CHAPTER NINETEEN
SPEAKING IN GROUPS
True-False
T F 1. Successful issues for discussion are phrased as yes-no questions.
T F 2. A group member who displays self-importance in order to manipulate a group
discussion is trying to dominate a group.
T F 3. A discussion group can be sabotaged by one irresponsible member.
T F 4. Group discussion can be compared to a game where there are winners and losers.
T F 5. According to the text, six to eight individuals tend to be the most effective number
for a group discussion.
T F 6. A group member who displays aggressive and hostile behavior towards other
group members is engaging in personal attacks.
T F 7. Cohesiveness refers to the quality of a group that brings individuals together.
T F 8. A highly structured group with about two to six experts who reveal their views on
some aspect of a problem is a panel.
T F 9. A group member who raises an irrelevant point should not be allowed to continue.
T F 10. During the life of a group, a combination of democratic, autocratic, and laissez-
faire leadership styles may be necessary.
T F 11. When group members assume characters or personalities to portray relationships
and interactions among individuals, they are in a buzz group.
T F 12. Effective leaders should be able to improvise an agenda during a group meeting.
T F 13. Since leadership skills are often developed through experience, there are few if
any guidelines to help leaders know when to intervene successfully during
group discussions.
T F 14. An effective group leader should make arrangements to assist members who
have special needs.
T F 15. Members with schedule conflicts should not be accommodated in a discussion
groups.
T F 16. Much is often accomplished when meetings are extended beyond the closing
time.
T F 17. Once an agenda is circulated, a leader should not allow it to be altered.
T F 18. Groups that help members to establish friendships and personal relationships are
known as social groups.
T F 19. Individuals must be able to subordinate personal egos for the overall benefit of the
group.
T F 20. In a class discussion of 50 minutes, a group could probably handle five or six
areas of an issue.
T F 21. When groups finally select a solution, their discussion is complete since their
task has been accomplished.
T F 22. According to the text, group members possess little power to influence decision-
making within groups.
T F 23. Task groups emphasize the completion of objectives or implementation of
solutions.
T F 24. Groups that contribute to interpersonal learning and to insight are called encounter
groups.
T F 25. Group members should be willing to compromise their personal beliefs or
values.
T F 26. To make progress toward an objective, a group must meet over a period of time.
T F 27. A member who manipulates a group based on personal needs or prejudices is
promoting special interests.
T F 28. A solution needs to be monitored to determine its degree of success.
T F 29. Being prepared as a leader involves choosing an appropriate location, preparing
an agenda, and anticipating potential problems.
T F 30. Size of a meeting location is unimportant as long as there is privacy.
T F 31. The text advises that only group leaders, not members, should encourage or
support other participants.
T F 32. Group members which are open to all the facts will often need to make
modifications to their thinking.
T F 33. Group silence always requires intervention by a leader.
T F 34. During group discussions, a group that has no leader may have one emerge.
T F 35. Often times, a leader who is self-appointed or appointed by another leader who is
an authority figure is a democratic leader.
T F 36. A leader who does not make decisions and who does not perform the
responsibilities of a leader is known a s a laissez-faire leader.
T F 37. When a heated conflict occurs between two members of a group discussion,
there is little that another participant can do to stop it.
T F 38. It is the leader’s responsibility to see that an agenda is prepared and circulated.
T F 39. The stage of group development which is characterized by insight and action is called
forming.
T F 40. A group leader should provide clarity and be flexible, but must not provide
emotional support.
T F 41. The stage of group development which is characterized by interpersonal conflict is the
storming stage.
T F 42. John Dewey, a professor of education, studied small groups extensively and
determined that small groups go through four stages of development.
T F 42. The “forming” stage refers to the early phase of group development when
members are in the process of orienting themselves.
T F 43. The “norming” stage of group development is characterized by interpersonal
conflict among group members.
T F 44. The “performing” stage of a group is characterized insight and action where
words such as “we” and “us” would be used frequently.
T F 45. The “storming” stage of a group is when members propose ideas, are more open,
and wish to implement action and solutions.
