Question 1

What do psychologists call a negotiated reduction to a conflict in which all parties obtain outcomes that are superior to those they would have obtained from an equal division of contested resources?

Accepted Answer

This is known as an integrative agreement, where all parties involved come to a mutually beneficial decision that offers greater outcomes than an equal split of contested resources.

Question 2

The success of GRIT in reducing conflict can best be attributed to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Building trust between conflicting groups is the key to reducing conflict.

Question 3

Five students move into a house together and discover they share the odd habit of drinking milk with ice in it every night before bed.They own several ice trays and make a pact to always refill the trays when they are emptied so that the supply of ice will never run out.But the five often do not have the time or energy to refill the trays,and after a few weeks it becomes quite common for them to meet in the kitchen and discover that they have no ice.What type of dilemma does this situation illustrate?

Accepted Answer

This situation illustrates a resource dilemma because the five students share a common resource (ice) and have to decide how to allocate it among themselves. They have made a pact to refill the ice trays, but the dilemma arises when they don't have the time or energy to do so. This leads to a scarcity of the resource and a potential conflict over how to distribute it fairly.

Question 4

Which of the following is least likely to exacerbate conflict between groups?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is least likely...

Question 5

Though the new mentoring program doesn't seem to be working very well,Principal McVickers argues that the school should continue to invest in it because they have already committed so many resources to it.What does this example illustrate?

Accepted Answer

This example illustrates the escalation effect, where individuals or organizations continue to invest in a project despite evidence of its failure, often because they have already invested significant resources into it and hope to justify these past investments by continuing.

Question 6

What do psychologists call a situation in which a self-interested choice is good for an individual and bad for the group?

Accepted Answer

A social dilemma is a situation in which a self-interested choice is good for an individual and bad for the group. This is often seen in scenarios such as overfishing, pollution, and using communal resources such as water. It highlights the tension between individual self-interest and the common good of the group.

Question 7

Jean-Paul works for a public television station.He has been assigned to run the fund drive necessary to keep the station on the air in various communities.Suppose that keeping the station on the air in a given community is contingent upon the percentage of people in the community that donate money.Which of the following is most likely to happen?

Accepted Answer

Collectivist cultures tend to emphasize the needs and goals of the group as a whole over the needs and wishes of each individual. In such cultures, people are more likely to contribute to communal resources or causes, like a public television station, because they value the collective benefit and well-being. This contrasts with individualist orientations, where personal achievements and independence are prioritized, potentially making individuals less inclined to contribute to communal resources if they don't see a direct personal benefit.

Question 8

At Midtown High School,the football players and cheerleaders do not get along at all.The cheerleaders think the football players are shallow and obnoxious.The football players feel the same way about the cheerleaders.What do the football players and the cheerleaders seem to suffer from?

Accepted Answer

The football players and cheerleaders seem to suffer from mirror image perceptions, which occur when groups view each other as fundamentally different in a negative way. Each group sees the other as shallow and obnoxious, reflecting a negative mirror image.

Question 9

What do psychologists call individuals who have the power to impose a settlement on opposing parties?

Accepted Answer

Psychologists call individuals who have the power to impose a settlement on opposing parties as arbitrators. This term is commonly used in the context of conflict resolution and legal proceedings.

Question 10

Two competing companies are hooked up to the Internet through the same wiring.Each has the capacity to sever the connection,which would reduce the ability of both companies to communicate via e-mail with their clients,and thus impede their work.According to research on dilemmas,which of the following is most likely to happen?

Accepted Answer

Based on the information given in the scenario, both companies are in a dilemma where they can either sever the connection or not. Since both companies have the capacity to sever the connection, they are likely to do so in order to protect their own interests. This leads to the worst outcome for both companies as they will be unable to communicate with their clients via email. Therefore, choice B is the most likely outcome.

Question 11

Bart hopes to employ the GRIT strategy with his opponent,Harry.In order for the strategy to work,which of the following is necessary?

Accepted Answer

Bart must retaliate equally if Harry acts competitively to maintain balance and encourage cooperation.

Question 12

According to research on the prisoner's dilemma,how do people tend to respond to mixed-motive situations?

Accepted Answer

Research on the prisoner's dilemma shows that people tend to respond to mixed-motive situations with reciprocity, meaning that they tend to cooperate with others if they believe that the other person will also cooperate. This can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes, but can also result in mutual defection if both parties believe the other will defect.

Question 13

Rashid is considering employing a computerized group decision support system to increase the quality of decision-making in his company.Which of the following explains why this may work?

Accepted Answer

Computer-mediated discussions tend to reduce biased sampling of information, as everyone has access to the same information and can contribute equally. This can lead to more objective decision-making and reduce the impact of individual biases. A and B are incorrect because anonymity does not necessarily increase reliance on information-processing heuristics, and there is still accountability in computer-mediated discussions. C is incorrect because process loss is more likely to occur when multiple people are attempting to communicate without a structured process, which can be mitigated by using a group decision support system.

Question 14

Viviana lives in an ethnically diverse community.She is attending a PTA meeting concerning how to provide a complete and fair history curriculum.Which of the following is most likely to happen?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that diversity can lead to more creativity and innovative problem-solving as individuals bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table. This suggests that the PTA in Viviana's ethnically diverse community may come up with more creative solutions for providing a complete and fair history curriculum compared to PTAs in homogenous communities. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that A, C, or D would be more likely to happen in Viviana's PTA compared to PTAs in ethnically homogenous communities.

Question 15

Consider the prisoner's dilemma.In which situation will you receive the worst possible outcome?

Accepted Answer

In the prisoner's dilemma, the worst possible outcome for an individual occurs when they decide to cooperate (act altruistically) while their partner chooses to be selfish (defect). This results in the cooperating partner receiving the harshest penalty, as their trust is exploited by the selfish partner.

Question 16

How does working in groups affect the use of heuristics in information-processing?

Accepted Answer

When individuals who rely on a particular heuristic work in a group, their tendency to use this heuristic may be reinforced by the presence and support of other individuals who also rely on it. Therefore, the group as a whole may be even more likely to use the heuristic than the individuals alone.

Question 17

The leaders of a certain country believe that,because they can punish anyone who disagrees with their policies,residents will not dare to challenge those policies.These leaders thus believe in the efficacy of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The leaders' belief in their ability to punish anyone who disagrees with their policies is a demonstration of their threat capacity, or their potential to enforce consequences on those who do not comply.

Question 18

Why is the prisoner's dilemma difficult?

Accepted Answer

The prisoner's dilemma is difficult because each player's outcome is dependent on the decision of the other player, creating a situation where mutual cooperation is beneficial but individual incentives lead to non-cooperation.

Question 19

What do psychologists call the condition in which commitments to a failing course of action are increased to justify investments already made?

Accepted Answer

Psychologists call this phenomenon the escalation effect, which occurs when individuals or groups continue to invest resources (such as time, money, or effort) into a failing course of action to justify the investments already made. This is also known as the sunk cost fallacy, as the investments made are seen as sunk costs that cannot be recovered.

Question 20

What do psychologists call a shared system for remembering information that allows groups to demonstrate more efficient memory than individuals?

Accepted Answer

Psychologists call this phenomenon transactive memory. This shared system for remembering information can involve assigning different information to different group members, relying on the expertise of certain individuals, and developing a group understanding of how information is organized and can be retrieved. It is a key factor in group performance and productivity.

Quiz 8: Group Processes