Ch08 Controversy and Creativity.docx

Group Theory and Group Skills Exams Chapter 8: Controversy and Creativity 1. Controversy is a conflict characterized by a. Incompatible opinions where a winner is sought b. Incompatible opinions where agreement is sought c. Incompatible opinions where avoiding conflict is sought d. Individuals decide without discussion 2. Aristotle’s Deliberate Discourse is: a. Giving an oration at the Coliseum b. Engaging in philosophical questions and answers c. Taking action after discussing the issue with everyone involved d. Discussing advantages and disadvantages of proposed actions 3. Which is NOT a step in the controversy procedure? a. Research and prepare a position b. Present and advocate positions c. Argue for the other side d. An impartial judge decides the winner 4. Perspective-taking is most present in a. Debate b. Controversy c. Concurrence-seeking d. Individual decision-making 5. A characteristic of both controversy and debate is a. Consensus-seeking b. Concurrence-seeking c. Researching and presenting positions d. Reversing perspectives 6. Controversy is constructive when there is a. Cooperation and conflict b. Competition and conflict c. Cooperation and conflict d. Group processing 7. The process which brings the most open-minded to opposing views is a. Debate b. Controversy c. Concurrence-seeking d. Individualistic decision-making 8. The process lease likely to produce intellectual conflict is a. Debate b. Controversy c. Concurrence-seeking d. Individual decision-making 9. Individuals who hold strong beliefs about an issue are apt to a. Accept confirming information at face value b. Be highly critical of disconfirming evidence c. Seek out unbiased concurrence-seeking groups d. a & b e. All of the above 10. Presenting a position and providing reasons why others should adopt it is a. Cognitive rehearsal b. Decision-making c. Advocacy d. Deductive thinking 11. Roberto and Alicia disagree on a topic important to each of them. To strengthen their relationship they should engage in a. Debate b. Concurrence Seeking c. Controversy d. Agreeing to disagree 12. Advocating a position and defending it against refutation require a. Certainty in the correctness of your views b. Cognitive rehearsal and elaboration c. Concurrence-seeking d. Inductive reasoning 13. When individuals in a controversy are confronted by different ideas and conclusions, they a. Develop epistemic curiosity b. Become more close-minded c. Bond with those who agree with them d. Become disinterested in the process 14. In controversy, members critically analyze one another’s positions in order to a. Win the controversy for their side b. Refute them c. Determine weaknesses and strengths d. Reduce conflict 15. Individuals who disagree will engage in perspective-taking a. In a cooperative context b. In a competitive context c. When they wish to discount the other’s ideas d. In concurrence-seeking 16. Integrating a number of different ideas and facts into a single position is a. Synthesizing b. Dualistic thinking c. Elaboration d. Overt controversy 17. The purpose of having group members engage in controversy is to a. Help the stronger arguers determine the group’s decision b. Help the weaker arguers have their say c. Find a position all members can implement d. Keep harmony among group members 18. Marcella has decided that she wants her employees to discuss ideas openly and honestly. So she has them practice the process of a. Debate b. Controversy c. Concurrence-seeking d. Friendly competition 19. Within a cooperative context, controversy promotes a. Open-minded listening to opposing positions b. Motivation to learn more c. More accurate understanding of the opponent’s position d. b and c e. All of the above 20. When disagreeing with others in a controversy, it is most important to a. Confirm their competence b. Incorporate their views into your own c. Develop clever ways to refute their ideas d. Be diplomatic 21. Perspective-taking means a. Looking at the issue from a disinterested third person perspective b. Looking at the issue from the other person’s perspective c. Looking at all the reasons in favor of your perspective d. Taking the ideas of the other side and integrating them into your side 22. Rational argument includes all EXCEPT a. Generating ideas b. Collecting and organizing relevant information c. Allowing the best arguers to win d. Using inductive and deductive logic 23. Rational argument requires group members to a. Change their minds based on logical arguments b. Use logic to refute ideas that they did not have c. Make conclusions early in the process d. Integrate ideas to include everyone’s initial position 24. Minority influence occurs when members in the minority a. Silence nonconformists b. Go along with the majority opinion c. Create a sub-group of dissenters d. Persuade members of the majority to agree with them e. All of the above 25. Minority opinions are most persuasive when a. They hold steadily to their view b. They are willing to compromise a little c. More than one person holds the opinion d. a & c e. All of the above 26. To make sure the group engages in productive controversy, it is most important that they a. Brainstorm all possible ideas b. Have each individual publicly state their opinion c. Have everyone argue for opposing positions d. Reach