Chapter 09 – Managing Small Group Conflict Productively
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Chapter 09
Managing Small Group Conflict Productively
Multiple Choice Questions
1. (p. 226–227) Conflict can help a group by
A. helping the members understand issues clearly.
B. increasing member involvement.
2. (p. 227) Conflicts that are likely to be the most difficult to resolve are due to
A. differences in goals.
E. misunderstandings.
3. (p. 227) Edith argues that animals have rights equal to those of human beings, while Nina says
animals should serve human interests. The central issue in this conflict is one of
D. solutions.
E. ends.
4. (p. 230) Task conflict involves disagreement over
A. ideas.
B. information.
5. (p. 230) Rodrigo and Kia are members of a group that is trying to determine how to put
together its final presentation. Kia thinks a PowerPoint presentation should be involved, but
Rodrigo thinks a PowerPoint presentation will limit the group’s ability to let the discussion
flow. They are most likely having which type of conflict?
A. substantive
E. functional
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6. (p. 230) Which of the following conflict is the root of effective decision making?
A. substantive
B. affective
7. (p. 230) Relational conflict is the conflict that originates from which of the following?
D. task designation
E. project plan
8. (p. 230–231) Which conflict style is associated with stress, dissatisfaction, frustration, and burn
out?
A. substantive
E. functional
9. (p. 231) _____ is likely the root of most relational conflicts.
D. Sharing
E. Openly expressing ideas
10. (p. 232) When allowed proper time to get to know one another and gain a thorough
understanding of how to use technologies, groups that utilize some form of CMC tend to
experience which of the following?
A. an increase in task conflicts
B. an increase in relational conflicts
11. (p. 233) Which of the following is true of conflict management in groups?
D. Conflict is not situational.
E. None of the answers is correct.
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12. (p. 233–235) Susan expresses her preference to solve her hospital’s parking shortage by
building a new garage but gives in to Randy who argues strongly for a carpool center. Susan’s
conflict management style is
A. competition.
B. collaboration.
13. (p. 235) Competition, as a way of managing a conflict, is also called the _____ style.
A. win
E. lose-lose
14. (p. 234 & 237) Marshall believes in trade-offs, in which he gives up something in exchange for
something he wants. His typical conflict management style is called
A. competition.
B. collaboration.
15. (p. 237–238) Kuhn and Poole found in their study of naturally occurring groups that those who
facilitated integrative patterns of conflict did better than those who did not. They discovered
that groups that facilitated integrated patterns of conflict tended to
A. establish their norms for conflict early in their development and did not change them
much.
B. establish stable roles.
16. (p. 238–240) Most of the conflict management advice offered in your text is for an
individualistic culture. Some of the suggestions of open disagreement may appear rude to
which of the following cultures?
A. low power distance
B. low context
17. (p. 240–241) Which of the following is NOT a way to disagree productively?
Chapter 09 – Managing Small Group Conflict Productively
D. express disagreement with sensitivity toward others
E. react to disagreement with a spirit of inquiry
18. (p. 240–241) Amber reacts to Tyrone’s suggestion for promoting an upcoming concert by
putting fliers on cars in the school parking lot by telling him, “That is so idiotic! People hate it
when they get those stupid fliers on their cars!” She is NOT displaying which of the following
techniques for expressing disagreement productively?
D. expressing disagreement when it seems important
E. none of the answers is correct.
19. (p. 246–247) Asking group members why they prefer particular alternatives represents which
principle in the “principled negotiation” procedure?
A. separating the people from the problem
E. none of the answers is correct.
20. (p. 246) Standards agreed upon by all group members as clear, fair, and appropriate for
evaluating alternatives are called _____ criteria.
A. impartial
B. neutral
Fill in the Blank Questions
21. (p. 226–227) Conflict can be beneficial to a group, but only if it is _____ properly.
22. (p. 227–228) Conflict can increase the _____ of a group.
23. (p. 235) Conflict over _____ is not always resolvable.
24. (p. 231) Conflict over how to do something is called _____ conflict.
