Work Teams and Groups

Question 1

Group Norms

Answer 1

Group Norms

standard rules of conduct that maintain uniformity of behavior among group members

conditions that contribute to a member’s conformity to group norms:

task demands: ambiguous situations, highly complext situations, problems with no solutions.

group characteristics: conformity increases as the consensus of group members increases (presence of even one dissenter can significantly lower conformity)

close supervisioin and group members seen as highly credible and trustworthy also lead to conformity.

**participation in defining norms: **members conform more to a group’s norms when they help define them.

Question 2

group norm violations

Answer 2

group norm violations

1. disapproval and rejection when one violates group norms.
2. exception to this: one may be allowed to violate norms when they have gained prestige, status, and respect by functioning completently in the group, as a leader, or being conformist in the past.
3. Hollander: the person has accumulated enough idiosyncrasy credits in order to allow violations!

Question 3

Group Cohesiveness

Answer 3

Group Cohesiveness

1. group’s solidarity
2. Group Size: depends on the nature of the task, but mostly 5-10 members.
3. Homogeneity: members similar in terms of SES, interests, values, attitudes, abilities, and personality are more likely to be cohesive.
4. Goals: best if members participate in goal and norm-setting and when members must depend on one another to achieve common goals.
   
   1. also best if they believe that participation will help them achieve personal goals and if the group has a history of successful goal achievement.

Question 4

Types of Group Tasks

Answer 4

Types of Group Tasks

1. Additive task: individual contributions of group members are added together to form the group product (cars).
2. Compensatory task: the inputs of group members are averaged together to create a single product (advertisement).
3. Disjunctive task: group members must select the solution or decision offered by one of the group members (that of the best member…brainstorm)
4. Conjuctive task: group’s overall performance is limited by that of the worst-performing member (olympics).
5. Discretionary task: group members decide how to combine the contributions of individual members.

Productivity : group is superior to individual performance for additive and compensatory tasks

is equal to performance of the worst member on conjuctive tasks

discretionary tasks: depends on how effectively the contributions of group members are combined.