a decision containing everyone’s ideas 27. The process of controversy is important for a democracy because a. A democracy is the only political system where controversy is allowed b. Truth is most likely to emerge with free and open discussion c. Most people disagree with political decisions d. The minority can overwhelm the majority 28. When group members replace old beliefs with new ones, it is the a. Analytic phase b. Framework phase c. Belief phase d. Synthesizing phase 29. Controversy is constructive when there is a. Members realize their first answer is probably the right answer b. Members seek to compromise among ideas c. The smartest member’s ideas are adopted d. Members have time to reflect on the ideas and perspectives 30. What is NOT a characteristic of an open-minded group? a. Emphasize differences between what they do and do not believe b. Remembers and considers information that disagrees with currently held beliefs c. Organizes new beliefs to solve the problem d. Seeks out opposing beliefs 31. What is NOT a characteristic of closed-minded people? a. Less able to organize and integrate new beliefs b. Evaluate information consistent with their beliefs more positively c. Tend to accept statements from authorities as true d. Are more interested in compromise 32. An important requirement for creative problem solving is a. Freewheeling members b. Open-minded members c. Evaluating members d. Homogeneous members 33. What is NOT a reason for brainstorming? a. Encourage divergent thinking b. Produce many different ideas in a short time c. Get all group members to participate d. Allow group members to see who gives the best ideas 34. What is NOT a characteristic of brainstorming? a. All criticism is ruled out b. Wild ideas are accepted c. Focus is on several problems or issues d. Builds on others’ ideas 35. A problem with group brainstorming exists when a. Members interrupt each other b. Members blurt out ideas c. There isn’t much time for doing it d. Only one member talks at a time 36. A problem with brainstorming is a. Everyone thins their ideas are the best ones b. People may not be able to access their ideas c. People build on others’ ideas instead of contributing their own d. Too many ideas confuse the issue 37. In brainstorming, priming is a. Presenting ideas from low-accessible categories b. Separating secondary ideas from prime ideas c. Letting the people who know the most about a topic do the brainstorming d. Paying attention to the people with the best ideas 38. Paying attention to the ideas of other in important in brainstorming because a. It keeps the group from repeating rejected ideas b. It allows the minority to include their ideas c. It activates low-accessible ideas d. It makes no difference TRUE OR FALSE Controversy occurs when two sides disagree with each other’s ideas and opinions and ask a mediator to determine who is right. For constructive controversy, there has to be both cooperation and conflict. In controversy, when a decision is made, the controversy ends and participants commit themselves to a common course of action. Concurrence-seeking is close to the groupthink concepts of Janis. The greater the cooperative elements and the lesser the competitive elements, the more constructive the conflict. In group discussions, if there is a margin of support for one alternative, other ideas have little chance of being accepted. Controversy has been found to diminish good relationships among those involved in the controversy. The purpose of controversy is to judge sides and adopt the best one. A cooperative context is more likely to result in concurrence-seeking than in information seeking. Minority opinions are most persuasive when they are unwilling to compromise. Brainstorming is more effective in a group than when individuals brainstorm on their own. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS Explain the differences between controversy, concurrence seeking, debate, and individualistic decision making. Explain how the process of controversy leads to better thinking. Explain why groups avoid conflict in decision-making situations. Why is individual decision-making lacking? Why is debate unsatisfactory for good decision-making? What are ways in which a group can stifle good ideas? Explain the process (steps) of controversy. Why is creating uncertainty in a group member a good thing? Why is a cooperative context important for the success of a controversy? What are the effects of a competitive context on those involved in controversy? What are the effects of a cooperative context on those involved in controversy? Why is it important to confirm the other’s competence when disagreeing with them? What are the elements of rational argument? How can those with a minority opinions influence the majority opinion? How does the controversy procedure foster support for the minority opinion? How does controversy affect creativity? What are some important procedures for motivating creativity? Explain the differences between open-minded and close-minded groups. Explain why priming and attention are important for diversity of ideas in brainstorming. Chapter 8: Controversy and Creativity B D D B C A B D D C C B A C A A C B E A B C A D E C B A D A D B D C D B A C FALSE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE TRUE FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE FALSE Additional Exercises for Chapter 8: Controversy and Creativity Your Behavior in Controversies (I) The purposes of this exercise are (1) to make you more aware of your typical actions when involved in a controversy and (2) to make your group more aware of the pattern of members’ actions when they are involved in a controversy. The procedure is as follows: 1. Working by yourself, complete the following questionnaire. 