Deck 1: What Is Small Group Interaction

Question 1

According to Tubbs' definition of small group interaction, the minimum number of individuals needed to constitute a group is:

A) one
B) three
C) two
D) four

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to Forsyth (1999), a group is identified in terms of structure, social identity, goals, interaction, and:

A) mediation
B) orientation
C) leadership
D) group cohesion

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Tubbs defines small group interaction as "the process by which three or more members of a group exchange verbal and nonverbal messages..." What is the last part of this definition?

A) in an attempt to influence one another
B) interdependently
C) in a structured fashion
D) in a timely fashion

Answer 3

A

Question 4

One of the reasons some companies are moving to virtual teams is that:

A) There is more anonymity.
B) It takes less time than face-to-face teams.
C) It helps keep jobs in the United States.
D) Discussion is more easily monitored than in face-to-face teams.

Question 5

According to a recent poll by Business Week, ____________ percent of Americans are currently on a first name basis with someone who works in India.

A) 2
B) 9
C) 22
D) 37

Question 6

According to Harvard Business Review, in order to help teams identify risks at the outset, they are now performing what they call:

A) Feedforward
B) Risk triage
C) Premortem
D) Risk alert

Question 7

Virtual teams:

A) Meet through electronic means.
B) Meet through electronic means to discuss business, but meet face-to-face for voting.
C) Are comprised of people who don't know each other.
D) Are formed only when face-to-face teams fail.

Question 8

All but one of the following are identified by Whetton and Cameron as skills required for career success.

A) ability to be assertive
B) managing conflict
C) development of self-awareness
D) managing personal stress

Question 9

According to a recent poll by Business Week, _____________ percent of the top 25 best companies for entry-level employment listed communication/leadership skills as the desirable trait for new hires.

A) 4
B) 9
C) 15
D) 21

Question 10

According to a 2007 Wall Street Journal survey, the following four attributes were identified by recruiters as the most highly valued attributes of people they want to hire. Which was identified as the most highly valued?

A) Leadership potential
B) Analytical and problem-solving skills
C) Ability to work well in teams
D) Communication and interpersonal skills

Question 11

Which of the following is FALSE? Empowerment:

A) means allowing people to control themselves
B) is being used in the public schools
C) is an attempt to move decision-making upward in the organization
D) has many advantages, including quicker responses to problems

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT identified by Tubbs as a disadvantage of empowerment?

A) Empowerment can cause frustration
B) There is ambiguity in terms of who is responsible for what can occur
C) Quality of communication between groups is NOT improved
D) New behaviors must be learned

Question 13

The dimension of empowerment that refers to the idea that teams need to have some degree of power to accomplish a goal is:

A) potency
B) autonomy
C) meaningfulness
D) impact

Question 14

According to recent research, when team members perceive a supportive team atmosphere, an empowering team context, an appropriate mix of skills and expertise as well as rewards limited to team performance, there will be:

A) Greater participation
B) Less absenteeism
C) Better outcomes
D) More possible solutions presented

Question 15

_____________ refers to the raw material of small group interaction.

A) Input
B) Throughput
C) Output
D) Cycles

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a phenomenon characteristic of open systems?

A) multiple membership
B) resource exchange
C) entries and exits
D) strong leadership

Question 17

The process of creating and modifying ideas in the course of a discussion is called:

A) equifinality
B) throughput
C) differentiation
D) integration

Question 18

Ryan, Jillian, and Maria met for an hour to discuss the current parking problem at Big University. Ryan kept cracking jokes and wouldn't take the topic seriously. Jillian tended to provide substantive information regarding the situation whereas Maria tended to be very process oriented. The notion that they gravitated toward certain roles during group interaction reflects what systems concept?

A) integration
B) equifinality
C) differentiation
D) dynamic equilibrium

Question 19

___________ refers to the raw material of small group interaction.

A) Input
B) Equifinality
C) Output
D) Throughput

Question 20

The idea that groups may use different methods to reach the same goal is referred to as:

A) throughput
B) output
C) equifinality
D) cycles

Question 21

According to Tubbs' model of small group interaction, group variables such as age, health, and values are considered:

A) consequences
B) relevant background factors
C) internal influences
D) critical only in problem-solving groups

Question 22

A recent Workforce Magazine survey of Fortune 50 companies studied the effectiveness of small virtual groups and teams and found that they result in a _________ percent improvement in productivity and efficiency.

A) 25
B) 50
C) 75
D) 90

Question 23

According to Tubbs, leadership is which type of small group variable?

A) a relevant background factor
B) a consequence
C) an internal influence
D) all of the above

Question 24

According to Connors and Smith (2011), which of the following is one of the four practical ways to encourage accountability through empowerment: The ouroboros effect illustrates the:

A) Ignore it.
B) Analyze it.
C) See it
D) cyclical nature of outputs.

Question 25

In his article at the end of Chapter 1, Wilson notes one of the following is a reason people are motivated to join groups:

A) task attraction
B) desire to be a leader
C) attraction to the group's goals
D) ability to solve problems

Question 26

In their reading at the end of Chapter 1, Lipnack and Stamps create the word "co-opetition" from
____________ and competition.

