Chapter 9 OB

Term
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1) Which of the following differentiates between formal and informal groups?
A) The timeline of reference for formal groups is greater than that for informal groups.
B) The impact of formal groups on organizational performance is less than that of informal groups.
C) Formal groups pursue the goal of social contact, while informal groups have definite organizational goals to attain.
D) Formal groups are typically smaller in size when compared to informal groups.
E) Formal groups involve clearly defined tasks and roles, while informal groups are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined.
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Terms in this set (20)
1) Which of the following differentiates between formal and informal groups?
A) The timeline of reference for formal groups is greater than that for informal groups.
B) The impact of formal groups on organizational performance is less than that of informal groups.
C) Formal groups pursue the goal of social contact, while informal groups have definite organizational goals to attain.
D) Formal groups are typically smaller in size when compared to informal groups.
E) Formal groups involve clearly defined tasks and roles, while informal groups are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined.
Answer: E
2) Which of the following is true with regard to the social identity theory?

A) It proposes that members take personal pride in accomplishments but dissociate from the group in the event of any offenses or failures.
B) It proposes that people have emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group because their self-esteem is tied into the group's performance.
C) It proposes that people develop only one social identity in childhood that becomes more defined and concrete in the course of their lives.
D) It proposes that social identities can never be detrimental as they have no effect on how members of an ingroup view members of an out-group.
E) It proposes that members of an ingroup are viewed as being homogeneous, while members of an out-group are seen as being heterogeneous.
Answer: B
Explanation: Social identity theory proposes that people have emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group because their self-esteem gets tied into the group's performance.
3) ________ is when we connect with the aggregate characteristics of our groups.
A) Relational identification
B) Collective identification
C) Schadenfreude
D) Informal group identification
E) Formal group dynamics
Answer: B
4) Which of the following statements is true with regard to the punctuated-equilibrium model of group development?

A) It applies to all permanent work groups.
B) It follows the five stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
C) It does not consider the changes in patterns of group activities in response to deadlines and time constraints.
D) It involves the two strategies of groupthink and groupshift to break out of the phases of inertia.
E) It characterizes groups as exhibiting long periods of inertia interspersed with brief revolutionary changes.
Answer: E
5) Role perception is defined as ________.
A) the way others believe we should act in a given context
B) our view of how we are supposed to act in a given situation
C) the existence of roles that are at variance with one another
D) the socially defined position or rank given to group members by others
E) the degree to which members are motivated to stay in the group
Answer: B
6) When group members adopt and agree to the norms of a group, which of the following is true?
A) Dress codes play a more important role
B) Written rules become very important
C) A clear set of written group norms is necessary
D) A maximum of external controls is necessary
E) A minimum of external controls is necessary
Answer: E
7) Which of the following statements is true regarding the effect of status on conformity pressure?

A) High-status individuals are often given less freedom to deviate from norms than are other group members.
B) People in high-status jobs have especially negative reactions to social pressure exerted by people in low-status jobs.
C) Lower-status people are better able to resist conformity pressures than their high-status peers.
D) Groups exert equal conformity pressure on all individuals regardless of their status.
E) Compared to high-status members, low-status members are given a wider range of discretion as long as their activities aren't severely detrimental to group goal achievement.
Answer: B
Explanation: High-status individuals are often given more freedom to deviate from norms than are other group members. People in high-status jobs (such as physicians, lawyers, and executives) have especially negative reactions to social pressure exerted by people in low-status jobs. For example, physicians actively resist administrative decisions made by lower -ranking insurance company employees.
8) According to status characteristics theory, which of the following factors does not determine status?
A) control over the resources needed by the group
B) contribution to goals
C) ability to conform to group norms
D) personality
E) talent
Answer: C