2. Using the scoring table, determine (a) your scores and (b) the average of all group members’ scores. 3. Engage in a group discussion of (a) the strategies used most frequently during a controversy and (b) how controversies may be managed more constructively. Understanding My Controversy Behavior Each of the following questions describes an action taken during a controversy. For each question write 5 if you always behave that way, 4 if you frequently behave that way, 3 if you occasionally behave that way, 2 if you seldom behave that way, and 1 if you never behave that way.  1. When I disagree with other group members, I insist that they change their opinions to match mine.  2. If someone disagrees with my ideas and opinions, I feel hurt and rejected.  3. I often infer that persons who disagree with me are incompetent and ignorant.  4. When other disagree with me, I try to view the issue from all points of view.  5. I try to avoid individuals who argue with me.  6. When others disagree with me, I view it as an interesting opportunity to learn and to improve the quality of my ideas and reasoning.  7. When I get involved in an argument with others, I become more and more certain that I am correct and argue more and more strongly for my own point of view.  8. When others disagree with my ideas, I get hostile and angry at them.  9. When I disagree with others, I am careful to communicate respect for them as persons while I criticize their ideas. 10. I am careful always to paraphrase the thoughts and feelings of others when they present ideas and opinions that are different from mine. 11. When others disagree with me, I generally keep my ideas and opinions to myself. 12. When others disagree with me, I encourage them to express their ideas and opinions fully, and seek to clarify the differences between their position and perspective and mine. 13. I view my disagreements with others as opportunities to see who “wins” and who “loses.” 14. I often insult those who criticize my ideas and opinions. 15. When another person and I disagree, I carefully communicate, “I appreciate you, I am interested in your ideas, but I disagree with your current position.” 16. When others disagree with me, I keep thinking of my ideas and opinions so that I do not forget them or get confused. 17. I am careful not to share my ideas and opinions when I think others may disagree with them. 18. When I disagree with others, I listen carefully to their ideas and opinions and change my mind when doing so is warranted by their information and reasoning. 19. When others and I disagree, I try to overpower them with my facts and reasoning. 20. I tend to dislike those who disagree with my ideas and opinions. 21. When I am disagreeing with and criticizing others’ ideas and opinions, I let them know that I like them as a person. 22. I try to view the situation and issue from my opponent’s shoes when involved in a disagreement about ideas and opinions. 23. I refuse to get into an argument with anyone. 24. When others disagree with me, I try to clarify the differences among our ideas and opinions, clarify the points of agreement, and seek a creative integration of all our ideas and information. 25. When others and I disagree, I have to convince them that I am right and they are wrong. 26. When others disagree with my ideas and opinions, it means that they are angry with me and dislike me. 27. While I am disagreeing with others I let them know that I appreciate their ability to present a challenging and thought-provoking position. 28. When I am involved in an argument, I restate and summarize the opposing positions. 29. When others disagree with me, I stay very quiet and try to avoid them in the future. 30. When I am involved in an argument, I never forget that we are trying to make the best decision possible by combining the best of all our facts and reasoning. Scoring Write your answer for each question in the space provided and total your answers for each controversy-managing strategy. The higher the total score for each controversy strategy, the more frequently you tend to use that strategy; the lower the total score for each controversy strategy, the less frequently you tend to use it. Add the scores of all group members for each strategy and divide by the number of members in the group. This will give your group average for each strategy. Win–Lose Rejection Confirmation  1.  2.  3.*  7.  8.  9. 13. 14. 15. 19. 20. 21. 25. 26. 27. Total Total Total Group Average Group Average Group Average Perspective Taking Avoidance Problem Solving  4.  5.  6. 10. 11. 12. 16.* 17. 18. 22. 23. 24. 28. 29. 