Question 1

Which of the following is true concerning high- and low-power-distance cultures and group membership?

Accepted Answer

High-power-distance cultures tend to have power concentrated in the hands of a few individuals or groups, while low-power-distance cultures emphasize more egalitarian distribution of power within groups. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect based on this understanding.

Question 2

Members of the R&D department at GHI Drugs believe they have unanimous agreement concerning the benefits of Vidoxidin,a new drug to lower blood pressure,even though independent tests indicate it can have dangerous side effects.The members of R&D believe their own tests and opinion cannot be wrong.The R&D department at GHI Drugs has a problem concerning

Accepted Answer

The R&D department at GHI Drugs is exhibiting groupthink, which is a phenomenon where group members prioritize conformity and maintain uniformity in their beliefs, disregarding alternative opinions, and ignoring relevant facts. The group members' belief in Vidoxidin's benefits, despite independent tests indicating its dangerous side effects, is an example of groupthink.

Question 3

The aggressor,blocker,self-confessor,and dominator are best defined as __________ roles.

Accepted Answer

These roles are defined as individual roles because they describe behaviors focused on personal needs or goals at the expense of group cohesion and effectiveness.

Question 4

In a department meeting,John has shared some research on some new software that the company should purchase. Bill agrees with John,and goes on to share his experience with the software and offer more insight into why the software John suggests would be the best option. In this scenario,Bill's behavior would best be classified as an

Accepted Answer

Bill's behavior of sharing his experience and offering more insight into why the software would be the best option falls under the categorization of an elaborator, as he is contributing to the discussion by providing more information and detail. Option A, opinion giver, is not accurate as Bill is not simply sharing his opinion, but rather offering relevant information. Option B, procedural technician, is also not accurate as this refers to someone who focuses on following the established procedures or rules rather than contributing to the discussion. Option C, encourager, is also not accurate as Bill is not necessarily encouraging others but rather providing additional detail to support John's suggestion.

Question 5

During weekly sales meetings,Annie makes a point to congratulate other members of the group for
Their accomplishments of the week and make positive comments about others' ideas to increase sales.One of the roles Annie plays at these meetings is

Accepted Answer

Annie's behavior of congratulating others and making positive comments shows that she is encouraging and motivating her colleagues. Therefore, the role Annie plays in these meetings is an encourager.

Question 6

Which of the following is a guideline for effective small group communication?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring understanding is a crucial guideline for effective small group communication. This involves actively listening to others, asking questions, and clarifying any misunderstandings to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Being self-oriented (A) or centering conflict on people (B) can negatively impact group dynamics and communication. Being uncritically open-minded (C) can also be problematic, as it can prevent critical analysis and evaluation of ideas.

Question 7

During a departmental meeting,Zora listens to everyone's ideas and when it seems like everyone is on the same page,she adds,"This all sounds great to me.I'll go along with it." By making this remark,Zora has performed what group role?

Accepted Answer

Zora's statement indicates that she is willing to go along with what the group has decided, indicating that she is taking on the role of a follower. The other options (compromiser, recorder, information giver) do not accurately describe Zora's behavior in this situation.

Question 8

The approach to leadership exemplified by Gandhi,Martin Luther King,Jr.,and John F.Kennedy is Best described as a __________ approach.

Accepted Answer

The approach exemplified by Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy is transformational leadership. This approach is focused on inspiring and motivating followers to achieve their full potential and create significant change. Transformational leaders lead by example, are empathetic towards their followers, and inspire them to work towards a shared vision. Trait leadership is focused on identifying specific traits or characteristics that make a good leader, functional leadership focuses on the functions of leadership, and situational leadership is focused on adapting to different situations and contexts.

Question 9

The information seeker,opinion giver,and procedural technician are best defined as __________ roles.

Accepted Answer

The information seeker, opinion giver, and procedural technician are all roles related to accomplishing a group task. The information seeker actively seeks out information that can help the group accomplish its goals, the opinion giver provides their perspective and ideas to support the group's decision-making process, and the procedural technician helps ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively. These roles are all essential in accomplishing a group's objectives, making them a part of group task roles.

