used? h. How should conflicts be managed? 3. Each group decides whether its answers to the preceding questions are indicative of an effective or an ineffective group. 4. Each group shares its answers with the rest of the class. Sinking Boat Situation On a dark summer night, seven people cling to a swamped and slowly sinking boat on a black tropical sea. They are not alone. A large shark glides below them, and soon, perhaps, there will be more. With fear thick in their salt-swollen throats, the seven are faced with a difficult choice. If they kick in unison, they may be able to fight the fierce current and tides driving them away from the shore and all make it to safety; if they stick together they have an equal chance to survive or drown. If they split up, each going it alone, one or two of the stronger swimmers might make it to safety, but the majority will certainly drown or be devoured by sharks.