30. Total Total Total Group Average Group Average Group Average *Reverse the scoring on this question by substituting 1 for 5, 2 for 4, and so on. Controversy Questionnaire Write your scores in the spaces provided. If your score is above 15, it means that you are likely to engage in this strategy. If your score is less than 15, it means that you are not likely to engage in this strategy. Add the scores of all group members for each strategy and divide by the number of members in the group. This will give you your group average for each strategy. Constructive Your Group Destructive Your Group Strategy Score Average Strategy Score Average Problem solving Win–lose Confirmation Rejection Perspective taking Avoidance Procedure 1. Compare your scores for the constructive and destructive strategies. 2. Compare your scores with your actual behavior (as reported by an observer) in the controversy exercise. 3. Discuss the strategies that are difficult for you to engage in. 4. On the basis of the group average scores and the actual behavior of the group members in the controversy exercise, characterize the group’s tendencies toward constructive and destructive controversy. Scoring Criteria: Constructive Scales If you scored less than 15 on any of the scales, you need to begin consciously practicing the skill several times a day until you have mastered the skill and have integrated it into your behavioral repertoire. If you scored between 16 and 20 on any of the scales, you need to find more opportunities to use the skill and make it a more automatic response in many situations. If you scored over 21, you should congratulate yourself and keep up the good work. Scoring Criteria: Destructive Scales If you scored over 15, you need to begin to consciously stop engaging in the behavior until the skill is no longer an automatic habit pattern. You should replace the destructive actions with constructive ones. If you scored between 10 and 14, you need to reduce your destructive actions and seek opportunities to engage in the constructive scales. If you scored less than 10 on a scale, you should congratulate yourself and keep up the good work. Stranded in the Desert Few places are as beautiful as the desert at night, but few places are more dangerous to be stranded than the desert during the night or day. In such a situation, effective decision making is a matter of life or death, and since the emotional content of the arguments over what a stranded group should do will be high, skills in managing controversies constructively are essential. The purpose of this exercise is to examine the dynamics of controversy and its effects on the decision making of a group caught in a survival dilemma. The materials needed for the exercise are a description of the situation, a group decision form, a postdecision questionnaire, a summary table, a controversy observation form, and a constructive controversy checklist. Approximately sixty minutes are needed for the exercise. The procedure for the coordinator is as follows:  1. Introduce the exercise by stating its objective and reviewing the overall procedure and tasks.  2. Divide the class into five groups. Give each group member a Stranded in the Desert Situation Sheet and a copy of the appropriate role-playing instructions. The role-playing instructions for each group are as follows: a. Group 1: Your position is that the group members have to walk to the nearest ranch if they are to survive. Plan carefully the best procedure for doing so. Select the five or six possessions of the group that are most important for implementing your plan and rank them from 1 (most important) to 5 or 6 (least important). b. Group 2: Your position is that the group members have to signal search planes and vehicles if they are to survive. Plan carefully the best procedure for doing so. Select the five or six possessions of the group that are most important for implementing your plan and rank them from 1 (most important) to 5 or 6 (least important). c. Group 3: Your position is that the group members have to protect themselves from the heat of the day and the cold of the night if they are to survive. Plan carefully the best procedure for doing so. Select the five or six possessions of the group that are most important for implementing your plan and rank them from 1 (most important) to 5 or 6 (least important). d. Group 4: Your position is that the group members must stay by the wreck and keep physical movement to a minimum if they are to survive. Plan carefully the best procedure for doing so. Select the five or six possessions of the group that are most important for implementing your plan and rank them from 1 (most important) to 5 or 6 (least important). e. Group 5: Your responsibility is to be observers. The observer’s role is to record the nature of each member’s participation in the group, using the accompanying observation form. Each observer needs two copies of this form. Make sure all members understand the role of the observer and how to use the observation form.  3. Within each group have participants divide into preparation pairs (one triad if there are an odd number of participants in the group). The preparation pairs are responsible for the following: a. Planning a rationale for their assigned position. b. Selecting the five or six possessions of the group that are most important for implementing their plan and rank them from 1 (most important) to 5 or 6 (least important). c. Planning a persuasive presentation of their position and its rationale.  