CMST 2064 Midterm - Fannin Questions With Correct Solutions, Already Passed!!

Explain the 6 characteristics of small groups. - 1) small number of people (12-15) 2) shared purpose/common goal 3) Interaction 4) common experience/sense of belonging 5)Interdependence 6)Psychological Bond Primary vs. secondary groups with examples - Primary - fullfill the basic social needs (love, affection, support, belonging) Ex: Family and best friends Secondary - task groups (accomplish goal, limited life-span) Ex: problem solving groups, decision-making groups, study groups, therapy groups, committees 6 characteristics of an effective group. - 1) clear, elevating goal 2) competent members - know what they're doing 3) unified commitment 4) collaborative group climate 5) standards of excellence (clear expectations) 6) principled leaders: share leadership positions/responsibilities 5 tips to avoid in an effective group - 1) distrust of other team members 2) fear conflict 3) lack of commitment to the team 4) avoid accountability 5) lack of focus in achieving results 5 Characteristics of an effective group member - 1) experience (managing problems and decisions)2) problem solving ability 3) openness and supportiveness 4) action oriented 5) positive personal style (easy to work with) explain the rational dialectics theory and types of group dialectics - Ration Dialectics(interpersonal relationship) - tension/pull btwn 2 contradicting needs in a relationship - need balance for the two items (freedom vs. being close to someone) Group dialectics - 1)Conflict and cohesion - too much conflict, group falls but too much cohesion, then bad decisions made 2) Conforming and nonconforming - task dimensions are anything that helps group accomplish a goal, social dimensions are anything that the group does to form better relations What is a system? - a set of interconnected parts working together to form a whole in the context of a changing environment - members interrelate with each other as a whole identity 4 characteristics of a system - 1) any part of a system can only be understood with in the context of an entire system 2) more than the sum of its parts - groups respond to each other 3) all parts interact dynamically and constantly -domino effect 4) interacts with its environment Difference btwn input, entropy, throughput, and output. - input - resources that come from the outside of a system - input stops system dies Entropy - lack of input, wearing down process of a system - leads to termination throughput - turning all input into output - Transforming resources into final product Output - the final product(all group members affect eachother - interconnectedness)Difference btwn synergy and negative synergy - Synergy - group genius, groups have superior results to individuals negative synergy - when the group together produces more negative results - shared ignorance 4 reasons a system might not work - -lack of efficiency -inhospitable climate -inappropriate focus on personal feelings -sacrificing personal integrity how do theories help us? - they explain, predict, and accomplish what are the 4 qualities associated with interpersonal attraction? - -similarity - more attracted to people we have stuff in common with; validation, similarity theory -complementarity - has something you admire, something you need - balance one another -proximity, contact, interaction - people who we see often, close to eachother, easiest to build relationships with Attractiveness - most attractive people get the most attention(initial attraction) - surface level similarity thesis - we like people who are like us because we believe they will like us 3 qualities of groups that attract individuals to groups - group activities: like to do the same things group goals: group goals match your goals group membership: status/reputation -subgroups within a group to gain status with the groupList, in order, and explain the characteristics of each of the 5 stages of group formation. - forming > storming > norming > performing > terminating Forming stage - groups are focused on getting to know each other, not the task -awkward, overly polite Primary tension - basic awkwardness of getting to know each other > small talk Hidden agendas - his/her basic needs ahead of the group, joined group for impure reasons ; confront them if it doesn't resolve itself Orientation - working through the awkwardness storming stage - group members are beginning to feel more comfortable with each other -more honest, less polite -secondary tensions: conflicts with group commitment, schedules, roles, etc. -conflict Norming stage - through conflict, focusing on task, trust, committed to each other and goals -norms: expectations for behavior explicit norms - clearly stated/rules implicit norms - develop over time, unnoticed until broken norms developed because of accepted behavior -if you try something and the group doesn't say something about it, a norm develops 3 General types of norms - societal, setting, group4 types of group norms - interaction, procedural, status, achievement performing stage - working together as a well oiled machine, good balance between the task and social dimension, fun is introduced at this point, feels unified in achieving the goal positivity at peak - close to goal cohesion - working with each other