CHAPTER 17: Speaking and Deliberating in Groups
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The process of public deliberation consists of __________.
A) a formal, public debate in a town-hall format between two candidates who are running
for public office
B) utilization of various media to tell citizens how to implement a particular, recently
authorized public policy
C) people publicly expressing, explaining, and justifying their political opinions and policy
preferences
D) successfully managing a fair, open, and ethical election in which a victor clearly emerges
and the outcome is uncontested
2. __________ emphasizes winning arguments by proving the other case flawed.
A) Deliberation
B) Declamations
C) Debate
D) Deception
3. Deliberation refers to __________.
A) addressing a small gathering with a formal speech questioning recent policy
and advocating an alternative
B) addressing a large gathering with a formal speech questioning recent policy
and advocating an alternative
C) talking individually with another person to identify and solve issues within a
particular public controversy
D) communicating within a group to share information, build consensus, and/or
address conflict
4. How well you communicate in groups __________.
A) (compared to public speaking) is a rarely needed skill for
B) significantly influences your effectiveness in an organization or in a community
C) is needed in corporate settings but is not that important in civic involvements
D) remains a valuable skill set, although it is less important than in previous decades
5. Deliberative dialogue aims to __________.
A) identify persons with the best ideas in order to establish leaders
B) secure agreem
C) create an imbalance in power so minority voices can lead and prevail
D) transcend individual ideas and opinions to produce collective insight
6. To improve the chances of successful deliberation, participants need to approach deliberative
dialogue with __________.
A) a spirit of equality
B) a spirit of competition
C)
D) a willingness to sanction politically incorrect attitudes
7. Kareem gathered with other citizens who were concerned about neighborhood crime. As
they deliberated, they ended up focusing on a broader set of concerns, including poverty and at–
A) They have exhibited a natural phase of exploration.
B) They lack an ability to focus and are prone to distraction.
C) They need firmer leadership if they expect to be productive.
D) A clash of personalities likely exists and will generate ongoing conflict.
8. Which of the following best characterizes public deliberation in the United States?
A) It is highly formalized, following specific rules of engagement and order.
B) Its forms vary in terms of formality and means of communication.
C) It is conducted in large public venues, with huge numbers participating.
D) It is highly informal, unstructured, spontaneous, and impromptu.
9. While deliberating whether to continue flying the Confederate flag in their community, Justin
noted that he had not really thought much about it himself but his great-grandfather, an elderly
Black man, had. For his great-grandfather, the flag symbolized the same sort of tyranny that the
Swastika symbolized for Jewish people. When Justin offered this comment, the room grew
silent, and one-by-one the participants said they now had a deeper understanding of what the
servation moved
London terms __________.
A) dialogue
B) abstract dialogue
C) exploratory dialogue
D) extraordinary dialogue
10. Productive dialogue is encouraged when participants __________.
A) indicate that their ideas are tentative, not cast in stone, & establish a hierarchy so that some
members can speak at greater length
B) indicate that their ideas are tentative, not cast in stone, & are respectful of turn-taking norms,
so no one dominates the conversation
C) indicate that they will not compromise when they know they are right, & establish a
hierarchy so that some members can speak at greater length
D) indicate that they will not compromise when they know they are right, & are respectful of
turn-taking norms, so no one dominates the conversation
11. The __________ is a nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored public forums
(from small groups to large, town-hall type meetings) for the consideration of public policy
issues.
A) Urban League
B) National Issues Forum
C) League of Women Voters
D) Study Circles Resource Center
12. This resource center was created to advance deliberative democracy in the United States. Its
goal is to develop communication tools to involve a large number of people, from every
background and way of life, in face-to-face dialogue and action on critical issues.
A) Urban League
B) National Issues Forum
C) League of Women Voters
D) Study Circles Resource Center
13. Prior to a typical National Issues Forum discussion, organizers encourage participants to
__________.
A) research the issue and write a two-
B)
C)
D) pass a test on basic cultural literacy both national and regional in scope
14. This nationwide network includes thousands of civic clubs, religious organizations,
libraries, schools, and many other groups who meet to discuss critical public issues. Its process
is the most pervasive model of small group deliberation in the United States, used yearly by as
many as 15,000 groups.