4. Introduce the situation. Have the groups read the description of the situation and their role assignment sheets. Tell them to construct as good a rationale for their position as possible and plan a persuasive presentation of it. Give them fifteen minutes to do so.  5. Form new groups of five by taking one participant from each of the previous groups and placing them together in a new group. Each member of the group should be representing a different position (with the exception of the observer).  6. Have the new groups read the situation description and then rank the twelve possessions of the group from 1 (the most important possession for the survival of the group members) to 12 (the least important possession). All members must agree on the ranking and be able to explain the rationale for why it is ranked where it is. Give the groups twenty minutes to decide on their ranking.  7. Have participants complete the postdecision questionnaire and give their responses to the group observer. Have the observers determine the group mean for each question while you share the correct/experts’ ranking (see pp. 567–569 in the Appendix). Have each group score their ranking.  8. Record the results from each group in the Summary Table on page 333.  9. Instruct each group to discuss its experience and derive at least four conclusions, using the following: a. The decision and questionnaire results b. The information collected by the observers c. The impressions of the group members d. The constructive controversy checklist 10. Have each group share their conclusion with the entire class. Stranded in the Desert Situation You are one of the members of a geology club that is on a field trip to study unusual formations in the New Mexico desert. It is the last week in July. You have been driving over old trails, far from any road, in order to see out-of-the-way formations. At about 10:30 a.m. the specially equipped minibus in which your club is riding overturns, rolls into a twenty-foot ravine, and burns. The driver and the professional adviser to the club are killed. The rest of you are relatively uninjured. You know that the nearest ranch is approximately forty-five miles east of where you are. There is no closer habitation. When your club does not report to its motel that evening, you will be missed. Several persons know generally where you are, but because of the nature of your outing they will not be able to pinpoint your exact whereabouts. The area around you is rather rugged and very dry. There is a shallow water hole nearby, but the water is contaminated by worms, animal feces and urine, and several dead mice. You heard from a weather report before you left that the temperature would reach 108°F, making the surface temperature 128°F. You are all dressed in lightweight summer clothing and you all have hats and sunglasses. While escaping from the minibus, each member of your group salvaged a couple of items; there are twelve in all. Your group’s task is to rank these items according to their importance to your survival, from 1 (most important) to 12 (least important). You may assume that the number of club members is the same as the number of persons in your group and that the group has agreed to stick together. Stranded in the Desert Decision Form Rank the following items according to their importance to your survival, from 1 (most important) to 12 (least important). Magnetic compass 20 ? 20-ft piece of heavy-duty light blue canvas Book, Plants of the Desert Rearview mirror Large knife Flashlight (four-battery size) One jacket per person One transparent plastic ground cloth (6 x 4 ft) per person .38-caliber loaded pistol One 2-quart plastic canteen per person, full of water Accurate map of the area Large box of kitchen matches Postdecision Questionnaire 1. To what extent did other members of the group listen to and understand your ideas? Not at all  1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9  Completely 2. How much influence do you feel you had on the group’s decision? Not at all  1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9  Completely 3. To what extent do you feel committed to and responsible for the group’s decision? Not at all  1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9  Completely 4. To what extent are you satisfied with your group’s performance? Not at all  1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9  Completely 5. How much did you learn about the issue under discussion? Not at all  1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9  Completely 6. Write two adjectives describing the way you now feel: Summary Table: Response to Postdecision Questionnaire Group Group Score Understanding Influence Commitment Satisfaction Learning Feelings 1 2 3 4 Determine the group means from the questionnaire responses and record them in the appropriate column, except for the first and the last columns. In the “Feelings” column put representative adjectives from the questionnaire. Constructive Controversy Checklist  1. There was no winner or loser, only a successful, creative, and productive solu- tion. The cooperativeness of group members should outweigh by far their competitiveness.  2. Disagreements among members’ positions were initiated.  3. All members’ contributions were listened to, respected, and taken seriously.  4. Every member’s contributions were attended to, respected, and taken seriously.  