Explanation: According to status characteristics theory, status tends to derive from one of three sources: the power a person wields over others; a person's ability to contribute to a group's goals; and an individual's personal characteristics (special talent, intelligence, money, or a friendly personality).
9) Which of the following is an advantage of group decision making when compared to individual decision making?
A) increased ambiguous responsibility
B) increased conformity pressures
C) increased diversity of views
D) increased dispersion of accountability
E) increased pace of decision making
Answer: C
Explanation: By aggregating the resources of several individuals, groups bring more input as well as heterogeneity into the decision process. They offer increased diversity of views. This opens up the opportunity to consider more approaches and alternatives.
10) When compared to individual decision making, group decision making has a disadvantage in the area of ________.
A) diversity
B) creativity
C) acceptance of final solutions
D) speed
E) accuracy
Answer: D

Explanation: When evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of group decision making, speed of decision making is an area where individuals fare better.
11) ________ is defined as a phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action. A) Groupshift B) Social loafing C) Ingroup favoritism D) Cyber loafing E) GroupthinkAnswer: E Explanation: Groupthink is defined as a phenomenon in which the norm for consensus overrides the realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action.12) In discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate the initial positions they hold. This phenomenon is called ________. A) social desirability bias B) groupshift C) halo effect D) social loafing E) ingroup favoritismAnswer: B Explanation: In discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate the initial positions they hold. This phenomenon is called groupshift. Group discussion leads members toward a more extreme view of the position they already held. Conservatives become more cautious, and more aggressive types take on more risk.13) The HR department at Bailey Services is considering offering telecommuting as an option to some experienced employees. At a meeting to formalize the move, the heads of the different departments met with Laura Watson, the HR manager. Laura, who thought this meeting would be a short one, was proven wrong when all the members, who had previously agreed that telecommuting would work in their company, began coming up with divergent views. By the end, two divisions claimed they had major concerns about allowing employees to telecommute, and those in favor of it were equally vocal. This scenario depicts the operation of ________. A) conformity B) groupshift C) role conflict D) groupthink E) social loafingAnswer: B Explanation: Group shift is a change between a group's decision and an individual decision that a member within the group would m'ke; the shift can be toward either conservatism or greater risk, but it generally is toward a more extreme version of the group's original position.14) Groupthink is most commonly seen in the group decision-making approach using ________. A) reference groups B) nominal groups C) brainstorming D) interacting groups E) electronic meeting groupsAnswer: D Explanation: The most common form of group decision making takes place in interacting groups. Members meet face-to-face and rely on both verbal and nonverbal interactions to communicate. Interacting groups often censor themselves and pressure individual members toward conformity of opinion.15) A group decision-making method in which individual members meet face-to-face to pool their judgments in a systematic but independent fashion is the ________ technique. A) reference groups B) nominal groups C) brainstorming D) interacting groups E) ingroupAnswer: B Explanation: The nominal groups' technique is a group decision-making method in which individual members mee' face-to-face to pool their judgments in a systematic but independent fashion.16) A group's last meeting is usually characterized by a great deal of inactivity.Answer: FALSE Explanation: The opposite is true. A group's last meeting is typically characterized by a final burst of activity to finish its work.17) A period of inertia in a temporary group with a deadline refers to the group standing still or becoming locked into a fixed course of action.Answer: TRUE Explanation: Inertia is when the group tends to stand still or becomes locked into a fixed course of action even if it gains new insights that challenge initial patterns and assumptions.18) Individual decisions are more time consuming than group decisions.Answer: FALSE Explanation: Group decisions have their drawbacks. They're time consuming because groups typically take more time to reach a solution.19) Studies show that groups tend to experience a transition precisely halfway between a first meeting and the official deadline.Answer: TRUE Explanation: One of the most interesting discoveries in studies was that groups experienced a transition precisely halfway between the first meeting and the official deadline-whether members spent an hour on their project or 6 months.20) Setting up a group's direction is often the first activity of temporary groups.Answer: TRUE Explanation: Temporary groups with finite deadlines pass through a unique sequencing of actions (or inaction).