Decision Making in Small Groups
Click on the best answer to each question.

1		Decision making involves cognitive information processing and what other type of information processing?
			A)	group
			B)	communicative
			C)	critical
			D)	psychological
2		Why are group decisions usually seen as superior to individual decisions?
			A)	Time constraints forced upon groups foster higher quality decision making.
			B)	Group members can compensate for each other's weaknesses.
			C)	Groups have the advantage of access to better decision-making resources.
			D)	all of the above
3		When a group's decision is qualitatively and quantitatively superior either to the best individual judgment of any group member or to the average of the judgments of all the members, it is called:
			A)	synergistic effect
			B)	group effect
			C)	assembly effect
			D)	communication effect
4		The type of task in which each group member possesses information needed to solve a problem, but no one member has all the needed information is called:
			A)	a conjunctive task
			B)	a disjunctive task
			C)	complex decision making
			D)	an assembly effect
5		Communication among members in a group is an essential throughput process. Group communication entails:
			A)	verbal summations of individual members' perceptions
			B)	task relevant information
			C)	verbal interaction
			D)	goal directed information
6		The ability of group members to engage in highly complex reasoning processes is called:
			A)	cognition complexity
			B)	integrative complexity
			C)	group synergy
			D)	assembly effect
7		Researchers have identified behaviors that either help or hurt small group decision making, the most important of which is:
			A)	participation
			B)	socio-emotional behaviors
			C)	communication skills
			D)	work ethic
8		Which of the following factors have researchers identified in groups as interfering with effective decision making?
			A)	reluctance of members to exchange information
			B)	members whose social needs prevent them from attending to the group task
			C)	when one or two members dominate discussions
			D)	all of the above
9		What is group polarization?
			A)	when a group member makes a cautious decision because of influence from another group member
			B)	when a group member makes a risky decision because of influence from another group member
			C)	when a group member refuses to go along with a group decision for personal reasons
			D)	when group members make decisions that are more extreme than the individual group members' initial preferences
10		When members want to appear "correct" in terms of their perception of the group's values, they may exaggerate their opinions in the directions they believe the group values positively. This is referred to as:
			A)	group polarization tendency
			B)	persuasive arguments theory
			C)	social comparison theory
			D)	socioemotional behaviors theory
11		Which of the following methods for group decision making is the most common?
			A)	by the designated leaders
			B)	by majority vote
			C)	by consensus
			D)	all of the above
12		Which of the following is a disadvantage when group decisions are made primarily by the leader?
			A)	The decision may be difficult or impossible to achieve.
			B)	The decision usually takes more time.
			C)	The decision lacks other members' input.
			D)	all of the above
13		Which of the following is true of consensus decisions?
			A)	The majority of members support the decision.
			B)	All members support the decision.
			C)	Each vote counts equally for the decision.
			D)	all of the above
14		Which of the following is a decision-rule orientation that research has identified among individuals?
			A)	attempts to minimize losses
			B)	attempts to establish leadership
			C)	attempts to facilitate consensus
			D)	all of the above
15		Which of the following is likely in the course of arriving at consensus decisions?
			A)	resentment
			B)	groupthink
			C)	conflict
			D)	phasic progression
16		Not arguing stubbornly for your own position but seeking out differing opinions will help groups to:
			A)	avoid conflict
			B)	reach decisions more effectively
			C)	achieve consensus
			D)	achieve quality decision making
17		Some researchers have observed that groups cycle through relatively predictable phases or stages during the process of decision making and problem solving. This process is called:
			A)	developmental progression
			B)	group dynamics
			C)	phasic progression
			D)	all of the above
18		Which of the following is not a phase that decision-making groups pass through as they work toward solving a problem?
			A)	group polarization
			B)	orientation
			C)	conflict
			D)	decision emergence
19		The phase during which decision-making groups are involved in members offering initiatives, taking stands, disagreeing, offering compromises and arguing for and against proposals is the:
			A)	orientation phase
			B)	decision emergence phase
			C)	reinforcement phase
			D)	conflict phase
20		When a highly cohesive group wants to maintain consensus so much that it suppresses confrontation and disagreement and the group's decisions are not carefully considered, this is known as:
			A)	consensus
			B)	groupthink
			C)	phasic progression
			D)	faulty analogy