Chapter 9: Building an Ethical Small Group

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Groups suffering from groupthink exhibit which of the following?

A. overanalyze the problem

B. do not reexamine a course of action when it is not working

C. engage in excessive conflict

D. fail to seek consensus

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

2. ______ try to protect the group leader from unpleasant feedback.

A. Moral champions

B. Self-appointed mind guards

C. Lieutenants

D. Screeners

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

3. Which of the following factors contribute MOST to the Abilene paradox?

A. fear of separation

B. real risk

C. action anxiety

D. negative fantasies

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: False Agreement

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

4. Which of the following was not a given suggestion for listening in a group?

A. pay close attention to individual words

B. compensate for emotion arousing words and ideas

C. ask questions

D. avoid interruptions

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

5. Who is the creator of groupthink theory?

A. Jerry Harvey

B. Steven Karau

C. Irving Janis

D. Christopher Neck

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

6. ______ listening processes the verbal and nonverbal components of a message.

A. Discriminative

B. Critical

C. Appreciative

D. Comprehensive

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

7. All of the following are suggestions for resisting groupthink, EXCEPT ______.

A. divide regularly into subgroups

B. invite outsiders in

C. adopt a decision-making format

D. give the team strict time limits

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

8. Roberto really wants the high grade that his group could receive if it does a quality class project. According to the collective effort model, he is motivated by ______.

A. high expectancy

B. high instrumentality

C. high valence

D. high conscientiousness

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

9. Which of the following is an outcome of substantive conflict?

A. anger

B. problem avoidance

C. escalating hostilities

D. thorough problem analysis

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

10. Which of the following is not an element of small groups?

A. loyalty

B. interdependence

C. mutual influence

D. ongoing communication

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Box 9.1: Defining Groups and Teams

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

11. ______ is used to describe the fact that individuals often reduce their efforts when placed in a group.

A. Social thinking

B. Groupthink

C. Social loafing

D. Social idea

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

12. ______ is how much a person expects that his or her effort will lead to high group performance.

A. Expectancy

B. Instrumentality

C. Social loafing

D. Groupthink

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

13. ______ is the belief that one’s personal contribution and the group’s collective effort will bring about the desired result.

A. Expectancy

B. Instrumentality

C. Social loafing

D. Valence

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

14. ______ is how desirable the outcome is for individual group members.

A. Expectancy

B. Instrumentality

C. Social loafing

D. Valence

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

15. The 911 operators demonstrate the importance of ______ listening.

A. active

B. discriminative

C. ethical

D. comprehensive

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

16. ______ listening is motivated by the need to understand and retain messages.

A. Active

B. Discriminative

C. Ethical

D. Comprehensive

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

17. ______ listening leads to evaluation.

A. Appreciative

B. Ethical

C. Critical

D. Active

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

18. Which of the following is not a positive outcome for substantive conflict?

A. thorough problem analysis

B. greater motivation to solve problems

C. increased group cohesion and cooperation

D. higher emotional intelligence

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

19. ______ (destructive) conflict is centered on the personal relationship between group members.

A. Substantive

B. Affective

C. Emotional

D. Cooperative

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

20. All of the following are suggestions for addressing the ethical challenges of virtual teams EXCEPT ______.

A. create very large groups

B. set clear timelines and hold members to them

C. communicate frequently

D. establish a clear procedure for managing conflicts

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Box 9.3: The Ethical Challenges of Virtual Teams

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

21. ______ is pursuing a failed course of action and is a consequence of mismanaged agreement.

A. Escalation of commitment

B. Social loafing

C. Groupthink

D. Teamthink

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Escalation of Commitment

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

22. In ______ conflict, participants argue about the proposal before the group.

A. comprehensive

B. argumentative

C. substantive

D. dogmatic

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

23. ______ listening is motivated by the need to understand and retain messages.

A. Comprehensive

B. Argumentative

C. Substantive

D. Dogmatic

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

24. A(n) ______ establishes procedures for dealing with conflicts.

A. conflict covenant

B. argument

C. conflict talk

D. dogmatic conversation

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

25. In groups marked by the ______, members mistakenly assume that silence means that everyone supports a proposal.

A. Abilene paradox

B. illusion of unanimity

C. Goleta effect

D. Golem effect

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

26. In the ______, group members falsely believe that everyone supports a decision.

A. Abilene paradox

B. illusion of unanimity

C. Goleta effect

D. Golem effect

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: False Agreement

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

27. ______ is typically considered the maximum size for a small group because beyond this number members can no longer communicate face to face.

A. Five

B. Ten

C. Twenty

D. Twenty-five

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Box 9.1: Defining Groups and Teams

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

28. A few people engaged in communication interaction over time, usually in face-to-face and/or computer-mediated environments, who have common goals and norms and have developed a communication pattern for meeting their goals in an interdependent manner is a definition of a ______.

A. large group

B. stationary group

C. dogmatic group

D. small group

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Box 9.1: Defining Groups and Teams

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

29. ______ groups are more productive than those with an individualistic or competitive focus.