A) company
B) complementarity
C) coordination
D) cooperation

Question 27

According to Tubbs, small group interaction involves at least two members.

Question 28

In distinguishing between "group" and "team," Tubbs notes that a team is a type of group; therefore the term "group" is more general.

Question 29

Research discovered that people in small companies like their jobs more than people in big companies, thus suggesting that members of smaller groups are more content than members of larger groups.

Question 30

A virtual team meets face-to-face but completes most of its work through electronic means.

Question 31

According to Business Week, online companies like Johnson and Johnson are using online games to imprve internal communications.

Question 32

Scientific studies show that our brains are hardwired to work best in small groups.

Question 33

Scientific studies show that large groups have easily understood hierarchies and simple rules of conduct but foster less trust and cooperation.

Question 34

Americans are the least individualistic and most team-oriented culture in the world.

Question 35

Empowerment is a leadership style that enables the leader to more effectively utilize the talents, abilities and knowledge of others and, at the same time, increase the leader's time available to work on more strategic activities.

Question 36

Cycles include all of the verbal and nonverbal behaviors that occur in the course of a group discussion.

Question 37

To convert the process of disorganization and/or death in a group, the group must employ entropy

Question 38

Each of us decide if group membership is worth the effort we are exerting. This system aspect is called dynamic equilibrium.

Question 39

Equifinality refers to the unpredictability and potential for adaptation groups possess.

Question 40

A group that brings in outside experts to provide input on a particular issue would be considered to be working as an open system.

Question 41

"Time Constraint" is a relevant background factor, according to Tubbs.

Question 42

Team dynamics are often unseen "natural forces" that strongly influence how a team reacts, behaves, or performs."

Question 43

We shouldn't worry about meeting face-to-face, because virtual groups are no different than face-to-face groups in terms of productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Question 44

Consequences are the end results of the group's activities and are the reason the group is formed in the first place.

Question 45

According to Wilson, one of the strongest and most often studied aspects of attraction to the group is race.

Question 46

According to Wilson, perhaps the most important reason for a member to belong to a group from the standpoint of group development is attraction to the goal.

Question 47

According to Lipnack and Stamps, in the best of networks, everyone is a leader.

Question 48

In talking about hierarchical levels in groups, Lipnack and Stamps note that the top-down relationship is the most effective one.

Question 49

According to Forsyth (1999), a group is identified in terms of structure, group cohesion, interaction,
______________, and _____________.

Question 50

______________ is a leadership style that enables the leader to more effectively utilize the talents, abilities, and knowledge of others and, at the same time, increase his or her available time to work on more strategic activities, rather than on "putting out fires

Question 51

A system that has inputs from the outside is called a(n) ______________ system.

Question 52

______________ includes all of the verbal and nonverbal behaviors that occur in the course of a group discussion.

Question 53

______________ is the process that leads to disorganization and/or death of the group.

Question 54

______________ is a system characteristic that entails deciding whether or not group membership is worth the effort we are exerting.

Question 55

______________ refers to the unpredictability and potential for adaptation groups possess.

Question 56

The Tubbs Model for small group interaction involves three major categories: _____________,
_____________, and _____________.

Question 57

According to Peter Senge at M.I.T., often poorly designed systems cause failure, not poorly motivated individuals. The practical tip related to this idea is _____________.

Question 58

According to the Tubbs Model, poor lighting and having cigarette smoke blown in your face fit into which of his three categories?

Question 59

According to Wilson, the most important reason for a member to belong to a group from the standpoint of group development is _____________.

Question 60

According to Lipnack and Stamps, a boundary crossing principle is a(n): ____________

Question 61

Following Forsyth's five ways in which we can identify a group, identify which of the following situations would be considered "groups" and which situations would be considered "collections of individuals."

Question 62

four people carpooling to work

Question 63

five people eating lunch in the cafeteria

Question 64

six people working on a group project in a college course

Question 65

five people meeting as members of a student senate subcommittee

Question 66

five members of the Judicial Board meeting to discuss a case of vandalism

Question 67

Empowerment has both advantages and disadvantages. Define the term and briefly address both advantages and disadvantages.

Question 68

Assume a friend of yours just was elected as president of the Resident Hall Association at your college. Having read the top ten reasons most teams fail, what advice would you give your friend so he/she could avoid failure?

Question 69

Gross (1995) identifies four phenomena characteristics of open systems. List them. Why are "open" groups healthier than "closed" groups?

Question 70

Describe the systems perspective. Include in your answer the 10 concepts listed in Chapter 1.

Question 71

Peter Senge at M.I.T. provides five practical tips that involve applying the systems approach. Identify each practical tip and discuss how these relate to effective group problem-solving.

Question 72

In his article at the end of Chapter 1, Wilson discusses five reasons why people are motivated to join groups. List and discuss these.

Question 73

Lipnack and Stamps present five principles to show how the systems perspective can allow us to examine groups as a network. Identify and discuss these five principles.