Chapter 15

Question 1

Ecology of a group

Answer 1

• Group ecology
• Ambience
• Features of the environment (e.g., extremes in temperatures and noise, dangerousness) can
  induce stress in groups and undermine performance.

Question 2

Group ecology

Answer 2

how individuals and groups interact with and adapt to the group’s habitat.

Question 3

Ambience

Answer 3

sychological reaction (mood, feelings, emotions) evoked by a setting.

• Russel: people’s affective reactions range from positive-negative and activating-
  relaxed. People prefer positive, stimulating environments, but excessive stimulation
  can lead to overload.
• Kaplan: attention restoration theory = situations that require directed attention can
  deplete cognitive resources that can be replenished by certain types of places.

Question 4

Van de Vliert: climato-economic theory

Answer 4

cultures that exist in places with harsh
climates cope by developing economically if wealthy and by becoming more
collectivistic if not wealthy.

Question 5

Determinants of spatial relations in a group:

Answer 5

Personal space

Density

Sommer: sociopetal spaces (= environmental settings that promote interaction among group
members) encourage interaction, whereas sociofugal spaces (= environmental settings that
discourage or prevent interaction among group members).

Seating arrangements significantly influence patterns of attraction, communication, and
leadership.

Question 6

Personal space

Answer 6

group members prefer to keep a certain distance between themselves and
others.

• Hall: four types of zones: (1) Intimate zone, (2) Personal zone, (3) Social zone, and (4)
  Public zone. Online groups meet in the remote zone.
• Spacing in groups in influenced by sex, status, and cultural background of the group
  members.
• Equilibrium model of communication = explanation of distancing behavior in
  interpersonal settings arguing that the amount of eye contact and the intimacy of the
  topic influence the amount of personal space required by group members.
• Burgoon: Expectancy violations model = identifies the types of messages that
  distance can signal.

Question 7

Density

Answer 7

the number of people per unit of space.

• Crowding = when individuals feel that the amount of space available to them is
  insufficient for their needs. Crowding is worsened by the following factors:

1. Cognitive processes that prompt individuals to make attributions about the
   causes of their arousal.
2. Group members’ overall evaluation of the high-density setting: density-
   intensity hypothesis = high density makes unpleasant situations more
   unpleasant but pleasant situations more pleasant.
3. Perceptions of control.
4. Degree to which others interfere with task performance.

Question 8

The Steinzor effect

Answer 8

tendency for group members to comment immediately after

the person sitting opposite them.

Question 9

Head-of-the-table effect

Answer 9

tendency for group members to associate the leadership

role with the seat located at the head of the table.

Question 10

Burgoon: Expectancy violations model

Answer 10

identifies the types of messages that

distance can signal.

Question 11

Equilibrium model of communication

Answer 11

explanation of distancing behavior in
interpersonal settings arguing that the amount of eye contact and the intimacy of the
topic influence the amount of personal space required by group members.

Question 12

Crowding

Answer 12

when individuals feel that the amount of space available to them is
insufficient for their needs. Crowding is worsened by the following factors:

Question 13

density-

intensity hypothesis

Answer 13

high density makes unpleasant situations more

unpleasant but pleasant situations more pleasant.

Question 14

Sommer: sociopetal spaces

Answer 14

environmental settings that promote interaction among group

members

Question 15

sociofugal spaces

Answer 15

= environmental settings that

discourage or prevent interaction among group members

Question 16

Equilibrium model of communication

Answer 16

explanation of distancing behavior in
interpersonal settings arguing that the amount of eye contact and the intimacy of the
topic influence the amount of personal space required by group members.

Question 17

Burgoon: Expectancy violations model

Answer 17

identifies the types of messages that

distance can signal.

Question 18

Causes and consequences of a group’s tendency to establish territories:

Answer 18

-Animals and humans establish territories = geographical locations that an individual/group
defends against intrusion by others.

• Individual members establish personal territories within the group’s territory.

Question 19

territories

Answer 19

geographical locations that an individual/group

defends against intrusion by others.

Question 20

Altman: territories he distinguishes between:

Answer 20

1) Primary territories = areas that are maintained
and used exclusively by individuals or groups, (2) Secondary territories = areas that
are not owned by the group members, but because the members use such an area
regularly, they come to consider it as theirs (e.g., seats in college classes), and (3)
Public territories = occupants can prevent intrusion while they are physically present,
but they relinquish all claims when they leave (e.g., public bathrooms).

Question 21

Group space

Answer 21

a temporary spatial boundary that forms around interacting groups
and serves as a barrier to unwanted intrusion by non-members.

Question 22

Home advantage

Answer 22

tendency for individuals and groups to gain an advantage over
others when interacting in their home territory

Question 23

Barker: behavior is determined by the behavior setting

Answer 23

a physically and temporally

bounded social situation that determines the actions of the individuals in the setting.

Question 24

synomorphy

Answer 24

the quality of fit between the human

occupants and the physical situation

Question 25

Wicker: staffing theory

Answer 25

both understaffing (= not enough people) and overstaffing
(= too many people) can be detrimental.

Question 26

Duffy: four types of group workplaces:

Answer 26

1. Hives: members who perform individualized, routine tasks. They function
   well in open, cubicle-type offices with individual work spaces.
2. Cells: members working on complex, individualized projects, function best in
   private spaces.
3. Dens: members that are similar in skills and responsibilities and work on
   collective tasks. They need an open space that all members share.
4. Clubs: members who are talented and work on diverse tasks that vary in
   their collaborative demands. They need a workspace that permits them to
   collaborate but also to secure privacy.