A. Collaborative

B. Cooperative

C. Dogmatic

D. Relational

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

30. ______ group members are those who are inflexible and claim to have all the answers.

A. Comprehensive

B. Argumentative

C. Substantive

D. Dogmatic

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defensive Versus Supportive Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

31. Too much e-mail communication can lead to information ______.

A. breakdown

B. think

C. effect

D. overload

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Box 9.3: The Ethical Challenges of Virtual Teams

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

32. Action anxiety is one of the psychological factors that accounts for the ______.

A. Abilene paradox

B. illusion of unanimity

C. Goleta effect

D. Golem effect

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: False Agreement

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

33. ______ refers to influencing our own thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.

A. Self-leadership

B. Self-regulation

C. Self-efficacy

D. Self-confidence

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

34. One of the consequences of mismanaged agreement is continuing to pursue a failed course of action, which is called ______.

A. escalation of confidence

B. escalation of leadership

C. escalation of action

D. escalation of commitment

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Escalation of Commitment

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

35. ______ help explain why those near the end of a project are more likely to spend additional funds to finish it.

A. Money pit theory

B. Sunk costs

C. Sinking ship

D. Money balancing

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Escalation of Commitment

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

36. With ______, individuals keep their doubts about group decisions to themselves.

A. self-censorship

B. groupthink

C. autonomy

D. escalation of commitment

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

37. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a cooperative group?

A. are positive about the task

B. retain more information

C. keep a long account of all grievances

D. more willing to take on difficult tasks and to persist in the face of difficulties

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

True/False

1. Leaders can foster minority opinion and protect dissenters by ensuring groups are made up of members who are similar in their backgrounds and perspectives.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Minority Opinion

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

2. Risk seeking is a factor-driving escalation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Escalation of Commitment

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

3. Affective conflict promotes good group decisions.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

4. In ethical problem-solving groups, therapeutic listening is more important than other types of listening.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Defensive Versus Supportive Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

5. Listening in a group is generally more difficult than listening in one-to-one conversations.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

6. The Abilene paradox describes how groups reach false agreement.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: False Agreement

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

7. Leaders spend a great deal of their time in small groups.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Leader and the Small Group

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

8. We act as discriminative listeners when we enjoy a song download from iTunes, a live concert, or a play.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

9. Seeking areas of agreement is one of the suggestions to improve listening performance in a group setting.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

10. Arguing about specific words in order to clarify them is a suggestion to improve listening performance in a group setting.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

11. Control and evaluation can be communicated both verbally and nonverbally.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Defensive Versus Supportive Communication

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

12. Conflict seems to be less common in virtual teams.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Box 9.3: The Ethical Challenges of Virtual Teams

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

13. Raising team EI is an important leadership responsibility, which is accomplished largely through role modeling and establishing norms.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Emotional Intelligence

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

14. Both creativity and change are positive outcomes of substantive conflict.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

15. Higher level moral reasoning is a positive outcome of substantive conflict.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

16. While every team is a group, not every group is a team.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Box 9.1: Defining Groups and Teams

Difficulty Level: Easy

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

Short Answer/Essay

1. Describe the factors leading to social loafing.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking

2. Define “escalation of commitment.”

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Escalation of Commitment

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

3. Give an example of a “sunk cost.”

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Escalation of Commitment

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking

4. Name and explain the eight symptoms of groupthink.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

5. Identify five strategies for resisting groupthink.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Groupthink

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

6. Explain the Abilene paradox and identify the factors that contribute to it.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: False Agreement

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

7. Define comprehensive listening.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

8. Explain why social loafing is unethical.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

9. What are the two components of group emotional intelligence?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Emotional Intelligence

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge

10. Based on your experiences and observations, explain how meetings ARE the work of a leader.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Promoting Ethical Group Interaction

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

11. Describe what it means for a group to engage in productive conflict and why this type of conflict is essential to a group’s ethical performance.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

12. Develop an argument for a controversy of your choice. Be sure to clarify the controversy, develop reasons and evidence, and consider how to respond to arguments made by those on the other side of the issue.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Promoting Ethical Group Interaction

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

13. What does it mean to “open a space” for dialogue? How can you open this space?

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Group Leadership for the Common Good

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking

14. Develop a plan for minimizing social loafing in a group that you participate in.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Fostering Individual Ethical Accountability

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

15. Outline steps you can take to improve the emotional intelligence of your group.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Emotional Intelligence

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

16. How can you use a conflict covenant to improve the productivity of your group?

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Productive Conflict

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

17. Discuss what it means to be a leader in a small-group setting and any experience you have had with this.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Leader and the Small Group

Difficulty Level: Hard

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

18. Discuss the elements of a small group.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Defining Groups and Teams

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Ethical understanding and reasoning

19. Define the Gunsmoke myth and give an example.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: False Agreement

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking

20. Define and give an example of therapeutic or empathetic listening.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Comprehensive, Critical Listening

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Reflective thinking

21. What are the five dysfunctions of a team?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Box 9.2: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Difficulty Level: Medium

AACSB Standard: Application of knowledge