Question 1

Because individuals who deviate from their team's opinion are more harshly evaluated than those who conform to it,which of the following is a reason why team members are more likely to conform to the majority viewpoint?

Accepted Answer

Team members anticipate future interactions with other group members, which creates a pressure to conform to the majority viewpoint in order to maintain social harmony and avoid potential conflict. Consequences for deviating from group norms can be ostracism, social rejection, or decreased opportunities. A, C, and D do not necessarily address the social pressure to conform to the majority, which is the primary reason for conformity in group settings.

Question 2

Ninety-four percent of college professors believe they are above-average teachers; 90 percent of drivers believe they are above average in their driving skills.The tendency for people to place unwarranted confidence in their judgements of themselves is called the framing bias.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as the "illusory superiority" effect or "above-average effect," not the framing bias. The framing bias refers to how people react differently to a particular choice depending on how it is presented (e.g., as a loss vs. a gain).

Question 3

Groups of people tend to outperform individuals on estimation problems.

Accepted Answer

Studies and research have shown that groups of people tend to outperform individuals on estimation problems, as the group members can combine their knowledge and expertise to come up with a more accurate estimate. This phenomenon is known as the "wisdom of crowds."

Question 4

In terms of creating conditions that encourage ethical decision making in organizations,all of the following are valid EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Rewarding people based solely on bottom line profitability may encourage individuals to engage in unethical behavior in order to achieve results. This can create a culture where ethical decision making is not prioritized. The other options (B, C, D) all encourage ethical decision making by holding individuals accountable, promoting ethical leadership, and removing conflicts of interest.

Question 5

Even upon the receipt of unsupportive data,people who have fallen prey to the confirmation bias will maintain,and in some cases increase,their resolve and show a strong tendency to selectively expose themselves to confirmatory information.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes the behavior of someone who has fallen prey to confirmation bias. They are likely to maintain their pre-existing beliefs even in the face of contrary evidence, and actively seek out information that confirms their beliefs.

Question 6

In terms of preventive conditions against groupthink,the behavior of a leader has a greater impact on the development of groupthink than does the behavior of the team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In terms of preventive conditions against groupthink,the...

Question 7

Teams are not inherently more risky or cautious than individuals,rather they are more extreme than individuals.This tendency for group discussion to intensify group opinion,thereby producing more extreme judgments than might be contained by pooling the individuals' views separately is best termed,"the false consensus effect."

Accepted Answer

The correct term for this phenomenon is "group polarization," not "the false consensus effect." Group polarization refers to the tendency of a group to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members. The false consensus effect is a separate cognitive bias where people overestimate how much others agree with them.

Question 8

In regard to how accountability affects organizational decision making,accountability for ________ leads to greater escalation behavior,whereas accountability for ________ increases decision-making effectiveness.

Accepted Answer

Accountability for outcomes (such as results or end goals) can lead to greater escalation behavior, where individuals or teams may make riskier decisions or take shortcuts to try and achieve the desired outcome. However, accountability for process (such as following established protocols and procedures) can increase decision-making effectiveness by ensuring that decisions are made in a consistent and thorough manner that considers all relevant factors.

Question 9

There is a tendency for a person to look to the group to seek information on the reality of a situation.The more team members who hold a particular opinion,the more right an answer seems.This bias is best termed:

Accepted Answer

This bias is best termed the need to be right, where individuals look to the group consensus to validate their perceptions of reality, assuming that the majority view is the correct one.

Question 10

Leader behavior that is associated with too much concern for political ramifications,or the analysis of alternatives in terms of their political repercussions,are key determinants of:

Accepted Answer

The behavior described in the question is associated with the groupthink bias - the tendency of group members to conform to group norms and minimize conflict, often resulting in poor decision-making.

Quiz 7: Team Decision Making: Pitfalls and Solutions