Question 1

Groupmemberswho say"Itjustfeelslike the rightthingtodo"aremostlikely usingthe decision-making style.
A)rational
B)intuitive
C)dependent
D)avoidant
E)spontaneous

Accepted Answer

Group members who say "It just feels like the right thing to do" are using an intuitive decision-making style, which relies on gut instinct and personal values rather than logic and analysis (which would be characteristic of a rational style). The other options (dependent, avoidant, and spontaneous) do not accurately describe the decision-making approach used by these group members.

Question 2

A company's recycling taskforce is composed of 15 members.If the task force makes decisions based on a consensus,how many members must be in favor of the group decision?
A)5
B)7
C)8
D)10
E)15

Accepted Answer

Consensus decision-making requires the agreement of all members, so all 15 members must be in favor of the decision.

Question 3

Which of the five prerequisites for group decision making and problem solving requires a collective group process that calls for thoughtful arguments,critical listening,and civility?
A)A Clear goal
B)Quality Content
C)Structured Procedures
D)Commitment to Deliberation
E)Collaborative Communication Climate

Accepted Answer

Commitment to deliberation requires the group to engage in a collective process of thoughtful arguments, critical listening, and civility in order to reach a decision or solve a problem.

Question 4

There are 12members inyour group.Howmanymembersmustbe infavor ofa proposalwhen deciding by authority rule?
A)1
B)6
C)7
D)10
E)12

Accepted Answer

The authority rule states that only one person, typically the leader or chairperson, makes the decision. Therefore, only one member needs to be in favor of the proposal for it to pass under this rule.

Question 5

All of the following guidelines help a group achieve consensus EXCEPT
A)get everyone involved in the discussion.
B)welcome differences ofopinion.
C)listen carefullyto othermembers.
D)use techniques such astradingone decisionforanother.
E)don't be stubborn and argue onlyforyourown position.

Accepted Answer

Using techniques such as trading one decision for another can lead to a compromise, but may not necessarily result in a true consensus. The other guidelines listed (getting everyone involved, welcoming differences of opinion, listening carefully, not being stubborn) all contribute to a group achieving consensus by promoting open communication and understanding of all viewpoints.

Question 6

"Is it inappropriateand in considerate for parents to bring their children to work when they can't get a baby sitter or their day care center closes for a day?" This group discussion question represents a question of
A)policy.
B)procedure.
C)fact.
D)conjecture.
E)value.

Accepted Answer

This question is a matter of value because it involves judgments about what is considered appropriate or considerate behavior, which can vary based on individual or cultural values.

Question 7

As a decision-making method,voting works best when
A)a group isnotpressed fortime.
B)an issueis highlycontroversial.
C)a group issmallenough tomake vote countingeasy.
D)there is no otherwayto breaka deadlock.
E)the group usuallyuses votingto make decisions.

Accepted Answer

Voting works best when an issue is highly controversial as it allows for a democratic process of decision-making and ensures that all members have an equal say in the outcome. In less controversial issues or when time is a constraint, other decision-making methods may be more effective. The size of the group and the use of voting in the past do not necessarily determine the effectiveness of voting as a decision-making method. Voting should only be used as a last resort to break a deadlock.

Question 8

"How many of our company's employees rely on a baby sitter or daycare provider to watch their children during the work day?" This group discussion question represents a question of
A)policy.
B)procedure.
C)fact.
D)conjecture.
E)value.

Accepted Answer

This is a question of fact because it is asking for a quantifiable measure of how many employees use babysitters or daycare providers. It is not a question of policy, procedure, conjecture, or value.

Question 9

"Who will be the next student government president?" This discussion question represents a question of
A)policy.
B)procedure.
C)fact.
D)conjecture.
E)value.

Accepted Answer

This question is a matter of conjecture because it involves speculation or a guess about a future event that cannot be known with certainty at the present time.

Question 10

Problem solving occurs when a group
A)reaches a conclusion.
B)passes judgmenton an issue under consideration.
C)develops a plan for reducing or eliminating the harmful effects of a problem.
D)chooses amongalternatives.
E)analyzes the history,causes,and effects of a problem.

Accepted Answer

Problem solving involves identifying a problem and developing a plan to mitigate or eliminate its harmful effects. Therefore, option C is the best choice as it describes the process of developing a plan to solve a problem. The other options (A, B, D, and E) may be part of the problem-solving process, but they do not capture the essence of solving a problem.

Question 11

Asking if there are 3,487 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty is a question of
A)fact.
B)value.
C)policy.
D)procedure.
E)conjecture.

Accepted Answer

This is a question asking for a specific factual answer, which can be checked and verified.

Question 12

A Congressional debate on a bill to increase penalties for fraud committed by business CEOs is a question of
A)fact.
B)value.
C)policy.
D)procedure.
E)conjecture.

Accepted Answer

The debate on the bill to increase penalties for fraud committed by business CEOs is a question of policy, as it involves a proposed course of action to address a specific issue. It is not a question of fact (which deals with objective truths), value (which deals with ethics and morality), procedure (which deals with rules and protocol), or conjecture (which deals with speculative guesses).

Question 13

Which of the following answers is a signs of a false consensus?
A)Every group member agrees to support a decision oraction.
B)In order to avoid disagreement and conflict,group members agree on a common decision.
C)In order to achieve consensus,all group members take part in shaping a decision.
D)A decision is made that avoids a win/loss vote.
E)Consensus presents a united front to outsiders.

