Groups in Context

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Ambience

Question 2

A psychological reaction to situations and experiences that are so cognitively, perceptually, or emotionally stimulating that they tax or even exceed the individual’s capacity to process incoming information.

Answer 2

Overload

Question 3

Negative physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to circumstances that threaten—or are thought to threaten—one’s sense of well-being and safety

Answer 3

Stress

Question 4

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

Answer 4

Behavior setting

Question 5

In ecological psychology, the quality of the fit between the human occupants and the physical situation

Answer 5

Synomorphy

Question 6

An ecological analysis of behavior settings arguing that both understaffing (not enough people) and overstaffing (too many people) can be detrimental.

Answer 6

Staffing theory

Question 7

The area that individuals maintain
around themselves into which others cannot intrude without arousing discomfort

Answer 7

Personal space

Question 8

An explanation of distancing behavior in interpersonal settings arguing that the amount of eye contact, the intimacy of the
topic influence the amount of personal space required by interactants.

Answer 8

Equilibrium model of communication

Question 9

A group whose members communicate
with one another solely or primarily through
computer-based information technologies that create a virtual group experience regardless of the members’ geographic locations.

Answer 9

Online group

Question 10

A group whose members interact with
one another in face-to-face, collocated settings.

Answer 10

Offline group

Question 11

The degree to which individuals feel
that they are in the presence of another person.

Answer 11

Social presence

Question 12

The number of individuals per unit of space.

Answer 12

Density

Question 13

A psychological reaction that occurs when
individuals feel that the amount of space available to them is insufficient for their needs.

Answer 13

Crowding

Question 14

An explanation of crowding predicting
that high density makes unpleasant situations more unpleasant but pleasant situations more pleasant.

Answer 14

Density–intensity hypothesis

Question 15

Environmental settings that promote
interaction among group members, including seating arrangements that facilitate conversation.

Answer 15

Sociopetal spaces

Question 16

Environmental settings that discourage or prevent interaction among group members.

Answer 16

Sociofugal spaces

Question 17

The tendency for members of a group
to comment immediately after the person sitting opposite them.

Answer 17

Steinzor effect

Question 18

The tendency for group members to associate the leadership role and its responsibilities with the seat located at the head of the table; as a result, individuals who occupy such positions tend to emerge as leaders in groups without designated leaders.

Answer 18

Head-of-the-table effect

Question 19

A specific geographic area that individuals or
groups of individuals claim, mark, and defend against intrusion by others.

Answer 19

Territory

Question 20

A temporary spatial boundary that forms
around interacting groups and serves as a barrier to unwanted intrusion by nonmembers.

Answer 20

Group space