SCOM123H Final Exam excessive

Why is it important to have group roles?

In order for the group to be successful and achieve their goal.

What is a Task Leader?

They are the leaders of the group; they do most of the work and talk more.

Task Leader Behaviors?

Substantive ( "The Thinker") and Procedural ( "The Doer")

Expediter

Manages the agenda and groups progress

Information Provider

Contributes ideas to the group

Information Seeker

Asks for information or clarification

Gatekeeper

Manages the flow of the discussion and makes sure that everyone contributes

Recorder

keeps written record; serves as group's "memory"

Is there positive and negative behaviors in a group?

YES

Social-Emotional Leader

Concerned with the building and maintenance of group member relationships and is there for the Task Leader

Supporter

Encourages members to contribute and is more intimate

Tension Releaser

Helps members feel comfortable with each other often with the use of humor

Harmonizers

Helps maintain a positive climate by managing group conflicts

Interpreter

Manages the culture differences in a group

Why are negative behaviors bad?

They impact the group's performance by taking away their attention from the goal

Self-Centered Role

A negative role in which individual needs are put ahead of the group's goal and other members' needs

Monopolizers

An individual in a group setting who tends to dominate verbally and draw undue attention to himself or herself

What are the 2 Different type of Monopolizers?

Stage Hogs & Egg Heads (know-it-all)

What are the 3 components of a problem?

Undesirable situation, desirable situation, and obstacles between the undesirable and desirable situation

Task difficulty

Degree of problem complexity and effort required to solve a problem

Number of possible solutions

Figuring out which solutions to prioritize in a complex problem

Group Member Interest in Problem

If there is a problem of high interest in a group, members might want independence to garner solutions, while a low interest problem requires a leader that provides structure/direction.

Group Familiarity With Problem

The more often you face an issue, the more apt you are to handle it. Someone with less experience with an issue needs to put in more effort to familiarize itself with it or bring in an outside expert.

Need for Solution Acceptance

Groups need to know if their solution requires stakeholders or if they should answer only to themselves. No matter how good the solution is, lack of stakeholders can still mean failure.

What are the 5 steps of group problem solving?

1. Define the problem

2. Analyze the problem

3. Generate problem solutions

4. Evaluate Solutions

5. Implement and Assess the Solution

Why is decision making in groups important?

Group decisions can be more battle-tested than singular decisions through debate/discussion, and members can broaden their perspective after hearing someone else pose an idea.

What are the 4 rules of brainstorming?

1) Do a warm up brainstorming session, 2) Do the actual brainstorming session, 3) Eliminate duplicate/similar ideas, 4) Clarify, organize and evaluate ideas

What are the 4 method to ensure everyone equally contributes to discussion?

1. Silently and individually list ideas

2. Create a master list of ideas

3. Clarify ideas as needed

4. Take secret vote to rank group members' acceptance of ideas

Majority rule

Associated with democratic decision making. One vote, all count equal, majority wins (over 50%)

Minority rule

Associated with dictatorship/monarchy decision making. Needs of the majority might not be met if ruling party's final say contradicts the populous

Consensus rule

A decision-making technique in which all members of the group must agree on the same decision.

Pros and Cons of Majority Rule

pros (quick, fair, efficient) cons (Minority feels left out, does not create group synergy)

Pros and Cons of Minority Rule by expert

pros (quick, decision maker is more knowledgeable, objective viewpoint) cons (have to find verified expert, members may feel useless)

Pros and Cons of Minority rule by authority

pros (easy to "buy-in" if authority is respected) cons (authority can abuse power, group members try to manipulate authority)

Pros and Cons of Consensus

pros (quality decisions, group synergy created) cons (compromise, takes much longer)

Situational influences on decision making

The amount of knowledge the group has on the topic
The amount of freedom the group has to make the decision
The amount of uncertainty in the present situation
Things going wrong can change decision making
Change of expectations
The need to reevaluate the problem
Urgency

Cultural context and decision making?

Groups that are more diverse or heterogeneous are better at decision making than groups that are more similar or homogenous. The advantage comes from different perspectives and viewpoints. A disadvantage of heterogeneous groups is that conflict may arise from differences leading to a stall in the decision-making process.

International diversity in group interactions?

Members from individualistic cultures are more likely to focus on efficiency, direct communication and priority based tasks and groups from collectivist cultures are more likely to value the health of the group over other things

Domestic diversity and group communication?

The idea that not the gender, but the gendered behaviors have more of an influence of the perception of group communication.