A) Study Circles Resource Center
B) League of Women Voters
C) National Issues Forum
D) Urban League
15. What is the best way to view conflict in groups?
A) It is nearly always healthy.
B) It is usually dysfunctional.
C) It should be avoided, if possible.
D) If managed, it can be very helpful.
16. When it comes to deliberation in groups, how should we view conflict?
A) It signals that a group has descended into intractable positions, which there is little hope of
transcending.
B) It signals a failure of leadership on the part of a facilitator, making it necessary that
participants elect a new leader.
C) It can lead to enhanced creativity, a deeper understanding of complex problems, and the
generation of better solutions.
D) t, unique to contemporary times a
condition the facilitator must expose and eliminate.
17. Experts recommend strategies for combating groupthink, such as __________.
A) leaders should begin discussions by stating their personal view, and leaders should play
and ask others to do so as well
B) leaders should begin discussions by stating their personal view, and leaders should let the
group occasionally deliberate without them
C) , and leaders should let
the group occasionally deliberate without them
D) leaders should begin discussions by stating their personal view, and leaders should be sure to
facilitate and direct all deliberations carefully
18. Elizabeth is a member of a citizen group whose task is to identify ways to increase green
spaces around town. Elizabeth is a productive member of the group who excels at probing for
additional information and opinions, providing clarification for anyone who is confused, and
integrating what members have said into a coherent statement. When doing these things,
Elizabeth assumes a __________ role in this group.
A) task
B) judicial
C) self-serving
D) building and maintenance
19.
to encourage healthy, effective group interactions?
A) Once the group reaches a tentative decision, ask group members to forget any residual doubts.
B)
C) Ask the group to meet on their own (without the leader present) from time to time.
D) State her or his personal views at the outset of deliberations, so to guide them.
20. Scott is the member of a highly cohesive group that has worked together for a long time. He
lved in the group even
A) They will be less tolerant of dissent from group members.
B) They will rarely exhibit any semblance of self-censorship.
C) They will rarely exert any direct pressure on dissenters.
D)
21. When deliberating in a group, how might you most productively eliminate the doubts and
A) Encourage the free expression of ideas and reward initiative and innovative thinking.
B) Seat the low-status person at the head of the table and give them an important-sounding title
and several task roles.
C) Openly acknowledge, at the outset of the meeting, that some members have less training than
others have but all members should still participate fully.
D) After the meeting is underway, initiate conflict with a high-status member in order to humble
them and, as a result, level the playing field.
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22. Aaliyah, a member of student government, is very committed to recycling. The university
administration asks her to participate on a panel examining how the campus might devise a
more effective recycling program. As she prepares to participate on this panel, she should
__________.
A) plan a short speech, coordinating it with those of the other members of the panel, as well as
B) anticipate spending most of her time responding to audience questions, answering each query
thoroughly and delivering remarks from a well-prepared set of notes
C) make a few notes as she anticipates direct and spontaneous interaction with other panel
members, knowing she will want to keep her comments succinct
D) plan a series of deep-probing questions to ask her fellow panel members during the session,
to encourage ample elaboration
23. When participating in a group presentation, how should a presenter prepare for audience
-and-answer period?
A) Anticipate what those questions may be and contemplate what would be an appropriate, brief
response and cooperative attitude.
B) Rather than answer directly, request that the person asking the question offer her or his ideas,
so to minimize status differences.
C) Rather than answer the question yourself, request that other audience members offer their
ideas, so to encourage more inclusive deliberation.
D)
facilitate discussion among the audience. You have already had your say.
