Question 1

Whenever one of her group got within ten feet of her, Christine chirped, "Oh good! You've come to help me." This group is likely to have low productivity because ________.

Accepted Answer

Christine's behavior indicates a lack of self-reliance, as she constantly relies on others for help instead of being able to work independently. This could lead to low productivity within the group as individuals may become bogged down with helping Christine instead of completing their own tasks.

Question 2

This group should have worked well together. Each of them had at least five years seniority and had scored well on past performance evaluations. They all knew what needed to be done. But it seemed they were always in disagreement about something. This group probably lacked ________.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the group was always in disagreement suggests that they lacked conflict resolution skills. They may have known what needed to be done, but they were struggling with how to work together effectively. Improving their conflict resolution skills could have helped them work through their disagreements and improve their ability to work together as a team.

Question 3

Samantha is a single mom and the administrative assistant for the marketing department. Her son's soccer games begin right after school so Samantha often has to choose between supporting her son at his games and working. Samantha is experiencing role ________.

Accepted Answer

Samantha is experiencing conflict between her role as a mother and her role as an employee. She is forced to choose between attending her son's soccer games and fulfilling her work responsibilities.

Question 4

Which of the following personality traits is negatively related to group productivity and morale?

Accepted Answer

Unconventionality can negatively impact group productivity and morale because it might lead to behaviors or ideas that are too far removed from the group's norms or objectives, potentially causing conflicts or misunderstandings within the group.

Question 5

A pattern of behavior expected of someone occupying a given position in a social unit is called a ________.

Accepted Answer

A role is a set of behaviors, obligations, and privileges that are associated with a particular position or status within a social group or organization. Norms refer to the unwritten rules that govern appropriate behavior within a given context, while persona refers to the external image or facade that an individual presents to others. Status, while related to role, specifically refers to the social position or rank held by an individual within a group or society. Therefore, the best choice for the pattern of behavior expected of someone occupying a given position in a social unit is a role.

Question 6

Students often complain that having to work with assigned teammates results in a poorer group project. They are complaining about a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

The given statement suggests that the external condition of being assigned teammates is leading to poorer group projects. The other options, such as internal condition, group member resource, and group task, are not necessarily mentioned or implied in the statement.

Question 7

Formal groups are work groups that are defined by the organization's structure and have designated work assignments and specific tasks directed at accomplishing organizational goals.

Accepted Answer

Formal groups are indeed defined by the organization's structure with specific work assignments and goals to achieve.

Question 8

List and discuss the five stages of group development.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List and discuss the five stages of...

Question 9

Describe the differences between formal and informal groups, giving examples of each.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the differences between formal and informal...

Question 10

Self-managed teams function in an independent and informal manner.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Self-managed teams function in an independent and...

Question 11

Which one of the following is a negative aspect of group norms?

Accepted Answer

Group norms can have a negative impact by encouraging individuals to engage in antisocial behavior that they may not engage in otherwise. This is known as group polarization, where group members can go to an extreme in their behavior when in a group setting.

Question 12

"Slow down, Mary. You're making us all look bad." These comments likely came from a worker concerned about ________.

Accepted Answer

The comments suggest concern over group norms, which are the shared expectations and rules that guide behavior of people within social groups. The worker is implying that Mary's high level of performance is setting a standard that is beyond what is normally expected within the group, thereby disrupting the established norms.

Question 13

Asch's experiment, which used lines of varying lengths to test group behavior, has shown the existence of ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Asch's experiment, which used lines of varying...

Question 14

When Fred's department head explained what was expected of him as a new professor in terms of maintaining discipline in his classroom and providing students with a challenging course, he was referring to Fred's ________ at the university.

Accepted Answer

The department head was referring to Fred's role at the university, which encompasses his responsibilities and expected behavior, including maintaining discipline and providing a challenging course.

Question 15

Task groups are permanent teams that take on special projects.

Accepted Answer

Task groups are temporary teams that are formed to work on a specific project or task and are disbanded after completion.

Question 16

Her instincts told her the group was heading in a very wrong direction but Natalie didn't want to cause a scene by disagreeing, especially when she was apparently the only one with reservations. Natalie has succumbed to ________.

Accepted Answer

Natalie has succumbed to groupthink, which is a psychological phenomenon where individuals in a group prioritize group harmony and conformity over critical thinking and dissent. Her instincts are telling her that the group is heading in a wrong direction, but she is reluctant to speak up because of the fear of being rejected by the group or causing a disruptive scene. Groupthink often leads to poor decision-making and disastrous consequences.

Question 17

In the group development process, the forming stage is complete when members begin to think of themselves as part of a group.

Accepted Answer

The forming stage is indeed complete when members begin to identify themselves as part of a group and establish initial relationships with other group members.

Question 18

The acceptable standards or expectations that are shared by a group's members are referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

Norms refer to the shared standards or expectations that are accepted within a group. Affiliations refer to group memberships, criteria refer to standards or requirements for evaluation, and morals refer to individual beliefs about right and wrong.

Question 19

Employees were paid and evaluated based on quantity of output so it expected the continuous improvement team to meet during the two daily 15-minute breaks. The only space available for these meetings was the noisy breakroom. Then management wondered why the group was not producing results. The most likely reason is ________

Accepted Answer

The external condition of having to meet in a noisy breakroom is likely hindering the continuous improvement team's ability to produce results. This issue could be resolved by providing a quieter space for meetings or adjusting the meeting schedule to allow for more productive discussion.

Question 20

Under some conditions, high levels of conflict are conducive to high levels of group performance.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true under certain conditions, such as when the conflict is focused on ideas or tasks rather than personal issues, when team members respect each other's opinions, and when the conflict leads to creative problem-solving and innovation. High levels of conflict can stimulate communication, encourage critical thinking, and bring underlying issues to the surface, ultimately leading to better group performance. However, if the conflict is poorly managed or involves personal attacks or aggression, it can harm group performance and cohesion.

Quiz 12: Organizing Around Teams