Question 1

Fisher used interaction analysis to discover four phases in decision making by groups, which he called
A) orientation, evaluation, decision, and confirmation.
B) formation, orientation, evaluating, emergence.
C) initiation, information, conflict, and reinforcement.
D) formation, development, evaluating, and decision emergence.
E) orientation, conflict, decision emergence, and reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

Fisher's interaction analysis identifies the four phases in group decision-making as orientation, conflict, decision emergence, and reinforcement. These phases describe the process groups typically go through when making decisions, starting from getting oriented with the task at hand, going through conflicts of ideas, emerging with a decision, and finally reinforcing that decision.

Question 2

In Effective Group Discussion, critical thinking was used to refer to
A) systematic examination of information and ideas on the basis of evidence and logic rather than intuition, hunch, or prejudgment.
B) establishing and applying explicit criteria.
C) playing a role as a "devil's advocate" for the group.
D) none of these
E) attacking fallacies in another person's statement.

Accepted Answer

Critical thinking in group discussions involves systematically examining information and ideas based on evidence and logic, rather than relying on intuition or prejudgment.

Question 3

List the five advantages of an assembly effect (worth 5 points).

Accepted Answer

1. Cost savings: Assembly line production allows for greater efficiency and lower labor costs, resulting in overall cost savings for the company.
2. Increased productivity: By breaking down the production process into smaller, specialized tasks, assembly line production can significantly increase the overall productivity of the workforce.
3. Consistent quality: With standardized processes and quality control measures in place, assembly line production can ensure a consistent level of quality in the final product.
4. Streamlined workflow: The assembly line allows for a smooth and continuous flow of production, minimizing downtime and maximizing output.
5. Scalability: Assembly line production can easily be scaled up or down to meet changing demand, making it a flexible and adaptable manufacturing method.

Question 4

In an attempt to maintain cohesion, Jana doesn't voice her disagreement with the decision being made. As a result, a poor solution is implemented. Jana's group is a victim of ___________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In an attempt to maintain cohesion, Jana...

Question 5

Each group member possesses information relevant to solving a problem. This means the group is effective at
A) high integrative complexity.
B) low integrative complexity.
C) recognition tasks.
D) disjunctive tasks.
E) conjunctive tasks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Each group member possesses information relevant to...

Question 6

"Lacks others' input, so may not be high quality" describes a _____________.
A) Decision by the leader
B) Decision by consensus
C) Decision by majority vote
D) Decision by the leader, with consultation

Accepted Answer

This statement describes a decision made by the leader alone, without seeking or incorporating input from others, which can lead to concerns about the decision's quality.

Question 7

The assembly effect
A) occurs when groups engage in a multistep process to move from its current state to the desired goal.
B) occurs when groups are involved in choosing among alternatives.
C) none of these.
D) occurs when groups achieve a decision that is qualitatively and quantitatively better than an individual decision.
E) the decision of group members collectively is better, qualitatively and quantitatively, than adding or averaging the individual judgments of the members.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The assembly effect
A) occurs when groups engage...

Question 8

______________ is the systematic examination of information and ideas on the basis of evidence and logical reasoning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ______________ is the systematic examination of information...

Question 9

At their best, groups achieve an _________________ in which the decision is qualitatively and quantitatively better than the best individual judgment of any one member.

Accepted Answer

The answer of At their best, groups achieve an _________________...

Question 10

Groupthink discussions are characterized by frequent expressions of
A) agreement.
B) anecdotal evidence.
C) disagreement.
D) procedural conflict.
E) critical judgment.

Accepted Answer

Groupthink discussions are characterized by frequent expressions of agreement, as members often prioritize consensus and harmony over critical evaluation of alternative viewpoints.

Question 11

"Members are more satisfied and committed to the decision" describes a
A) Decision by majority vote
B) Decision by the leader, with consultation
C) Decision by consensus
D) Decision by the leader

Accepted Answer

Decision by consensus involves all members of a group in the decision-making process, leading to higher satisfaction and commitment because everyone's opinions are considered and valued.

