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Communicating in Small Groups: Principles and Practices, 12th Edition Test Bank

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    1 Chapter One: Introducing Group Principles and Practices Chapter Summary Chapter 1 provides an introduction to communication in small groups and teams. After defining small group communication , this chapter then explores the meaning of human communication . The importance of teams and the characteristics of an effective team and team members are discussed; strategies to enhance team effectiveness are also addressed. The chapter outlines several advantages and disadvantages of working in small groups and teams. The students should identify the problems they may have encountered in the group to which they belong. On the other hand, they should also discuss the benefits. This discussion gives students a realistic assessment of small group work—the virtues of small groups and teams as well as some of the pitfalls. The chapter includes a section on differences in varying cultures’ approach to group work, comparing collectivistic and individualistic assumptions. It continues with a discussion of primary and secondary groups and introduces the concept of collaboration in groups and teams. Virtual small group communication gives rise to discussion about having meetings that are electronically mediated as opposed to face to face. The competencies of members of small groups and teams are also listed and discussed as well as a brief view of problem-solving criteria. You may want to note to students that a small group communication course is designed to build their small group communicator motivation, knowledge, skills, and, thus, competence. Chapter Objectives After studying this chapter, the students will be able to: 1.1 Define small group communication 1.2 Evaluate teams for effective practices 1.3 Identify the advantages and disadvantages of participating in small groups 1.4 Compare primary and secondary groups 1.5 Use methods to make virtual group meetings effective 1.6 Describe competencies of small group communication

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    2 Chapter Outline 1.1: Communicating in Small Groups 1.1.1: Communication  Communication Is About Making Sense  Communication Is About Sharing Sense  Communication Is About Creating Meaning  Communication Is about Verbal and Nonverbal Messages  Communication Is Transactional  Communication Includes Several Elements  Communication May Be Mediated  Mediated Communication Can Enhance Group Communication  Communication Is Essential for Effective Group Outcomes 1.1.2: A Small Group of People  Two People are Dyadic  Small Group 1.1.3: Meeting with a Common Purpose 1.1.4: Feeling a Sense of Belonging 1.1.5: Exerting Influence 1.2: Communicating in Teams  Four Attributes that Define Teams ○ Teams Develop Clear, Well-Defined Goals ○ Teams Develop Clearly Defined Roles, Duties, and Responsibilities ○ Teams Have Clearly Defined Rules and Expectations ○ Teams Are Coordinated and Collaborative 1.2.1: Characteristics of an Effective Team  Ideal Teams Characteristics ○ A Clear, Elevating Goal ○ A Results-Driven Structure ○ Competent Team Members

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    3 ○ Unified Commitment ○ A Collaborative Climate ○ Standards of Excellence ○ External Support and Recognition ○ Principled Leadership 1.2.2: Characteristics of Effective Team Members  Experienced  Skilled Problem-Solvers  Open to New Ideas  Supportive  Positive  Action-Oriented  Adaptive 1.2.3: Strategies for Becoming an Effective Team Member  Be There  Talk About the Importance of Trusting One Another  Talk About the Task  Be Clear  Listen  Talk “Backstage”  Laugh  Don’t be Negative  Don’t Use Mean Humor  Don’t Verbally Express Your Boredom  Don’t Grab Credit 1.3: Communicating Collaboratively in Groups: Advantages and Disadvantages 1.3.1: Advantages of Working in Groups  More Information  Enhanced Creative Problem-Solving  Greater Comprehension  Enhanced Satisfaction

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    4  Enhanced Self-Understanding 1.3.2: Disadvantages of Working in Groups  Pressure to Conform  Individual Domination  Uneven Work Distribution  Time 1.3.3: When Not to Collaborate  When There is Limited Time  When an Expert Has the Answer  When the Information Needed is Readily Available  When Conflict Unmanageable 1.4: Communicating in Different Types of Groups 1.4.1: Primary Groups  Family Groups  Social Groups 1.4.2: Secondary Groups  Problem-Solving Groups  Decision-Making Groups  Study Groups  Therapy Groups  Committees  Focus Groups 1.5: Communicating in Virtual Groups 1.5.1: Differences between Virtual and Non-virtual Collaboration  Time ○ Asynchronous Message ○ Synchronous Message ○ Social Presence  Varying Degrees of Anonymity  Potential for Deception