5. Effective communication skills were attended to, respected, and taken seriously.  6. Issues and problems were viewed from all available perspectives.  7. Group members criticized ideas and positions, not individuals. Members disagreed with one another while confirming one another’s competence.  8. Group members viewed disagreement as an interesting situation from which something could be learned, not as personal rejection or a sign that they were being perceived as incompetent or ignorant.  9. There was appropriate pacing of differentiation and integration of members’ positions. Differentiation took place first, followed by integration. 10. Emotions were allowed, and members were encouraged to express them. 11. The rules of rational argument were followed. Members presented organized information to support their positions, reasoned logically, and changed their minds when others presented persuasive and convincing arguments and proof. 12. The arguments of all members were given equal consideration, regardless of how much formal power a member had. Controversy Observation Form Insert the name of each group member above the columns. Then record the frequency with which each member engages in each behavior. Controversy Observation Form Behaviors Participants Total Contributes ideas and opinions Asks others for their ideas and opinions Emphasizes mutual goals Emphasizes win-lose competition Asks others for proof, facts, and rationale Paraphrazes, summarizes Criticizes and disagrees with others’ ideas Criticizes other members as persons Differentiates positions Integrates positions Total Answer to Stranded in the Desert Exercise: Scoring Key Item Experts’ Ranking Your Ranking Difference Score Magnetic compass 12 20- by 20-ft piece of 7 heavy-duty canvas Book, Plants of the Desert 10 Rear-view mirror 1 Large knife 5 Flashlight (four-battery size) 8 One jacket per person 2 One transparent plastic ground cloth (6 × 4 feet) per person 4 Loaded .38-caliber pistol 9 One 2-quart plastic canteen full of water per person 3 Accurate map of the area 11 Large box of kitchen matches 6 Total _____ Score your group’s ranking by finding the absolute difference between your ranking and the experts’ ranking. An absolute difference is found by recording the difference between the two rankings while ignoring all plus or minus signs. After finding all the absolute differences, sum them. The lower your total score, the more accurate your ranking. RATIONALE FOR EXPERTS’ RANKING The group has just been through a traumatic situation that has had a shocking impact on all members. The fact that your advisor and the driver were killed would increase the shock reaction. Most, if not all, members of your group need to receive treatment for shock. Five of the more important problems for your group are as follows (Nesbitt, Pond, & Allen, 1959). One vital problem for the group members is dehydration from exposure to the sun, from bodily activity (causing perspiration and respiration), and from the hot, dry air circulating next to the skin. To prevent dehydration the group members should (1) remain calm to reduce loss of moisture through respiration, (2) wear as many clothes as you can to reduce the loss of moisture through perspiration and having the dry desert air circulate next to your skin (by wearing sufficient clothes to keep the desert air away from your skin, you can lengthen your survival time by at least a day), (3) stay in the shade, (4) minimize movement, especially during the day, and (5) drink as much water as you can. Any activity that increases heartbeat, respiration, and perspiration will speed up dehydration. Taking care to remain calm and in the shade, the group could probably survive for three days without water. The need for clothes makes the jackets important. The need for shade makes the canvas important. To survive you must keep your body properly hydrated, either with adequate water or by keeping body heat production down and keeping desert heat (from sun, air, and ground reflection) out. Once the jackets are on and the sunshade is up, everyone should be as calm and inactive as possible. Another vital problem is signaling search parties of your whereabouts so that you can be rescued. The items that may be used to signal your presence are the mirror, the canvas, the flashlight, the revolver, and a fire (matches). The mirror is the most important signaling device the group has. As Nesbitt, Pond, and Allen (1959) state, “A signal mirror is the best, the simplest, the most important piece of survival equipment ever invented for the desert.” In sunlight the mirror can generate five to seven million candlepower of light, which may be seen beyond the horizon. It pays to flash the mirror at the horizon even when no plane is in view; search planes have turned toward a mirror flash even when the survivors have neither seen nor heard them. The canvas, when spread out to make a shelter, not only can reduce the temperature underneath it by as much as 20°F, but can also be easily spotted from the air because it contrasts with the terrain. The flashlight provides a reliable and quick night signaling device. The pistol is an important sound signaling device, because speech becomes seriously impaired due to dehydration. In the desert setting there have been numerous occurrences of searchers not detecting the