Question 1

When a team consists of members who come from different functional areas, with different areas of expertise, different information, different priorities, and different perceptions of problems and opportunities, the __________ is exacerbated.

Accepted Answer

When team members come from diverse functional areas, they bring different perspectives, knowledge, and priorities, which can make it challenging to share and integrate information effectively. This situation exacerbates the information dependence problem, as team members must rely on each other's expertise and information to make informed decisions.

Question 2

Key indicators of involvement in an experienced community of practice the person's level of engagement with the given practice community) are a shared vocabulary, recall of previous lessons, learning from one another, and:

Accepted Answer

Open communication is a crucial factor in establishing engagement within a community of practice. It enables members to share and learn from each other's knowledge and experiences, which is essential for the development of expertise. A shared vocabulary, recall of previous lessons, and learning from each other are also indicators of involvement in an experienced community of practice, but they do not necessarily ensure open communication. Beliefs leading to different scanning orientations and performance under pressure are not key indicators of involvement in an experienced community of practice.

Question 3

An example of the curse of knowledge is a:

Accepted Answer

The curse of knowledge refers to a situation where a person who possesses knowledge about a certain subject, finds it difficult to convey that knowledge to others who do not have the same level of understanding. This is exactly the case with choice B, where the professor's mastery of an idea makes it challenging for them to explain it simply to their students. This impedes the students' learning and can negatively impact the professor's efficacy as an educator.

Option A is not an example of the curse of knowledge as it is not related to a failure to effectively communicate information. Option C is more about a confidentiality constraint, and option D describes the delegation of responsibility rather than communication difficulties.

Question 4

There are several biases of human communication, which affect team performance. All of the following are known threats or biases to effective communication in groups EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Absorptive capacity is not a known threat or bias to effective communication in groups. The other three choices (message tuning, message distortion, and biased interpretation) are all biases of human communication that can affect team performance.

Question 5

An effective way to remedy the common information effect is to:

Accepted Answer

Considering decision alternatives one at a time can help prevent the common information effect by allowing each alternative to be evaluated on its own merits before being compared to others. This reduces the influence of shared information and increases the likelihood of considering unique information for each alternative. Increasing time for discussion or team size may not necessarily address this specific issue, and engaging in prediscussion polling may actually reinforce shared information and preserve the common information effect.

Question 6

In regards to the common information effect, what is the main problem with an uneven distribution of information?

Accepted Answer

An uneven distribution of information means that certain pieces of information get more time, attention, and emphasis than alternative pieces of information. This can lead to a biased or incomplete decision-making process, as not all relevant information is being considered equally.

Question 7

When a speaker tunes a message to suit an audience and, in the course of tuning the message, the speaker's subsequent memories and impressions about the topic change, this effect is known as:

Accepted Answer

This effect is known as the "saying is believing" effect, which refers to the phenomenon where a speaker's belief or attitude about a topic becomes more extreme after expressing it to an audience, especially if the message is tailored to the audience's perspective. It is a result of the speaker's self-persuasion, where the act of expressing the message reinforces their belief in it.

Question 8

A team mental model is a common understanding that members of a team share about how something works. For example, a team might have a common understanding of how to assemble a transistor radio. All of the following are TRUE about team mental models EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Team mental models are not developed instantly, naturally, and immediately compatible. They are developed over time through communication, collaboration, and experience.

Question 9

Message recipients often hear what they want to hear when receiving messages, and interpret the neutral facts about a topic in a way that is favorable toward their own opinions or position. This communication bias is known as:

Accepted Answer

Biased interpretation occurs when individuals interpret information in a way that aligns with their existing beliefs or opinions, often leading to a skewed understanding of the message.

Question 10

A situational example of team putting knowledge to practice through knowledge adaptation is:

Accepted Answer

In this scenario, the manager is putting the knowledge of the new adhesive to practice by challenging his employees to improvise fixes to a broken bicycle using the new product. This requires the team to adapt their knowledge and skills to a new situation, demonstrating knowledge adaptation in action.

Question 11

A transactive memory system, or TMS, is a shared system for attending to, encoding, storing, processing, and retrieving information. In one investigation, teams were asked to assemble radios without written instructions. The most effective group was given what type of training experience before "group test day"?

Accepted Answer

The question mentions that teams were asked to assemble radios without written instructions. This implies that the task requires communication and coordination within a team. Therefore, the most effective group was likely the one that had received team training and were assigned to work with the same team on test day, allowing them to develop a shared transactive memory system. Option A is not likely to be the best choice as individual training may not enable the team to develop an effective shared system. Option B is also not the best choice as reassembling members into different groups may disrupt the development of the shared system. Option D may be helpful in building trust within the team but may not contribute significantly to the development of a shared system.

Question 12

An intervention that might exacerbate the common information effect is:

Accepted Answer

Prediscussion polling involves the collection of individual opinions before any discussion or interaction takes place. This can exacerbate the common information effect because members may already be attached to their own opinions and perspectives before hearing from the group, leading them to defend their positions even more strongly.

Question 13

Which of the following strategies for reducing the common information effect has been found to be most effective?

Accepted Answer

Putting the team leader in the position of information manager has been found to be the most effective strategy for reducing the common information effect. This approach helps ensure that all relevant information, including unique and unshared data, is considered during team discussions and decision-making processes.

Question 14

Which is the best example of the communication bias termed "message tuning"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which is the best example of the...

Question 15

Regarding information dependence issues, which of the following examples best illustrates the concept of a hidden profile?

Accepted Answer

A hidden profile occurs when one team member has unique information that the group is not aware of, and that information contradicts the team's common choice. In this scenario, Talia has information that contradicts the team's agreed-upon choice, but she has not yet shared it with the group.

Question 16

A study at an R&D organization, where teams worked together for more than five years, revealed what?

Accepted Answer

The study showed that the performance of the groups increased over time, but only up to a point. After working together for more than five years, performance declined steeply.

Question 17

A team with a high adaptive capacity brings what capability to their organization?

Accepted Answer

A team with a high adaptive capacity is able to change or shift their strategy in the face of upheaval, which is a valuable capability for any organization in rapidly changing environments. While knowledge capacity, assimilation of new knowledge, and application of new knowledge are also important, they are not specific to adaptive capacity.

Question 18

The common information effect is best described as the tendency for groups to:

Accepted Answer

The common information effect is the tendency for groups to focus on information that is already known by all members, rather than unique or specialized knowledge held by one individual. This can lead to a lack of creativity and innovation, as well as potential errors if important unique information is overlooked.

Question 19

The illusion of transparency refers to what belief?

Accepted Answer

The illusion of transparency refers to the faulty belief that our thoughts and attitudes are more visible (transparent) than is actually the case. This means that we overestimate how well others can read our emotions and intentions, leading to misunderstandings and miscommunication.

Question 20

The uneven communication problem is the fact that:

Accepted Answer

The uneven communication problem refers to the fact that in most groups, a minority of people do a majority of the talking. This can lead to other group members feeling left out or unheard, and can limit the diversity of ideas and perspectives in the group's interactions.

Quiz 6: Sharpening the Team and Mind: Communication and Collective Intelligence