48) The phenomenon of ________ describes situations in which group pressures for conformity
deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views.
A) social loafing
B) groupshift
C) groupthink
D) group polarization
E) satisficing
49) In discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to
exaggerate the initial positions they hold. This phenomenon is called ________.
A) self-concordance
B) groupshift
C) satisficing
D) emotional labor
E) groupthink
50) If you ever felt like speaking up in a meeting, a classroom, or an informal group but decided
against it then the reason behind it could be ________.
A) self-efficacy
B) positivity offset
C) groupthink
D) self-concordance
E) groupshift
51) Which of the following steps can be taken by a manager to minimize groupthink?
A) Increase the group size.
B) Encourage group leaders to express their own opinions especially in the early stages of
deliberation.
C) Prevent all team members from playing the role of “devil’s advocate.”
D) Ask the group members to first focus on the positives of an alternative rather than the
negatives.
E) Ask the group leader to actively seek input from all members.
52) Which of the following is a group decision-making technique?
A) mind mapping
B) brainstorming
C) lateral thinking
D) group polarization
E) morphological analysis
53) While using which of the following type of group decision-making techniques is a group
more likely to experience increased groupthink?
A) interacting group
B) brainstorming
C) video conference
D) nominal group technique
E) electronic meeting
54) Patricia needs as many creative ideas as she can get for the new advertising campaign, and
her small agency doesn’t have a lot of money for high-tech meeting facilities. Given the
information provided, which meeting technique will provide the highest number of quality ideas?
A) interacting groups
B) brainstorming
C) nominal group technique
D) electronic meeting
E) social interaction
55) Maya just got out of a meeting. She is extremely frustrated because nothing got done and
now she has to deal with workplace drama. Sophia is threatening to quit because the group
members severely criticized her idea without even giving her a chance to complete her point. The
entire meeting turned into a conflict management session for Maya. Which of the following
meeting techniques was most likely used by Maya?
A) interacting group
B) brainstorming
C) nominal group
D) electronic meeting
E) video conferencing
56) ________ is good for achieving commitment to a solution.
A) An interacting group
B) Brainstorming
C) Nominal group technique
D) Electronic meeting
E) Delphi technique
57) In this group discussion technique, the group leader states the problem in a clear manner so
all participants understand. Members then freewheel as many alternatives as they can in a given
length of time. No criticism is allowed, and all alternatives are recorded for later discussion and
analysis. One idea stimulates others, and judgments of even the most bizarre suggestions are
withheld until later to encourage group members to “think the unusual.” Identify the decision-
making technique in the discussion.
A) group polarization
B) morphological analysis
C) mind mapping
D) electronic meeting
E) brainstorming
58) Which of the following statements is true regarding brainstorming?
A) Brainstorming encourages criticizing an idea as early as possible.
B) Brainstorming overcomes the problem of “production blocking.”
C) Brainstorming can overcome the pressures for conformity.
D) Research consistently shows that a group in a brainstorming session generates more ideas
than an individual working alone.
E) Brainstorming fails to develop group cohesiveness.
59) Hubert needs an instruction manual for his new product. He needs a small team of technical
writers to work together closely to rapidly write the manual. He needs them to communicate
ideas quickly, creatively, and affordably. Which of the following group techniques should
Hubert consider?
A) nominal and electronic
B) nominal and interacting
C) brainstorming and electronic
D) electronic and interacting
E) interacting and brainstorming
60) According to the five-stage group-development model, at present your work group is in the
________ stage.
A) storming
B) norming
C) forming
D) performing
E) adjourning
61) According to the five-stage group-development model, at this stage your group is most likely
to be characterized by ________.
A) intragroup conflicts
B) high cohesiveness
C) a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior
D) a great deal of uncertainty
E) a strong sense of group identity and camaraderie
62) Joe is forming a fact-finding group. What would be the better group size to gain diverse
input?
A) two
B) five
C) seven
D) ten
E) over twelve
63) Most likely, what would be the size of the group that is expected to implement a marketing
plan?
A) two
B) five
C) seven
D) ten
E) over twelve
64) You are most likely to observe that ________.
A) group decision making is slower than individual decision making
B) group decision making leads to decreased acceptance of the solution
C) groups generate less information and knowledge than individuals
D) group decisions are less creative than individual decisions
E) group decisions are more accurate than the judgments of the most accurate individual in the
group
65) You have observed that the group tends to come to consensus very quickly and there appears
to be an illusion of unanimity. You conclude that they may be suffering from ________.
A) negative affect
B) groupshift
C) cognitive dissonance
D) groupthink
E) positivity offset
66) You have decided to use the nominal group technique. Which of the following statements is
true about this method?
A) This method is good for building group cohesiveness.
B) This method is good for processing ideas rapidly.
C) This method is good for encouraging independent thinking.
D) This method is an inexpensive means for generating a large number of ideas.
E) This method is good for achieving commitment to a solution.
67) You are likely to select nominal group technique over brainstorming because ________.
A) nominal group technique involves a great deal of face-to-face interaction
B) brainstorming encourages severe criticism to all ideas
C) research generally shows nominal groups outperform brainstorming groups
D) brainstorming decreases group cohesiveness
E) during brainstorming sessions, group members feel high pressure for conformity
68) A task group is composed of the individuals who report directly to a given manager.
69) Interest groups are formal groups.
70) Four employees from different departments who meet every Saturday for a game of tennis
form a task group.
71) During the forming stage of group development, close relationships develop and the group
demonstrates cohesiveness.
72) During the group development process, when the storming stage is complete, there will be a
relatively clear hierarchy of leadership within the group.
73) According to the five-stage group-development model, the storming stage is the first stage of
group development.
74) A role indicates a set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given
position in a social unit.