Group Decision Making

Question 1

Tuckman’s 1965 model of group socialisation describes how groups form and change over time. What are the 5 stages?

Answer 1

1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Peforming
5. Adjourning

Question 2

Moreland and Levine’s group model was unique because as well as the individual changing to fit the group____

Answer 2

the group also changed to fit the individuals

Question 3

What are the 3 dynamics of Moreland and Levine’s group model?

Answer 3

Evaluation, Commitment and Role transitions

Question 4

Change in the role of a group member is central to which model?

Answer 4

Moreland & Levine

Question 5

What did Festinger & colleagues liken group cohesiveness to?

Answer 5

field of forces which constitutes attractiveness of the group and goals of the group

Question 6

How is cohesiveness measured?

Answer 6

By averaging interpersonal attraction across the whole group

Question 7

What predicts conformity to group norms?

Answer 7

group cohesiveness

Question 8

Hogg criticised how group cohesiveness was being measured. He said there is a need to distinguish between which two things?

Answer 8

Personal attraction and social attraction

Question 9

Who’s definition of cohesiveness shows how you can like someone as a group member but not as a person?

Answer 9

Hogg’s (1993) cohesiveness

Question 10

Group status:

Expectation states theory states that roles in groups are assigned based on___?

Answer 10

roles in groups are assigned based on expectations of peoples’ performance.

Question 11

What is the difference between specific status characteristics and diffuse status characteristics?

Answer 11

Specific status characteristics are directly relevant to the group whereas diffuse characteristics are characteristics positively or negatively valued by society.

Question 12

In what situation is working in a group less effective than working individually?

Answer 12

Brainstorming ideas. Although more ideas may be generated, they have less creative value.

Question 13

What is groupthink?

Answer 13

It is a mode of faulty thinking in highly cohesive groups where there is a social pressure to reach consensus so decisions are scrutinized less.

Question 14

What are some antecedents of the groupthink model?

Answer 14

1. excessive cohesiveness
2. insulation of group from external information
3. lack of impartial leadership
4. high stress from external threat
5. ideological homogeneity of membership

Question 15

What could be an example of groupthink?

Answer 15

Heaven’s gate mass suicide 1997

Question 16

McCauley (1989) evaluated groupthink using case studies by coding for presence or absence of groupthink antecedents.
What did he find?

Answer 16

All the antecedents except for group insulation, leadership and group homogeneity were involved in non-groupthink cases.

Question 17

Tetlock et al (1992) found that not all theorised paths were significant predictors of groupthink, especially___?

Answer 17

group cohesion

Question 18

Who found that counter to the groupthink theory, in low cohesive groups significantly fewer facts were discussed?

Answer 18

Leana (1985)

Question 19

Esser’s (1998) review of groupthink found___?

Answer 19

support for the role of directive leadership in groupthink but evidence for the role of group cohesiveness was unsupported as this was found in groups where the decisions were favourable.

Question 20

Define group polarization?

Answer 20

Group discussion tends to encourage people to be more extreme in their decisions.

Question 21

Why does group polarization occur?

Answer 21

1. Persuasive arguments theory: greater exposure to more novel arguments supporting one’s opinions.
2. Bandwagon effect
3. Pluralistic ignorance

Question 22

The Bandwagon effect can lead to group polarization.

Define the Bandwagon effect.

Answer 22

adopting a more extreme view to differentiate ourselves from others who hold the same view.

Question 23

Pluralistic ignorance can lead to group polarization.

Define pluralistic ignorance.

Answer 23

An individual falsely infers that group members share the same belief based on their actions.

Question 24

Groups tend to perform better than individuals___?

Answer 24

on logical problems