Question 12

Groups are better than individuals at solving disjunctive tasks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Groups are better than individuals at solving...

Question 13

A ___________________ occurs when members collectively hold the information they need to make the best decision; leading to a far less effective solution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A ___________________ occurs when members collectively hold...

Question 14

According to your authors, why do groups need structure?
A) To facilitate the study of small groups
B) Without it, group problem-solving can be pretty haphazard
C) To avoid violating an organization's charter
D) People tend to naturally create structure
E) In order to justify the role of management

Accepted Answer

Structure is necessary for groups to ensure organized and effective problem-solving, preventing a chaotic approach.

Question 15

During the _________________________ phase of Fisher's Model of Group Phases, members develop a shared understanding of their task, the facts about available options, and how to interpret them.

Accepted Answer

The answer of During the _________________________ phase of Fisher's Model...

Question 16

Evaluating information from the World Wide Web poses unique problems. The authors suggest evaluation criteria including
A) recency and coverage.
B) audience and purpose.
C) none of these.
D) all of these.
E) accuracy and authority.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D) all of these because evaluating information from the World Wide Web indeed involves considering various criteria such as recency, coverage, audience, purpose, accuracy, and authority to ensure the information is reliable and relevant.

Question 17

Jennifer concludes that because some college students have defaulted on their government-guaranteed loans, most or all college students are irresponsible. This is an example of
A) a fact.
B) a mistake.
C) a faulty analogy.
D) overgeneralizing.
E) an ad hominem attack.

Accepted Answer

Jennifer's conclusion is an example of overgeneralizing because she takes the behavior of some college students and applies it to most or all college students without sufficient evidence to support such a broad claim.

Question 18

_________________ suggests that as members get to know each other's values, they want to appear "correct" and may exaggerate opinions in the direction they believe the group values positively.

Accepted Answer

The answer of _________________ suggests that as members get to...

Question 19

Define and contrast questions of fact, conjecture, value and policy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define and contrast questions of fact, conjecture,...

Question 20

"Assembly effect" means that
A) members put their information together to produce a superior decision.
B) all group members line up together.
C) In this kind of positive synergy, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
D) members combine their critical thinking to produce superior decisions.
E) several persons work cooperatively to create something.

Accepted Answer

In this kind of positive synergy, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

Quiz 9: Problem Solving and Decision Making in Groups: Theoretical Perspectives

Fisher used interaction analysis to discover four phases in decision making by groups, which he called

In Effective Group Discussion, critical thinking was used to refer to

List the five advantages of an assembly effect (worth 5 points).

In an attempt to maintain cohesion, Jana doesn't voice her disagreement with the decision being made. As a result, a poor solution is implemented. Jana's group is a victim of ___________.

Each group member possesses information relevant to solving a problem. This means the group is effective at

"Lacks others' input, so may not be high quality" describes a _____________.

The assembly effect

______________ is the systematic examination of information and ideas on the basis of evidence and logical reasoning.

At their best, groups achieve an _________________ in which the decision is qualitatively and quantitatively better than the best individual judgment of any one member.

Groupthink discussions are characterized by frequent expressions of

"Members are more satisfied and committed to the decision" describes a

Groups are better than individuals at solving disjunctive tasks.

A ___________________ occurs when members collectively hold the information they need to make the best decision; leading to a far less effective solution.

According to your authors, why do groups need structure?

During the _________________________ phase of Fisher's Model of Group Phases, members develop a shared understanding of their task, the facts about available options, and how to interpret them.

Evaluating information from the World Wide Web poses unique problems. The authors suggest evaluation criteria including

Jennifer concludes that because some college students have defaulted on their government-guaranteed loans, most or all college students are irresponsible. This is an example of

_________________ suggests that as members get to know each other's values, they want to appear "correct" and may exaggerate opinions in the direction they believe the group values positively.

Define and contrast questions of fact, conjecture, value and policy.

"Assembly effect" means that