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    5  Nonverbal Messages  Written Messages  Distance 1.5.2: Virtual Group Theories  Cues-Filtered-Out Theory  Media Richness Theory  Social Information-Processing Theory 1.5.3: Strategies for Participating in Virtual Groups  Participating in Virtual Groups ○ Start Early ○ Communicate Often ○ Multitask Skillfully ○ Respond to Others’ Messages ○ Use Technology Skillfully ○ Be Clear ○ Be Flexible ○ Set Deadlines  Leading Virtual Groups ○ Provide the Right Resources ○ Provide Technology Training ○ Provide Good Tech Support ○ Openly Reward and Compliment Team Members ○ Ensure Effective Communication Skill 1.6: Communicating Competently in Small Groups  Competent Small Group Communicator  Motivation  Knowledge  Skill 1.6.1: Nine Core Competencies of Group Communication  Problem-Oriented Competencies ○ Define the Problem

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    6 ○ Analyze the Problem  Solution-Oriented Competencies ○ Identify Criteria ○ Generate Solutions ○ Evaluate Solutions  Discussion-Management Competencies ○ Maintain Task Focus ○ Manage Interaction  Relational Competencies ○ Manage Conflict ○ Maintain a Positive Climate 1.6.2: Ethically Communicating in Small Groups Discussion Questions 1. Ask students the differences between a small group and a team. List on board or flip chart. 2. Discuss students’ use of virtual communication. Which channel do they use most often? What are the benefits and disadvantages of virtual communication? How does this apply to small groups? 3. Discuss the continuum of media-rich and media-lean methods of communication. 4. One-minute paper: Students submit a sheet of paper completing the following thoughts: a. What do I like about working in groups? b. What do I dislike about working in groups? c. What specifically would I like to learn about group/team work? 5. Discuss collaboration via social media with the students. In groups, have them select a particular social media platform and create a pros/cons list concerning collaboration using that platform.

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    7 Study Guide Activities 1. Agree–Disagree Statements As you participate in small groups, it is useful to understand your assumptions about how groups function and to compare your own assumptions with the assumptions of other members in your group. i Read each of the following statements once. Indicate whether you agree (by marking A) or disagree (by marking D) with each statement and then compare your answers with those of your group members. 1. ______ A primary concern of all group members should be to establish an atmosphere in which all feel free to express their opinions. 2. ______ In a group with a strong leader, an individual is able to feel more personal security than in a leaderless group. 3. ______ Individuals who are part of working groups should do what they think is right, regardless of what the groups decide to do. 4. ______ It is sometimes necessary to use autocratic methods to obtain democratic objectives. 5. ______ Sometimes it is necessary to push people in the direction you think is right, even if they object. 6. ______ It is sometimes necessary to ignore the feelings of others in order to reach a group decision. 7. ______ One should not openly criticize or find fault with leaders who are doing their best. 8. ______ Democracy has no place in a military organization such as an air task force or an infantry squad, when it is engaged in battle. 9. ______ When everybody in the group has to be considered before making a decision, much time is wasted talking. 10. ______ Almost any job that can be done by a committee can be done better by giving one individual responsibility for the job. 11. ______ By the time most people reach maturity, it is almost impossible for them to increase their skills in group participation. After you have marked the statements, form small groups and try to agree or disagree unanimously with each statement. Try especially to find reasons for differences of opinion. If your group cannot reach agreement or disagreement, you may change the wording in any statement to promote unanimity.

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    8 2. Rating Your Team Evaluate your team using the eight team characteristics are based on the work of Carl Larson and Frank LaFasto, as described in their book Teamwork: What Must Go Right/What Can Go Wrong . Rate your team using a 1-10 scale in which 10 = high and 1 = low. 3. Get-Acquainted Scavenger Hunt Your instructor will ask you to find people in your class or your group who match as many of the following descriptions as possible. When you meet someone who matches a particular description, write his or her name on the line opposite it. Use this as a way of getting better acquainted with people with whom you will be working or studying. ii 1. Someone with your eye color _________ 2. Someone born in the same state you were _________ 3. Someone whose astrological sign is the same as yours _________ 4. Someone who likes the same sport you do _________ 5. Someone who likes your favorite food _________ 6. Someone who has the same number of letters in his or her name _________ 7. Someone who feels it is okay to cry in public _________ 8. Someone who is the youngest in the family _________ 9. Someone who would like to write a book _________ 10. Someone who has seen the same movie at least three times _________ 11. Someone who has traveled outside the United States _________ 12. Someone who likes to ski _________ 13. Someone who is an only child _________ 14. Someone who can speak two languages _________ 15. Someone who likes to cook _________ Experiential Exercises 1. Ice Breaker Activity: Talk to Me Goal The Talk to Me exercise has the primary purpose of students getting to know one