Multiple Choice
46. The four stages of group development were researched and coined by
a. John Dewey
b. Alan Monroe
c. Abraham Maslow
d. Bruce Tuckman
47. Clarifying ambiguous terms or explaining key phrases is a part of a discussion
referred to as
a. defining a problem
b. analyzing a problem
c. researching a problem
d. implementing a problem
48. A group such as a football team which must complete an objective or implement a
solution is known as
a. a task group
b. a social group
c. an encounter group
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
49. The appropriate size group recommended in the text for making an effective decision
is
a. 2-4
b. 3-7
c. 5-9
d. 6-8
50. For the purpose of solving problems, large groups are frequently
a. prohibited from engaging in discussions
b. divided into smaller work units
c. given many months to analyze issues
d. encouraged not to use a problem-solving agenda
51. An informal leader refers to an individual who
a. is appointed by a supervisor
b. is elected by fellow employees
c. has a specific responsibility
d. emerges as a leader
52. The question— “How much taxpayer money is America spending to bailout failing
U.S. companies?” —is known as a
a. question of fact
b. question of value
c. question of policy
d. none of the above
53. A participant who says, “Committees are boring; why don’t we have a party instead?”
is engaged in what type of negative behavior?
a. attacking
b. confessing
c. clowning
d. dominating
54. Questions which stimulate discussion about solutions or future actions are known as
questions of
a. fact
b. value
c. policy
d. none of the above
55. A problem-solving process known as “reflective thinking” was developed by
a. Lewin, Lippitt, and White
b. Tuckman
c. Monroe
d. Dewey
56. A group in which participants deliver prepared speeches without discussion is called
a. a symposium
b. a panel
c. a forum
d. a buzz group
57. At the end of a meeting, a leader should
a. clarify group tasks
b. summarize individual goals
c. define future objectives
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
58. The aspect of problem-solving in which members keep a discussion on track by
offering guidelines for a workable solution is called
a. suggesting solutions
b. implementing solutions
c. establishing criteria for solutions
d. monitoring the suggested solution
59. Research identifying self-centered and group-centered behavior was conducted by
a. John Dewey
b. Kenneth D. Benne and Paul Sheats
c. Kurt Lewin, Ronald Lippitt, and Ralph K. White
d. Bruce Tuckman
60. Negative behavior that delays the decision-making process such as being
unreasonable or taking positions in opposition to the group is called
a. boasting
b. blocking
c. confessing
d. pleading
61. The question—”Has the economic stimulus package passed by congress been harmful
to the country?”— is a
a. question of fact
b. question of value
c. question of policy
d. none of the above
62. A participant who says, “I don’t think I am competent enough to handle this
responsibility,” is
a. pleading
b. dominating
c. boasting
d. attacking
63. The leadership theory that assumes that leaders are born with natural management
abilities is called
a. the style theory
b. the trait approach
c. the behavioral approach
d. the power theory
64. If you are assigned a task by the group or leader, you should
a. evaluate the task to determine if it is something you can do.
b. view the task as an opportunity to help the group complete goals.
c. refuse the task if it is something that you do not want to do.
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
65. When developing a problem-solving agenda, the step that helps to limit the problem
for discussion is which of the following?
a. Define the problem
b. Narrow the problem
c. Analyze the issue
d. Set Up Criteria
66. A group in which many members discuss issues or deliver speeches under strict
ground rules is known as
a. a symposium
b. a panel
c. a forum
d. a buzz group
67. A group member who reveals inappropriate personal examples regarding an issue is
a. pleading
b. confessing
c. clowning
d. attacking
68. The leadership approach that suggests leaders are the primary decision makers is
a. the autocratic approach
b. the trait approach
c. the democratic approach
d. the power theory
69. A group in which members informally discuss issues without delivering speeches is
known as
a. a symposium
b. a panel
c. a forum
d. a buzz group
70. Laissez-faire style refers to
a. authoritarian leadership
b. leaderless groups
c. leadership which functions to manage and coordinate discussion
d. leadership which promotes satisfaction with group outcomes
71. A group leader who functions using an autocratic style would probably
a. stimulate group decision making
b. never interfere with group discussion
c. give orders and commands
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
72. Today researchers view effective leadership in terms of
a. the democratic style
b. the trait approach
c. the behavioral approach
d. adaptability
73. Research linking leadership style and personality
a. is more recent than the Lewin, Lippitt, and White study
b. is outdated
c. has been updated by the Lewin, Lippitt, and White study
d. is still inconclusive
74. In the 1930s research studying the reactions of ten-year-old boys to different
leadership styles over a three month period was done by
a. Bruce Tuckman
b. John Dewey
c. Kurt Lewin, Ronald Lippitt, and Ralph K. White
d. Kenneth D. Benne and Paul Sheats
75. A group member who is disruptive to the group by trying to impress other group