Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank for Essentials of Human Communication, Eighth Edition
CHAPTER 10: MEMBERS AND LEADERS IN
SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION
Multiple Choice Questions
1)
The information seeker, opinion giver, and procedural technician are best defined as
__________
roles.
A)
group task C)
individual
B)
group building D)
maintenance
2)
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?
A)
follower C)
evaluator-critic
B)
dominator D)
compromiser
3)
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?
A)
compromiser C)
information giver
B)
recorder D)
follower
4)
The aggressor, blocker, self-confessor, and dominator are best defined as
__________ roles.
A)
group task C)
maintenance
B)
group building D)
individual
5)
The encourager, compromiser, and follower are best defined as
__________ roles.
A)
group task C)
individual
B)
group building D)
task delegating
6)
Which of the following is true concerning high– and low-power-distance cultures and group
membership?
A)
In high-power-distance cultures, power is concentrated in the hands of a few.
B) In high-power distance cultures, power is evenly distributed.
C)
In low-power-distance cultures, people are taught to have great respect for authority.
D)
In low-power-distance cultures, there is a high level of trust in authority.
7)
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
A)
encourager. C)
compromiser.
B)
opinion giver. D)
recognition seeker.
8)
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)
A)
follower C)
blocker
B)
recognition seeker D)
opinion giver
9)
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
A)
blocker. C)
self-confessor.
B)
recognition seeker. D)
evaluator/critic
10)
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
A)
opinion giver C)
encourager
B)
procedural technician D)
elaborator
11)
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?
A)
beware of groupthink C)
ensure understanding
B)
be group oriented D)
be open-minded
12)
The theory that some people exert less effort when working in groups than when working alone is
called
A) group-orientation. C) social loafing.
B) groupthink. D) procedural technician.
13)
Which of the following is a guideline for effective small group communication?
A)
Be self-oriented. C)
Be uncritically open-minded.
B)
Center conflict on people. D)
Ensure understanding.
14) Which of the following statements concerning groupthink is true?
A)
Groupthink can have a positive or negative effect on a group depending on the context in which it
occurs.
B)
Groupthink often shuts out realistic and logical analysis of a problem.
C) Groupthink can lead to realistic analysis of a problem.
D)
Groupthink can bring the best out of group members.
15)
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
A)
groupthink. C)
ensuring understanding.
B)
centering conflict on people. D)
being open-minded.
16)
Which approach to leadership posits that a person’s characteristics can be used to distinguish leaders from
nonleaders?
A)
functional
B)
transformational
C)
situational
D)
traits.
17)
The approach to leadership exemplified by Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and John F. Kennedy is
best
described as a __________ approach.
A)
trait C)
transformational
B)
functional D)
situational
18)
This leadership style of the situational approach is characterized by little direction and little support:
A) telling C) participating
B) selling D) delegating
19)
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?
A)
telling C)
delegating
B)
selling D)
participating
20)
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?
A)
telling C)
delegating
B)
selling D)
participating
21)
Elvira’s general style of leadership is to just let her employees do what they want, although her door
is always open if they have questions or want some information she can provide. Elvira’s style is best
described as
A)
laissez-faire. C)
authoritarian.
B)
democratic. D)
telling
22)
Tulie’s general style of leadership is to tell everyone in his work group exactly what to do and how to do
it. Tulie’s general style is best described as
A)
democratic. C)
participating
B)
authoritarian. D)
laissez-faire.
23)
Which of the following is considered a function of leadership in small group situations?
A)
discourage disagreement
B) work towards unanimous agreement
C)
discourage interaction from group members who sem unwilling to agree with the leader
D)
monitor the interaction of the group members.
24) Which of the following statements about mentoring is true?
A)
Mentoring can only take place between an older person and a younger person.
B)
The mentor guides new people “through the ropes” and teaches techniques for success.
C) Mentoring is far more beneficial to the mentor than the mentee.
D)
Mentoring is a one-on-one activity and not applicable to small groups.
True/False Questions
1)
In high-power-distance cultures, you are taught to have great respect for authority.
2)
The procedural technician is a group task role.
3)
During group meetings, Chris asks the recorder to read back the last statement that was made. Chris is
performing the role of information seeker.
4)
Groups do NOT necessarily require some members to perform group maintenance roles in order to be
successful.
5)
Group members’ willingness to assume individual roles is crucial to the effectiveness of a group.
6)
During a group meeting, Pat questions the feasibility and logic of the solution that the group plans to
propose. Pat is performing the role of blocker.
7)
If group members seek to ensure understanding in group communication, they should work to make
their statements clear as well as asking for clarification of ideas from other members.
8)
Conflict over issues in small groups can lead to better decisions or outcomes.
9)
Groupthink is NOT beneficial to a group.
10)
The concept of social loafing posits that people would exert more effort while working in groups
rather than when working alone.
11)
In cultures with individualistic orientations, the group is likely to single out a member for praise or
blame.
Completion Questions
1)
Tom usually arrives early for group meetings, makes coffee, arranges the seating, and makes sure the flip
chart has paper and the markers have ink. Tom is performing the role of
__________
2)
Amy takes the role of
__________ when she consistently reminds other faculty members that she’s
been an instructor in the department for over twenty-five years; therefore, even though she is not in a
tenure track position, she has seen everything and knows what is best for the department.
3)
According to one of the guidelines of member participation in groups, being group oriented while
still maintaining one’s
__________ is important to the group’s effectiveness.
4) To ensure good decisions are made within a group, it is important to listen to
comments of all members.
__________ but critically
5)
The research and development team at Malloy International has been working on a revolutionary
speech-grading software for six months. Team members have come to view the team as incapable of error
and
on a moral mission. This team exhibits symptoms of __________
6)
The
__________ approach to leadership states that effective leadership requires leaders to shift
emphasis between task accomplishment and member satisfaction.
7) __________ leaders are interested in letting group members participate in developing the goals of the
group.
8) Functions of leadership include maintaining effective
__________ and ensuring member satisfaction.
9)
A
__________ relationship occurs when an experienced individual helps to train a less experienced
individual.
Factual
Matching Sequence
Match the behavior with the group role
1) tries to focus attention on oneself
2) offers support of others’ ideas
3) pulls rank on other group members
4) attacks the group or opposes the suggestions of
other members
5) questions the logic or practicality of
suggestions
6) distributes group materials
7) asks for facts; seeks clarification
8) seeks to find middle ground between own ideas
and ideas of others
A) information seeker
B) evaluator-critic
C) procedural technician
D) aggressor
E) recognition seeker
F) dominator
G) encourager H)
compromiser