Question 10

Bellah is in charge of leading a new team of firefighters who recently joined the force.In this Situation,Bellah is well-advised to use which leadership style of the situational approach?

Accepted Answer

Given the context that Bellah is leading a new team of firefighters, the "telling" style is most appropriate. This style involves giving clear instructions and closely supervising tasks, which is crucial for inexperienced team members who are likely to need guidance and direct leadership to ensure their safety and effectiveness in their roles.

Question 11

Pat is in charge of leading a group of seasoned volunteers at a local charity.In this situation,Pat is Well-advised to use which leadership style?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Pat is in charge of leading a...

Question 12

John-David arrived fifteen minutes late for study group. The others in the group were busy studying and asking questions when John-David arrived. John-David then proceeded to hold court for ten minutes,interrupting everyone by complaining about how bad the parking is on campus. John-Davis's actions best classify him as a(n)

Accepted Answer

John-David's actions of interrupting the group to complain about parking, rather than contributing to the study session, indicate he is seeking attention and recognition from the group.

Question 13

Larry never has anything good to say about any idea generated during group meetings.Because of Larry's negativity,the group has not made much progress toward its goal.In this group,Larry represents the

Accepted Answer

Larry's behavior is hindering the group's progress, hence he represents a blocker. Blockers are people who are negative and are resistant to change. They are not open to new ideas and try to halt the progress of the group. In this case, Larry is displaying characteristics of a blocker as he is not supportive of any ideas generated during group meetings.

Question 14

Which approach to leadership posits that a person's characteristics can be used to distinguish leaders from nonleaders?

Accepted Answer

The traits approach to leadership suggests that certain innate characteristics, such as intelligence, charisma, and personality, are associated with effective leadership. This approach seeks to identify the core traits that distinguish leaders from non-leaders.

Question 15

Which of the following statements concerning groupthink is true?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a phenomenon where group members tend to conform to the group's decision without critically analyzing it. This often results in disregarding realistic and logical analysis of a problem. Hence, statement B is true. Statement A is partially true as groupthink can have a negative impact on a group but never positive. Statement C is false as groupthink never leads to a realistic analysis of a problem. Statement D is false as groupthink hampers the quality of decisions made by group members.

Question 16

During a departmental meeting,Donna questions Henry's suggestion concerning how to decrease Turnover by saying,"That's an innovative approach to the problem,Henry,but I'm not sure how it would work for this specific work group." By making this comment,Donna is performing which member role?

Accepted Answer

Donna is taking on the role of an evaluator-critic by providing constructive criticism and questioning Henry's suggestion. She is attempting to analyze the idea further and assess its potential effectiveness for the specific work group.

Question 17

The encourager,compromiser,and follower are best defined as __________ roles.

Accepted Answer

The encourager, compromiser, and follower are all roles that contribute to building a cohesive group dynamic rather than directly impacting the completion of a task. Therefore, they can be considered group building roles. Option A (group task) relates to roles focused on achieving goals, option C (individual) pertains to personal characteristics or skills, and option D (task delegating) refers to roles that involve assigning or coordinating tasks within a group.

Question 18

Honor keeps trying to change the subject of a listserv she subscribes to from the discussion of classic TV shows (the subject the list was formed to discuss)to discussion of the latest trends in reality TV. She is more interested in these new shows than in shows like "Andy Griffith" and "Dr.Kildare." Honor's communication indicates little understanding of which guideline for member participation in groups?

Accepted Answer

Being group oriented means that Honor should prioritize the goals and interests of the group over her personal preferences. In this case, the group was formed to discuss classic TV shows, not reality TV. By continually trying to shift the discussion towards reality TV, Honor is not being group oriented.

Question 19

The theory that some people exert less effort when working in groups than when working alone is Called

Accepted Answer

The theory of social loafing suggests that some individuals exert less effort when working in groups compared to when working alone.

Question 20

This leadership style of the situational approach is characterized by little direction and little support:

Accepted Answer

The delegating style of leadership in the situational approach involves giving employees the freedom to complete tasks and make decisions with minimal direction and support from the leader. This style is appropriate for employees who are highly experienced, skilled, and motivated, and who require little guidance or supervision to accomplish their work.

Quiz 10: Members And Leaders In Small Group Communication