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    9 another in a small group environment. Time Students should be given fifteen minutes for their conversation. Procedure Break the class down into small groups of five. Give out a snack, for example, pretzels. Have the students take as many as they would like; however, they should be cautioned not to eat any of them. Then they should reveal a fact about themselves for each pretzel they took. Group members can then discuss how they form first impressions. They can also share important facts that they learned about their group members. 2. Impression Formation: High Point Goal The High Point activity has a twofold purpose. The students will get to know one another and the instructor will be able to use this activity to help place the students in complementary personality/lifestyle/culture groups through this analysis. Time Varies The instructor may choose to limit the amount of time for each participant to two to three minutes. Procedure A High Point in a team/group situation is defined as any positive experience one remembers while working in a team. Include the number of participants in the group and the result of this project. The project can be recent, past, high school related, work related, family related or university related. This exercise can be repeated once a week or at the beginning of each session, and the topic can be related to the chapter topic. The instructor should take notes as to the order in which each student participates (who speaks first, last, etc.). The topic chosen should also be noted. 3. Elevator Exercise Goal To demonstrate the definition of small groups. Group Size Five Time Required Ten to fifteen minutes Procedure A group of five students is chosen for this role-play. The instructor sets the scenario—

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    10 they are waiting for an elevator; the door opens and the instructor says, “Please enter. Watch your step. The elevator continues going up 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th floor until it suddenly stops between floors.” The students must now decide what to do. Let them talk up to five minutes as to how to resolve this dilemma. (Cell phone coverage is blocked). Follow-up Discussion The class observes the group experience wherein they go from a group of individuals to a group who share a common goal or purpose. They determine who exerts influence over whom. They decide what form of leadership has evolved. Has a leader emerged or have the students proceeded to solve this common problem democratically? 4. GroupMe Exercise Goal To introduce students to the idea of virtual collaboration. Time Required Thirty to Forty Minutes Procedure Divide students into groups. Have them create a GroupMe using their phones and begin a new discussion using ONLY GroupMe messaging. Students can remain silently in the classroom or have them spread out in the halls. Give students the task of brainstorming strategies for succeeding in this small group course and determining how they might attain their desired grade. Again, this should be done in silence so as to better simulate social media interaction. In addition, have them discuss some of the issues that may face. What concerns do they have? What challenges may arise? Follow-Up Discussion Together as a class, have each group briefly summarize their strategies and express their concerns so as to allow each group to see both commonalities and differences between small groups. i Developed by Alvin Goldberg, University of Denver. ii D. W. Johnson, Reaching Out: Interpersonal Effectiveness and Self-Actualization (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000).

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    1 Chapter 1: Introducing Group Principles and Practices True or False Questions 1. Communication is usually a linear process. Answer: False Topic: 1.1.1: Communication Learning Objective: 1.1.1: Describe the process of communication Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 2. If a group member sits in stone silence, he/she is exerting no influence on the group’s climate. Answer: False Topic: 1.1.5: Exerting Influence Learning Objective: 1.1.5: Identify the characteristic of exerting influence on others as an essential element of small group communication Skill: Analyze It Difficulty: Moderate 3. A team is a coordinated group of individuals organized to work together to achieve a specific, common goal. Answer: True Topic: 1.2.1: Characteristics of an Effective Team Learning Objective: 1.2.1: Describe an effective team at work Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 4. An effective team member fears conflict and avoids accountability. Answer: False Topic: 1.2.2 Characteristics of Effective Team Members Learning Objective: 1.2.2: Identify effective teammates by their actions Skill: Analyze It Difficulty: Moderate 5. Often, it is better to work in a group than to work alone because we learn more about ourselves from the experience. Answer: True Topic: 1.3.1 Advantages of Working in Groups Learning Objective: 1.3.1: Describe the advantages of group work Skill: Apply What You Know Difficulty: Moderate

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    2 6. When you work in a group, you are more likely to be satisfied with a decision you help to make. Answer: True Topic: 1.3.1 Advantages of Working in Groups Learning Objective: 1.3.1: Describe the advantages of group work Skill: Apply What You Know Difficulty: Moderate 7. Generally, study groups do not accomplish as much toward the learning task as those who study alone. Answer: False Topic: 1.4.2 Secondary Groups Learning Objective: 1.4.2: Characterize secondary groups Skill: Analyze It Difficulty: Moderate 8. A therapy group is a group of five to fifteen employees who meet regularly to examine work processes with the goal of improving productivity. Answer: False Topic: 1.4.2 Secondary Groups Learning Objective: 1.4.2: Characterize secondary groups Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 9. Virtual small group communication is communication among group members who are not together in the same physical location. Answer: True Topic: 1.5 Communicating in Virtual Groups Learning Objective: 1.5: Use methods to make virtual group meetings effective Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 10. To enhance communication competence, one must be motivated, have appropriate knowledge, and have the skill to act appropriately. Answer: True Topic: 1.6.1 Nine Core Competencies of Group Communication Learning Objective: 1.6.1: Describe two problem-oriented, three solution-oriented, two discussion-management, and two relational group problem-solving competencies Skill: Apply What You Know Difficulty: Moderate Multiple-Choice Questions 1. Generally, group work can be more productive than individual efforts because groups A. have less information and knowledge available than an individual. B. stimulate creativity.