Accepted Answer

A false consensus occurs when a group agrees on a decision solely to avoid disagreement and conflict, which is described in choice B. The other choices describe aspects of true consensus, such as active participation from all group members (choice C), avoiding a "win/loss" mentality (choice D), and presenting a united front to outsiders (choice E). Choice A also describes agreement, but it does not necessarily indicate whether the consensus is true or false.

Question 14

In a collaborative environment,group members agree to the following EXCEPT:
A)We willlistento allpoints ofview.
B)We willaskforfacts andopinions.
C)We willacknowledge personalagendas.
D)We willbetough on issues,but not on another.
E)We willbe express our personal biases.

Accepted Answer

In a collaborative environment, expressing personal biases is generally discouraged because it can lead to conflict and hinder the group's ability to work together effectively. The other options (A, B, C, D) are conducive to a healthy, collaborative environment where all viewpoints are considered, facts and opinions are sought, personal agendas are acknowledged, and discussions focus on issues rather than personal attacks.

Question 15

Group communication scholar Marshall Scott Poole claims that __________ is/are "the heart of group work [and] the most powerfultools we have to improve the conduct of meetings/"
A)A Clear goal
B)Quality Content
C)Structured Procedures
D)Commitment to Deliberation
E)Collaborative Communication Climate

Accepted Answer

Marshall Scott Poole claims that structured procedures are "the heart of group work" and they are the most powerful tools to improve the conduct of meetings. This is because structured procedures provide a clear roadmap for the group to follow, which helps to ensure that everyone has a chance to be heard and that decisions are made fairly and efficiently. They also help to prevent conflicts and disagreements from escalating and can improve the overall effectiveness of the group's communication.

Question 16

Asking whether the drinking age will be lowered to 18 is a question of
A)fact.
B)value.
C)policy.
D)procedure.
E)conjecture.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Asking whether the drinking age will be...

Question 17

Which of the five prerequisites for group decision making and problem solving is highlighted in the following research finding: A group's ability to gather and retain a wide range of information is the single most important determinant of high-quality decision making?
A)A Clear goal
B)Quality Content
C)Structured Procedures
D)Commitment to Deliberation
E)Collaborative Communication Climate

Accepted Answer

The research finding states that the ability of a group to gather and retain a wide range of information is the most important factor for high-quality decision making, which refers to the prerequisite of "Quality Content".

Question 18

General criteria that should be considered when evaluating apotential solutiontoa problem include each of the following EXCEPT
A)is the solution reasonable?
B)is the solution supported byconsensus?
C)are there resources to implement the solution?
D)is there enough time to implement the solution?
E)does the solution protect the group's values?

Accepted Answer

The general criteria that should be considered when evaluating a potential solution to a problem include whether the solution is reasonable, whether there are resources to implement the solution, whether there is enough time to implement the solution, and whether the solution protects the group's values. The only criterion that is not essential is whether the solution is supported by consensus, as consensus is not always achievable or necessary for an effective solution.

Question 19

Acompany'srecycling taskforce gatheredinformationonvarious recycling programs andmet severaltimestochoosewhich programwouldbestsuitthe needsofthe company.The group's recommendationwaspresentedtothe company'svice presidentofoperations,whoultimately chose a programother thanthe one recommendedby thetaskforce.Whichmethodofdecision makingwas usedinthis situation?
A)Authorityrule
B)Consensus
C)Majority vote
D)Minorityrule
E)2/3 vote

Accepted Answer

The decision was ultimately made by the vice president of operations, indicating that an authority rule method of decision making was used. The task force's recommendation may have been taken into consideration, but ultimately the decision was made by one person in a position of power.

Question 20

"How can the company assist employees with their child care needs?" This group discussion question represents a question of
A)policy.
B)procedure.
C)fact.
D)conjecture.
E)value.

Accepted Answer

This question pertains to the policies and practices that a company can implement in order to support employees with their child care needs. It is not a matter of fact (C), conjecture (D), or value (E). While procedures (B) may come into play when actually implementing these policies, the question itself is focused on the policy aspect.

Quiz 9: Problem Solving in Groups

Groupmemberswho say"Itjustfeelslike the rightthingtodo"aremostlikely usingthe decision-making style.

A company's recycling taskforce is composed of 15 members.If the task force makes decisions based on a consensus,how many members must be in favor of the group decision?

Which of the five prerequisites for group decision making and problem solving requires a collective group process that calls for thoughtful arguments,critical listening,and civility?

There are 12members inyour group.Howmanymembersmustbe infavor ofa proposalwhen deciding by authority rule?

All of the following guidelines help a group achieve consensus EXCEPT

"Is it inappropriateand in considerate for parents to bring their children to work when they can't get a baby sitter or their day care center closes for a day?" This group discussion question represents a question of

As a decision-making method,voting works best when

"How many of our company's employees rely on a baby sitter or daycare provider to watch their children during the work day?" This group discussion question represents a question of

"Who will be the next student government president?" This discussion question represents a question of

Problem solving occurs when a group

Asking if there are 3,487 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty is a question of

A Congressional debate on a bill to increase penalties for fraud committed by business CEOs is a question of

Which of the following answers is a signs of a false consensus?

In a collaborative environment,group members agree to the following EXCEPT:

Group communication scholar Marshall Scott Poole claims that __________ is/are "the heart of group work [and] the most powerfultools we have to improve the conduct of meetings/"

Asking whether the drinking age will be lowered to 18 is a question of

Which of the five prerequisites for group decision making and problem solving is highlighted in the following research finding: A group's ability to gather and retain a wide range of information is the single most important determinant of high-quality decision making?

General criteria that should be considered when evaluating apotential solutiontoa problem include each of the following EXCEPT

"How can the company assist employees with their child care needs?" This group discussion question represents a question of