Chapter 11 Study Guide

Harmonizer

Mediates differences among group members.

Assumption of Morality

Members believe their group is moral and, often, that any opposition is immoral.

Self-Censorship

Members censor their own doubts.

Avoidance

Members create rationalizations to avoid dealing with warnings or threats.

Compromiser

Offers compromises as a way to resolve conflicts between his or her ideas and those of others.

Standard Setter

Proposes standards for the functioning of the group or for its solutions.

Social-Emotional negative contributions:

Shows disagreement, shows tension, shows antagonism.

Social-Emotional positive contributions:

Shows solidarity, shows tension release, shows agreement.

Encourager

Supplies members with positive reinforcement in the form of social approval or praise for their ideas.

Intolerance of Differences of Opinion

Those opposed to the group are perceived in simplistic, stereotyped ways, and group pressure is applied to any member who expresses doubts or questions the group's arguments or proposals.

Interaction Process Analysis

A content analysis method that classifies messages into four general categories: social emotional positive, social emotional negative, attempted answers, and questions.

Groupthink

A way of thinking that people use when agreement among members has become excessively important.

Agenda

An itemized listing of what the group should devote its attention to.

Questions:

Asks for suggestions, asks for opinions, asks for information.

Group building and maintenance functions are broken down into seven specific roles:

Encourager, harmonizer, compromiser, gatekeeper-expediter, standard setter, group observer and commentator, and follower.

Center Conflict on Issues

Focus on the content issues and when you disagree, make it clear that your disagreement is with the solution suggested or with the ideas expressed, not with the person who expressed them.

Functional Approach to Leadership

Focuses on what the leader should do in a given situation.

Attempted Answers

Gives suggestions, gives opinions, gives information.

Follower

Goes along with the members of the group, passively accepts the ideas of others, and functions more as an audience than as an active member.

Assumption of Unanimity

Group members believe that all members are in unanimous agreement, whether this is stated or not.

Gatekeeping

Group members emerge whose function it is to guard the information that gets to other members, especially when it may create diversity of opinion.

Illusion of Invulnerability

Group members think the group and its members are invulnerable, that they are virtually beyond being harmed.

Group Building and Maintenance Roles

Group roles that focus not only on the task to be performed but also on interpersonal relationships among members.

Peer Pressure

Groupthinkers pressure others to go along with the group and not to express any disagreement.

Symptoms of groupthink:

Illusion of invulnerability, avoidance, assumption of morality, intolerance of differences of opinion, self-censorship, assumption of unanimity, gatekeeping, and peer pressure.

Group Observer and Commentator

Keeps a record of the proceedings and uses this in the group's evaluation of itself.

Gatekeeper-Expediter

Keeps the channels of communication open by reinforcing the efforts of others.

Transformational Approach to Leadership

Leader elevates the group's members, enabling them not only to accomplish the group task but also to emerge as more empowered individuals.