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    3 C. have the potential for agreement with an idea just to avoid conflict. D. take more time. Answer: B Topic: 1.3.1: Advantages of Working in Groups Learning Objective: 1.3.1: Describe the advantages of group work Skill: Analyze It Difficulty: Moderate 2. Which of the following best meets the criteria for being labeled a “small group”? A. Four college professors from the Communication Department listening to an address by the college president B. Four people waiting for a bus C. Four persons waiting in a line in a fast-food restaurant D. Four office managers from various branches of a large corporation holding a conference telephone call to decide a question about a company policy Answer: D Topic: 1.1.2: A Small Group of People Learning Objective: 1.1.2: Describe the characteristics of a small group Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 3. A group whose sole purpose is to associate with one another for the joy of fellowship may be described as a A. study group. B. primary group. C. therapy group. D. committee. Answer: B Topic: 1.4.1: Primary Groups Learning Objective: 1.4.1: Explain how primary groups fulfil their purpose Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 4. “I think group work is just terrific,” gushed Lucy after a particularly harmonious and productive group meeting. “Yes,” replied Marla, “but you also have to realize that group work has its disadvantages, including A. less information and knowledge available than an individual would have.” B. less chance of comprehending and remembering information.” C. the potential for agreement with an idea just to avoid conflict.” D. less chance of understanding your interpersonal behavior and communication style.” Answer: C Topic: 1.3.2: Disadvantages of Working in Groups

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    4 Learning Objective: 1.3.2: Explain how to overcome the disadvantages of working in small groups Skill: Apply What You Know Difficulty: Moderate 5. Which of the following is NOT one of the common characteristics of the definition of small group communication? A. Members exert influence upon one another. B. Members feel a sense of control. C. Members meet with a common purpose. D. Members feel a sense of belonging. Answer: B Topic: 1.6.2: Ethically Communicating in Small Groups Learning Objective: 1.6.2: Identify attributes of ethical small group communication Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 6. To be a truly competent communicator, the following element(s) is/are involved A. you must be motivated. B. you must have appropriate knowledge. C. you must have the skill to act appropriately. D. all of the above. Answer: D Topic: 1.6: Communicating Competently in Small Groups Learning Objective: 1.6: Describe competencies of small group communication Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 7. A medium or method of communication is said to be “media rich” if it has all of the following characteristics EXCEPT A. a focus on a mass of people. B. potential for feedback. C. the variety of language that communicators use D. several verbal and nonverbal cues that can be processed by senders and receivers. Answer: A Topic: 1.5.2: Virtual Group Theories Learning Objective: 1.5.2: Apply theories to virtual groups Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 8. Characteristics that enhance team success include all of the following EXCEPT A. experienced team members.

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    5 B. problem-solving abilities. C. supportiveness. D. strategic pondering. Answer: D Topic: 1.6.2: Ethically Communicating in Small Groups Learning Objective: 1.6.2: Identify attributes of ethical small group communication Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 9. Collaboration is not necessary when A. conflict becomes unmanageable. B. information is readily available. C. team has limited time. D. not necessary for all of the above reasons. Answer: D Topic: 1.3.3: When Not to Collaborate Learning Objective: 1.3.3: Determine when group work is unnecessary Skill: Apply What You Know Difficulty: Moderate Essay Questions 1. Discuss the differences between a small group and a team. Topic: 1.2: Communicating in Teams Learning Objective: 1.2: Evaluate teams for effective practices Skill: Evaluate Difficulty: Difficult 2. What are the characteristics of an effective team? Topic: 1.2.1: Characteristics of an Effective Team Learning Objective: 1.2.1: Describe an effective team at work Skill: Understand the Concepts Difficulty: Easy 3. By understanding both the advantages and disadvantages of working in groups, one is more likely to develop realistic expectations of group work. List and provide examples that describe five advantages and four disadvantages of working with groups. Topic: 1.3.1: Advantages of Working in Groups 1.3.2: Disadvantages of Working in Groups Learning Objective: 1.3.1: Describe the advantages of group work Learning Objective: 1.3.2: Explain how to overcome the disadvantages of working in small groups Skill: Apply What You Know Difficulty: Moderate

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