24. Gianna, an expert on stimulating inner-city renewal, will participate in a symposium
addressing how to combat urban sprawl. To prepare for this symposium, she should
__________.
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A) prepare a speech on her assigned topic, coordinating it with those of the other members of
the panel, as well as keeping it within the specified time limits
B) anticipate and prepare responses for audience questions, answering each query thoroughly
but in an extemporaneous fashion from a well-prepared set of notes
C) make a few notes as she anticipates direct and spontaneous interaction with other panel
members, knowing she will want to keep her comments succinct
D) plan a series of deep-probing questions to ask her fellow symposium members during the
session, to encourage ample elaboration
25. Angelique sits in her group meeting. Another member is speaking, but Angelique knows
that the speaker is incorrect and will lead the group off-course. What should she do?
A) Interrupt the speaker to point out the inaccuracy.
B) Listen to the speaker without speaking up, because to do so would be rude. Instead,
Angelique should show her disapproval with her nonverbal behaviors.
C) Hear the speaker out and then interrogate him to discover why he would bring up inaccurate
information.
D) Listen to the speaker and, after he finishes speaking, raise her disagreement with the
.
26. Effective team members are those who, among other things, __________.
A) come to meetings prepared to strongly assert their ideas and opinions
B) are as informed on the various aspects of the subject as any other member
C)
D) are not afra
27. Which is the most productive way for group leaders to handle group roles?
A) Create an ideal role profile for all group members and encourage each one to enact her or his
assigned profile.
B) Ask group members to perform task roles and leave it to the leader to perform building and
maintenance roles.
C) Ask half the group to perform task roles and the other half to perform building and
maintenance roles.
D) Encourage group members to perform multiple roles, including task roles and building and
maintenance roles.
28 -participant will not make eye contact with Azita while Azita
is speaking. The co-participant is likely doing so because __________.
A) he is ontribution
B) in his culture, it is impolite to look a speaker directly in the eyes
C) he disagrees with Azita, but does not want to be rude and interrupt her, so he shows his
distaste by avoiding eye contact
D) he is rude
True/False Questions
29. Group communication skills learned in one setting are usually applicable to others.
30. The best way to rise to a position of leadership in a group is to be assertive; if you speak the
most often, the group members will see you most deserve to be the leader.
31. The theory of democratic deliberation is vote-focused; the goal is to persuade others to vote
a certain way.
32. The main goal of deliberative dialogue is to think together.
33. Deliberation has 2 main phases: exploratory dialogue and purposeful deliberation.
34. Deliberation study circles are small groups of 8 to 12 students who meet to prepare for
exams and other class assignments.
35. Generally speaking, town hall meetings of present day are examples of true and effective
deliberation.
36. The most effective way to ensure a productive town hall meeting is to select a truly random
sample of constituents to attend the meeting.
37. If your group experiences conflict during discussions, you are arguing, not deliberating.
38. Conflict in groups is best managed by letting it play out; once people air their grievances,
conflict will naturally halt and deliberation can continue.
39. Josiah is contributing to the group dynamic by complimenting participants for their ideas
and contributions to discussion.
40. Symposia and panels are presentation formats that, while similar in many ways, require
different preparation techniques from speakers.
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41. If you are to participate on a panel presentation, it is best that you prepare thorough,
detailed notes. Your co-panelists may be unprepared, so you should be prepared to speak at
length.
42. Reading nonverbal communication is an important aspect of working in groups. Not all
people feel comfortable voicing concerns, but they may reveal dissent with facial expressions or
posture.
43. The professor separates the class into groups for the final speaking assignment, and David
ends up in the same group as James. In a class that they had together last semester, James
humiliated David by openly
David should ask the teacher to place him in a different group.
Essay Questions
44. What are the potential benefits for participants in public deliberations? What are the
potential downsides?
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45
this statement. Give (an) example(s) to support you.
46. Offer advice to someone participating in a group deliberation that is experiencing high
levels of conflict.
47 e two different examples, either
hypothetical, from history, from personal experience, or from the textbook.
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48. Alex is leading a group deliberation that is going very poorly. He notices that, of his four
co-participants, two are sitting silently (one is even playing on his cell phone) while the other
two heatedly argue back and forth with one another. What could Alex best help get the group
back on track?