Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 8: Group Communication
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. A college chess club has nicknamed themselves “the players” because they
play chess so well, but also because they like the idea of suggestive double
entendre. They have built lots of suggestive innuendo in their interactions, saying
things like “I guarantee I can mate you” or “what’s your favorite position,” which
have meanings both for chess and for sex. According to symbolic convergence
theory, when club members come up with a new way of continuing this idea, they
are using ______.
A. a rhetorical vision
B. dramatizing
C. fantasy chaining
D. symbolic convergence
2. According to Symbolic Convergence Theory, building fantasy chains results in
group cohesion, a process termed ______.
A. rhetorical vision
B. dramatizing
C. fantasy chaining
D. symbolic convergence
3. When group members elaborate on their group’s stories and fantasy chains,
they create a unified way of viewing the world. This is called ______.
A. rhetorical vision
B. dramatizing
C. fantasy chaining
D. symbolic convergence
4. The sales team had been meeting and arguing for over an hour. Roger could
feel the group’s tension rising, so he attempted to break the stress by infusing a
lame joke. Everyone laughed, more because the joke was so bad, but it did clear
the air. According to Gouran and Hirokawa, Roger’s joke is an example of
______.
A. brainstorm
B. decision criterion
C. dramatizing message
D. function
5. During a brainstorming session, Gracie asked for clarification of one of
George’s solutions to the problems at hand. Gracie was violating which rule of
brainstorming?
A. don’t evaluate ideas
B. don’t clarify ideas
C. encourage zany ideas
D. expand on others’ ideas
6. Strangers standing at a bus stop are known as a(n) ______.
A. small group
B. socioemotional group
C. aggregate
D. organizational group
7. In this third function of functional group decision making, brainstorming should
take place.
A. problem analysis
B. goal setting
C. identify alternatives
D. evaluate and select
8. The second function of functional decision making is which of the following?
A. determining minimal standards
B. identifying alternatives
C. evaluating possible solutions
D. problem analysis
9. Layla’s group is meeting for the first time since mid-semester break. She is
trying to get everyone on track to start establishing goals for the week. Layla is
using what type of communication, according to functional group decision
making?
A. promotive
B. disruptive
C. counteractive
D. socioemotional
10. This type of communication, according to functional group decision making, is
considered the most important for making a group decision.
A. promotive
B. disruptive
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
C. counteractive
D. socioemotional
11. Which of the following is communication focused on developing, maintaining,
and repairing the relationships between group members rather than a type of
communication identified by functional group decision making as related to
making the best decision.
A. promotive
B. disruptive
C. counteractive
D. socioemotional
12. ______ communication diverts, retards, or frustrates the ability of the group
to achieve the requisite functions.
A. Counteractive
B. Disruptive
C. Counterintuitive
D. Promotive
13. Arthur’s team failed to place in a nationwide PRSSA competition. He believes
it is because all the members of his team are communication majors and this
year all members happened to be men, which led to a lack of diversity in the
creative process. What antecedent condition of groupthink is Arthur identifying?
A. group insulation
B. biased leadership
C. lack of procedural norms
D. homogeneity
14. Lita is working on her capstone movie project with other students in her
assigned group. As a graduating senior, Lita is just “going through the motions”
when working on this project. She rarely delves into the process of the
filmmaking. Lita is experiencing ______.
A. collective rationalization
B. self-censorship
C. illusion of unanimity
D. self-appointed mindguards
15. To prevent groupthink, it is a good idea to ______.
A. close off the group from distractions
B. have the leader state a preference
C. invite outsiders to the group
D. spend as little time as possible between the initial decision to the confirmation
16. Donnell is working with the executive board of her sorority to plan out the
fundraiser for alumni weekend. The organization the sorority typically works with
has backed out, and she thinks it would be best for her to just quickly select
another organization because she knows her sisters will be in agreement. What
symptom of groupthink is Donnell experiencing?
A. collective rationalization
B. self-censorship
C. illusion of unanimity
D. self-appointed mindguards
17. Paul university quidditch team has won the regional championship cup the
past three years. Tomorrow is this year’s championship, and Harry thinks the
team should watch some old tape to reinforce the strategy. Paul believes the
team will have no problem; they have handedly won the past few years and
nothing can stop them. What symptom of groupthink is Paul experiencing?
A. illusion of invulnerability
B. inherent morality
C. stereotyping
D. collective rationalization
18. Will’s fraternity is about to compete in Greek Week. In the two weeks leading
up to the events, the fraternity has spent the majority of the time creating posters
and chants that make fun of the other fraternities. What symptom of groupthink is
the fraternity experiencing?
A. illusion of invulnerability
B. inherent morality
C. stereotyping
D. collective rationalization
19. Marta works at a bank. For the first couple of months she struggled to learn
the protocol, which is used in any decision making process in the organization.
Now that she is confident with the protocol, she can very quickly apply it. This is
known as using which path for structuration?
A. unitary path
B. complex cyclic path
C. solution-orientation path
D. virtual path
20. Phillip’s neighborhood watch group likes using the functional group decision
making when unexpected issues arise, however, they often jump all around with
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
the functions. Sometimes they start with brainstorming, then go back to
understanding the original problem, then come back to brainstorming. This is
known as using which path for structuration?
A. unitary path
B. complex cyclic path
C. solution-orientation path
D. virtual path
21. According to the Adler and Proctor textbook, a fantasy theme starts with a
______ message—such as a joke, anecdote, innuendo, pun, figure of speech,
double entendre, or metaphor—among other things.
A. vision
B. persuasive
C. rhetorical
D. dramatizing
22. A unified way of viewing the world is known as ______.
A. rhetorical vision
B. task communication
C. socioemotional communication
D. identifying alternatives
23. Interpersonal characteristics of group members, such as cohesion,
experience, and status, are known as ______ resources.
A. allocative
B. associative
C. authoritative
D. computative
True/False
1. According to communication scholars, the terms group and team are
synonymous.
2. The process of symbolic convergence affects decision making.
3. The requisite functions in functional theory must be completed in order.
4. Group communication is different from other forms of communication because
there is a balance between task and socioemotional communication.
5. Until there is a common task, a number of people grouped together are known
as an aggregate.
6. At least three of the five functions should be met in order to reach an effective
decision, according to functional group decision making.
7. Counteractive communication is likely to be the most important for small group
decision making.
8. Groupthink is a positive phenomenon that occurs when group members gain
the ability to predict one another’s communication.
9. This idea that group members’ action both creates and constrains interaction
is known as the duality of structure.
10. The antecedent condition known as structural flaws refers to problems with
the way the group is organized.
1. What is symbolic convergence? Explain the two elements that lead to symbolic
convergence.
2. Identify and explain the five requisite functions.
3. Provide an example of when groupthink occurred in a group you worked with
(this could be an athletic group, study group, club, etc.). In order to apply, ensure
that you provide at least two antecedent conditions, two symptoms, and then one
way in which groupthink could be prevented.
4. One of the antecedent conditions of groupthink is situational characteristics.
Explain a situational characteristic and provide an example that was not used in
the Adler and Proctor textbook.
5. One of the symptoms of groupthink is closed-mindedness. Explain this
symptom and provide an example of closed-mindedness.