Primary groups

long-lasting groups that are formed based on relationships (provide safety and psychological needs)

Secondary groups

more task-oriented groups (less face-to-face interactions, emotional and relational support/communication than primary groups)

Teams

task-oriented groups in which members are particularly dedicated to a certain task and loyal to other team members

Virtual groups

groups that take advantage of new technologies, and meet exclusively or primarily online to achieve their purpose or goal

Advantages of Small Groups (5)

Shared decision making
Shared resources
Synergy
Exposure to Diversity
Allow us to expand social networks

Synergy

refers to the potential for gains in performance or heightened quality of interactions when complementary members or member characteristics are added to existing ones

Disadvantages of small groups

Decreased efficiency (one person could be just as productive or more than a group of people)

Slows down decision making process

Conflicting schedules (diff to coordinate)

social loafing

a group member contributes less to the group than other group members do (anonymity and group pooled work make it easy to slack off and not get in trouble)

Forming stage

group members reduce uncertainty about working with new people on new tasks (lay foundation for later group dynamics)
Goals and rules are established

Group cohesion

commitment of members to the purpose of the group and the degree of attraction among individuals in the group (make friends)

Storming stage

stage in which conflict emerges as team members carry out tasks, have their ideas heard and discover their place within the group

Norming stage

the practices and expectations of the group are solidified, leading to more stability, productivity and cohesion in the group

Group norms

ordinary group behaviors that become routine but that aren't taught or stated (politeness, lateness, communication)

Rules

explicitly stated guidelines that govern group behaviors (dress code, quotas, etc.)

Performance stage:

group members work smoothly toward the completion of the task or purpose

Adjourning stage

group dissolves because it has accomplished its goal/purpose

Group Climate

relatively enduring tone and quality of group interactions experienced by group members

Types of Cohesion

task and social

Task cohesion

commitment of group members to a specific task or goal

social cohesion

attraction and liking between group members

Benefits of Cohesion (7)

Sets goals easily
High commitment to getting job done
Increased productivity
Loyalty to group
Satisfied group members
Members willing to listen and collaborate
Less anger and tension

Group socialization

process of teaching and learning group norms, rules and expectations; shared identity develops (conveys social and technical knowledge)

dyadic communication

an exchange of information between two people

small group communication

communication occurring within small groups of three or more people

Internal factors affecting group structure

Member characteristics

External factors affecting group structure

Group size
Task
Resources

formal networks

task-related communications that follow the authority chain

informal networks

communications that flow along social and relational lines

How does size affect group communication?

the more people in a group, the more issues with scheduling and coordination with communication

What is the purpose of networks?

they help facilitate information exchange and extend a group's reach to access other resources

Reachability

how easy it is to reach any one person in the network

Circle group structure

Shows that each member is connected to two other members (decentralized structure)

Wheel group structure

One person is very reachable by all members of the group (centralized structure)

Interdependence

sharing a common purpose or fate

Centralized groups are better at..

efficiency and speed

Decentralized groups are better at..

complex problem solving

Shared Identity

the establishment of an in-group and an out-group, can be shown in many different ways, emerges when groups become cohesive

Groups meets instrumental needs

practical, everyday needs

Groups meets Interpersonal Needs

Give us access to inclusion, control, and support

Groups meet identity needs

Group membership allows us to use reference groups for social comparison and helps us separate ourselves from others

Some people join groups to be affiliated with people who share similar belief, attitudes, values, etc.

Types of Small Groups

task oriented and relation oriented

Task oriented group

formed to solve a problem, promote a cause, or generate ideas

Relational Oriented group

formed to promote interpersonal connections and quality interactions that promote the well being of group members, decision making is centered around strengthening relationships,

Small Group Dynamics

The impressions we form about other people's likeability and the way we think about a group's purpose are affected by the climate within a group that is created by all members.

As the number of people in a group increase,

The potential for productive and destructive conflict increases

Cohesion is important within a group because

it helps establish an overall group climate

Group climate

the relatively enduring tone and quality of group interaction that is experienced similarly by group members

Task cohesion

the commitment of group members to the purpose and activities of the group

Social cohesion

the attraction and liking among group members

What qualities make a healthy group? (6)

Participation, Messages, Feedback, Equity, Clear and accepted roles, motivation

Group socialization

the process of teaching and learning the norms, rules, and expectations associated with group interaction and group member behaviors

two categories of information exchanged during socialization

technical knowledge and social knowledge

Why are group norms and rules good to have in a group?

they provide members with a sense of predictability that helps reduce uncertainty and increase a sense of security for one's place within the group

3 types of conflict within groups

procedural, substantive, and interpersonal

Conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Groupthink

a negative group phenomenon characterized by a lack of critical evaluation of proposed ideas or courses of action that results from high levels of cohesion

How does groupthink occur?

when people rush to agreement or fear arguments

Two primary causes of groupthink are high levels of cohesion and excessive conformity pressures.

Procedural Conflict

conflict that arises over how work should be completed

substantive conflict

involves fundamental disagreement over ends or goals to be pursued and the means for their accomplishment focuses on group members' differing beliefs, attitudes, values, or unrelated to the purpose or task of the group.

Interpersonal Conflict

emerges from conflict between individual members of the group