Question 1

A team whose task is to keep a college president informed about all areas of the college would be a(n):

Accepted Answer

An advisory team's task is to provide advice and recommendations to a decision maker. In this case, the team's responsibility is to keep the college president informed, which is an advisory role. Therefore, option D, advisory team, is the best choice. A production team focuses on producing goods, a service team provides services, and a management team is responsible for managing a particular area of the organization. None of these options fit the description of the team's task as given in the question.

Question 2

In which group would a shared mental model be MOST important?

Accepted Answer

In the high-pressure and dynamic environment of an emergency room, medical personnel need to have a shared mental model to quickly and efficiently respond to patients' needs. This helps ensure that all team members are on the same page and working towards a common goal of providing the best care possible.

Question 3

_____ is a symptom of groupthink.

Accepted Answer

Pressure on dissenters is a symptom of groupthink, where members of the group may pressure any individual who expresses doubts or questions the consensus, leading to a decrease in critical evaluation of decisions.

Question 4

A(n) _____ is an organized knowledge structure that enhances the interaction of an individual with his or her environment.

Accepted Answer

A mental model is a cognitive framework that a person builds to represent their understanding of a specific domain, concept or system. Mental models help individuals to interact with their environment more efficiently by providing context, anticipate outcomes, and make decisions. Mental models are continually refined and updated based on new experiences and information. Option A is incorrect because situational schema refers to a mental model that helps people understand specific situations. Option B and D are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the concept of mental models.

Question 5

_____ is an antecedent of groupthink, while _____ is a symptom of group think.

Accepted Answer

Cohesion is an antecedent of groupthink, as it creates a strong desire for group harmony and conformity, leading to a lack of critical thinking and consideration of alternative perspectives. Appointment of a mindguard is a symptom of groupthink, as it involves the suppression or exclusion of dissenting opinions within the group.

Question 6

Habib's team does not select a solution until everyone in the group agrees on the best solution. In this case, Habib's team is using which process of decision-making?

Accepted Answer

Habib's team is using the process of consensus, which means that everyone has to agree on the solution before it is selected. Unlike majority rule, where the solution with the most votes wins, or delegating, where one person or group makes the decision for everyone else, consensus prioritizes cooperation and collaboration, ensuring that everyone's concerns and perspectives are taken into account. Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

Question 7

Mary, Alex, Lou, and Michelle work as a group on a daily basis to make computer chips in a manufacturing plant. They are an example of a _____ team.

Accepted Answer

Mary, Alex, Lou, and Michelle work together on a daily basis to manufacture computer chips, which suggests that they are involved in the production process. Therefore, they are an example of a production team.

Question 8

Qasim is finding that a group project is taking a lot of time because his team members do not communicate well or share information, and they have difficulty finding meeting times that work for everyone. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Process loss refers to any aspect of group interaction that inhibits good problem solving. In this case, the team's poor communication and difficulty finding meeting times are hindering their progress and causing process loss. Groupthink refers to the tendency for group members to conform to a unanimous but potentially flawed decision, mindguarding refers to protecting the group from information that may challenge its assumptions or lead to negative emotions, and cohesion refers to the degree of attraction and liking among group members.

Question 9

A group consisting of engineers, maintenance workers, and mathematicians is brought together to solve a problem with a nuclear reactor. Once the reactor is repaired and operational, they will return to work in their respective departments. This group represents a:

Accepted Answer

A project team is a temporary group of individuals with complementary skills and expertise brought together to achieve a specific goal or objective. In this case, the group of engineers, maintenance workers, and mathematicians are brought together to solve a problem with a nuclear reactor. Once the reactor is repaired and operational, they will return to work in their respective departments, indicating that this is a temporary project team. The other options, such as a production team (which would focus on producing goods or services on an ongoing basis) or a management team (which would focus on overseeing an organization's operations), do not accurately describe the situation described in the scenario.

Question 10

A chief executive officer (CEO), a chief financial officer (CFO), and a chief information officer (CIO) may be considered parts of a(n):

Accepted Answer

The CEO, CFO, and CIO are all key members of the management team, responsible for the strategic direction and overall performance of the organization. They work together to make critical decisions and manage resources to achieve organizational goals.

Question 11

Niamh is a nurse on a surgery team. The surgeon often doesn't need to tell her what to do-she knows her team so well that she can anticipate what they require her to do next. We might say that Niamh's team has an effective:

Accepted Answer

Niamh's ability to anticipate her team's needs suggests that they have developed a shared mental model, which is a collective understanding of how the team works together to achieve their goals. This allows for efficient and effective collaboration without the need for constant communication or direction. Option A, groupthink, refers to the phenomenon of group decision-making becoming skewed or biased due to a desire for consensus. Option B, mindguard, refers to a member of a group who shields the group from dissenting viewpoints. Option D, conjoined work schema, is not a recognized term in the field of group dynamics.

