Chapter 9

Question 1

Assembly Effect

Answer 1

Decision of the group members collectively is better. The group becomes greater than the sum of its parts when members interact and work interdependently on the task.

Question 2

Conjunctive Task

Answer 2

A task where each member has relevant information, but no one has all the information necessary to complete the task alone

Question 3

Disjunctive Task

Answer 3

A task where members can work on parts of the problem independently

Question 4

Question of Fact

Answer 4

A question that asks whether something is true or actually happened

Question 5

Question of Conjecture

Answer 5

A question that asks a group to speculate or make an educated guess about something

Question 6

Question of Value

Answer 6

A question that asks whether something is right, good, preferable, or acceptable

Question 7

Question of Policy

Answer 7

A question that asks what course of action a group will take

Question 8

Majority Decision (decision making tactic)

Answer 8

Decision made by vote. The winning alternative receives more than half the members’ votes

Question 9

By the Leader (decision making tactic)

Answer 9

Leader thinks through the problem alone and announces a decision

Question 10

By the Leader, with consultation (decision making tactic)

Answer 10

Group leader reserves right to make a decision, but wants input from the group.

Question 11

Consensus Decision (decision making tactic)

Answer 11

A choice that all group members agree is the best one that they can all accept

Question 12

How gropthink affects decision making

Answer 12

• Group’s decisions are not carefully thought through because they want to maintain consensus
• Decision will be faulty because groupthink doesn’t consider all available information

Question 13

Functional Perspective on making decisions

Answer 13

Focuses on the necessary communicative functions group members must perform for group to be effective problem solvers & decision makers

• must understand the issue to be resolved
• must determinee what minimal characteristics any alternatives must have
• what those relevant/realistic alternatives are
• carefully examine alternatives against previously determined
• Select the alternative that seems most likely to have the characteristics needed

Question 14

Area of Freedom

Answer 14

Amount of authority and limitations a group has (i.e. budget restrictions)