Chapter 09 – Managing Small Group Conflict Productively
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25. (p. 232) CMC groups initially displaying more affective and procedural conflict than _____
groups saw these types of conflicts lessen over time.
26. (p. 234–235) In the _____ conflict style, a group member has little motivation to meet one’s
own needs.
27. (p. 234) Group members must recognize they have a(n) _____ in the solution and be
motivated to cooperate in resolving a conflict.
28. (p. 235) The accommodation style of conflict management is also called _____.
29. (p. 236) A win-win way of resolving a conflict is also known as the _____ style.
30. (p. 236) A person who stands up for her point of view and encourages others to do the same
in a group conflict is employing the _____ style of conflict management.
31. (p. 237) A partial-win/partial-lose solution describes a(n) _____ by the persons involved in
managing a conflict.
32. (p. 237) Conflict management approaches that are _____ generally lead to better group
decisions for complex tasks.
33. (p. 240–242) A disagreement has no chance of helping a group if it is not _____.
34. (p. 243–245) The problem-solving technique that recognizes that sometimes people working
by themselves in the presence of others generate more ideas than during group interaction is
known as the _____.
35. (p. 246) Sometimes, conflict is highly emotional and drives people on both sides of an issue
to talk about the other side as the _____.
True/False Questions
Chapter 09 – Managing Small Group Conflict Productively
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36. (p. 229) Despite goodwill and discussion using well-managed conflict resolution procedures,
some conflicts in groups cannot be resolved.
37. (p. 232) Relational conflict is also known as substantive conflict.
38. (p. 230–231) Task conflict helps a group to make effective decisions.
39. (p. 232) CMC groups follow the same pattern of conflict types as face-to-face groups.
40. (p. 233) An accommodator has a high motivation to meet the needs of the other person but a
low motivation to meet the needs of the self.
41. (p. 233) A competitor has a high motivation to meet the needs of the other person.
42. (p. 233 & 236) Collaboration is suitable for all group conflict situations.
43. (p. 234) Conflict management styles incorporating the legitimate needs of all parties are
preferable to those that produce winners and losers.
44. (p. 235) Even though it prevents secondary tension, accommodating invariably leaves
tensions harmful to a group.
45. (p. 237) As compromise does not resolve underlying issues, it is not recommended for
managing any conflicts that occur among the members of a group.
46. (p. 240–242) Usually, it is more productive for a member to wait until late in a discussion to
express a disagreement rather than verbalizing it when first felt.
47. (p. 241) Group members should ask for criticism of their ideas and opinions.
48. (p. 243) More than anything else, the quality of a group member’s argument is most likely to
lead to group members’ attitude change.
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49. (p. 243–245) Nominal group technique is based on the principle that people work better
individually to resolve conflict.
50. (p. 245–248) During “principled negotiation,” parties to a conflict are encouraged to focus not
on the courses of action they have already proposed but on their underlying needs.
Essay Questions
51. (p. 226–229) List three commonly believed myths about conflicts, and explain why each is a
myth rather than a truth.
Answers will vary.
52. (p. 230–232) Describe the three types of conflicts, and give examples of each.
Answers will vary.
53. (p. 233–237) Under what conditions is each of the five conflict-management styles
appropriate?
Answers will vary.
54. (p. 237–240) Explain what it means to use an integrative approach to conflict management.
Answers will vary.
55. (p. 238–240) Explain how conflict management is cultural, and give an example of when one
conflict style might work for one culture but not another.
Answers will vary.
56. (p. 240–242) Describe the four ways of expressing strong disagreement in a group to increase
the probability of resolving a conflict satisfactorily with the group intact.
Answers will vary.
57. (p. 242–243) Explain three ways by which you can increase your influence on the group as a
whole when you are a lone deviant or part of a deviant minority in a small group.
Answers will vary.
58. (p. 243–245) Describe the purpose of the nominal group technique, and list the steps
associated with this technique.
Answers will vary.
59. (p. 245–248) Name and describe the four steps or principles in the procedure of “principled
negotiation.” Explain how each can help a group achieve a satisfactory resolution to a
conflict.
Answers will vary.