Question 12

Hyria, who is part of a workgroup, feels very connected to her coworkers, but she is concerned about a decision they are making. She is afraid to speak up, however, because in the past, dissenters were pressured into going along with the group consensus. Hyria's group is likely engaging in:

Accepted Answer

The behavior of Hyria's group is indicative of groupthink, where members prioritize conformity and maintaining group cohesion over individual critical thinking and dissent. This can lead to poor decision-making and judgment. The pressure Hyria feels is a common symptom of groupthink, and it is important for group members to encourage a culture of open discussion and constructive criticism to avoid the pitfalls of groupthink.

Question 13

Larry is a member of a group that is organizing a protest. The team has given him the job of protecting the members of the group from the views of people outside the group. Larry is acting as a:

Accepted Answer

Larry is fulfilling the role of a mindguard, which is someone in a group who shields other group members from dissenting opinions or information that may be perceived as harmful or disruptive to the group's goals or cohesion. A goaltender is a sports term and not applicable to this situation. A devil's advocate is someone who intentionally presents opposing viewpoints to challenge groupthink or assumptions, which is not what Larry is doing. A free rider is someone who benefits from the efforts of a group without contributing themselves, which is also not relevant to Larry's role.

Question 14

Any nonmotivational element of a group situation that detracts from a group's performance is known as:

Accepted Answer

Process loss encompasses any nonmotivational element of a group situation that detracts from the group's performance, such as poor communication, lack of focus, or poor coordination. Loafing refers specifically to members of a group reducing effort or contribution because they feel their individual effort is not necessary, while groupthink refers to a phenomenon where members of a group strive for consensus and unanimity at the expense of critical thinking and realignment of perspectives. Mindguard is a term used to describe a member of a group who actively shields the group from dissenting opinions or information that might challenge its views, thereby contributing to groupthink.

Question 15

_____ are groups in which the actions of individuals are interdependent, individuals hold a specific role, and common goals are shared across the group.

Accepted Answer

Work teams meet all of the criteria mentioned in the statement. Work units and business units may also have shared goals but do not necessarily have interdependent actions or specific roles for each individual. Cliques may have interdependent actions but often do not have specific roles or shared goals. Therefore, A) Work teams are the best choice.

Question 16

Galenia's team generates solutions and then provides information about each solution to the chairperson, who ultimately makes the decision. In this case, Galenia's group is using which process of decision-making?

Accepted Answer

The process described indicates that the team is delegating decision-making authority to the chairperson, who is ultimately responsible for making the decision. Averaging, majority rule, and consensus all involve a group decision-making process where everyone has a vote or input towards the final decision, which is not the case in this scenario.

Question 17

Cross-functional teams often are also:

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are project teams that consist of members from different functional areas within an organization. These teams work together to achieve a common goal or complete a specific project.

Question 18

When a cohesive group's desire to agree becomes so dominant that it overrides realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action, the result is a mode of thinking known as:

Accepted Answer

Groupthink occurs when a cohesive group values consensus and agreement more than realistic evaluation of alternatives, leading to flawed decision-making. This is often due to pressure to conform to group norms and avoid dissent. Mindguards, social loafing, and free riding are different phenomena that do not encompass the same dynamics as groupthink.

Question 19

Which of these is an antecedent of groupthink?

Accepted Answer

Group cohesion, or the strong desire for group harmony and unity, is the antecedent of groupthink. When group members prioritize maintaining a positive group dynamic, they may suppress their own doubts or criticisms of the group's decisions, leading to a flawed decision-making process.

Option B, unbiased leadership, can actually help prevent groupthink by promoting open and diverse perspectives.

Option C, low decisional stress, may also contribute to groupthink as group members may be more likely to prioritize maintaining harmony over making difficult decisions.

Option D, appointment of a devil's advocate, can also help prevent groupthink by providing an alternative perspective and encouraging critical thinking.

Question 20

According to research on group decision-making, groups are NOT particularly effective at:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that groups often struggle to share unshared information, as individuals may hold back their unique perspectives or knowledge for fear of going against the group consensus or not being heard. This phenomenon is known as "hidden profiles." However, groups can be effective at coordinating and utilizing shared information, as well as avoiding groupthink (which occurs when groups prioritize consensus over critical thinking).

Quiz 12: Group Processes and Work Teams

A team whose task is to keep a college president informed about all areas of the college would be a(n) :