people they were looking for because the survivors could not make loud enough noises to attract the searchers’ attention. There are important disadvantages to having the revolver in the hands of a group member who may become hysterical due to the trauma of the situation or delusional due to dehydration. Finally, building a fire at night and using smoke columns during the day will help attract the attention of searchers. “A column of smoke by day, a pillar of fire by night” is a biblical quotation worth remembering for desert signaling. The third major problem is obtaining as much drinkable water as possible. The water you have in your canteens is enough to keep you rational for a while but not enough to extend your survival time. That is, the water in the canteens is enough to hold off the effects of dehydration for a while; without water, within twenty-four hours you can expect to have impatience, nausea, and sleepiness interfere with rational decision making. The only way to obtain purified water to drink from the shallow hole nearby is to build a solar still. The still is built by stretching the ground cloths a few inches above the waterhole and tilting them so that they drain into the canteens. The knife is helpful in cutting the stakes necessary to arrange the ground cloths. When the sun shines through the plastic onto the water, condensation forms on the underside of the plastic. The moisture is distilled and purified water. The fourth problem is protecting yourself from the cold at night. Although the desert is hot during the day, it gets cold at night. The jackets become important to protect the group members from the cold, as do the matches (to build a fire) and the canvas (to provide a shelter). The fifth problem is gathering food if the group is not rescued in the first few days. It is important not to eat protein, as it takes considerable water to digest protein and flush out the waste products. The book on plants will be helpful in obtaining food. Hunting for animals, furthermore, would cause dehydration and would do far more harm than good. If the group decides to walk out, traveling at night, all members will probably be dead by the second day. They will have walked less than thirty-three miles during the two nights. If group members decide to walk during the day, they will probably be dead by the next morning, after walking less than twelve miles. For the group to walk out, having just gone through a traumatic experience that has had a considerable impact on the body, having few if any members who have walked forty-five miles before, and having to carry the canvas and wear the jackets to prevent dehydration would be disastrous. One further fact of great importance: Once the members start walking, they will be much harder to spot by search parties. The compass and the map, therefore, are not helpful to the group’s survival. Fallout Shelter The purpose of this exercise is to provide a decision-making situation in which controversy will occur. The procedure for the exercise is as follows: 1. Form groups of six. One member should volunteer to be an observer. The observer should use the controversy observation form on page 334. 2. Each group member completes the Fallout Shelter Ranking Task. 3. The group decides by consensus on the best ranking possible for the fallout shelter items. There should be one ranking for the group; every member should agree with the ranking and be able to explain the rationale behind the ranking of each item. 4. Members complete the postdecision questionnaire. Compute the group means for each question and place them in the summary table. 5. Score the accuracy of the group’s ranking by comparing it with the experts’ ranking on pages 569–570 in the Appendix. Find the absolute difference between the group’s ranking and the experts’ ranking for each item, and add them together. The lower the score, the more accurate the group’s ranking. 6. Using the observer’s information, the postdecision questionnaire results, the members’ impressions, and the accuracy score for the ranking, discuss the way in which controversy was managed in the group. The constructive controversy checklist given on page 333 may be helpful. The group should write down its conclusions about the constructive management of controversy. 7. Groups should share their conclusions with the entire class. Fallout Shelter Exercise: Ranking Task The possibility of a nuclear war has been announced and the alert signal has been sounded. You and the members of your group have access to a small basement fallout shelter. When the attack warning signal is announced, you must go immediately to the shelter. In the meantime, you must decide what to take with you to help you survive during and after the attack. You are outside the immediate blast areas. The greatest danger facing you is radioactive fallout. In order to help your decision making, rank the following items in order of their importance to your survival in the shelter.  one large and one small  vaporizing liquid fire garbage can with lids extinguisher  broom  flashlight and batteries  containers of water  battery-powered radio  blankets  soap and towels  canned heat stove  first-aid kit with iodine and medicines  matches and candles  cooking and eating utensils  canned and dried foods  Geiger counter  liquid chlorine bleach