Chapter 9 Foundations of Group Behavior
Chapter 9 Foundations of Group Behavior
1) Which of the following is true with regard to groups?
A) A group is characterized by the independence of its members.
B) A group typically lacks definite roles and structures.
C) A group influences our emotional...
Chapter 9 Foundations of Group Behavior
1) Which of the following is true with regard to groups?
A) A group is characterized by the independence of its members.
B) A group typically lacks definite roles and structures.
C) A group influences our emotional reactions.
D) An informal gathering cannot be considered a group.
E) The membership of a group does not affect how its members treat outsiders.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Our tendency to take personal pride or offense for the accomplishments of a
group is the territory of social identity theory. Social identity theory proposes that people have
emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group because their self-esteem gets tied
into the group's performance.
2) Which of the following is true regarding formal groups?
A) They are natural formations that arise in response to the need for social contact.
B) They lack clearly defined structures and roles for their members.
C) They have negligible impact on employee performance and behavior.
D) A group of people who come together to protest against a new law make up a formal group.
E) They are marked by stipulated behaviors in pursuit of organizational goals.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) A formal group is one that is defined by the organization's structure, with
designated work assignments establishing tasks. In formal groups, the behaviors team members
should engage in are stipulated by and directed toward organizational goals.
3) An informal group is characterized by the ________.
A) stipulation of expected behaviors by the organization
B) predetermined designation of tasks of members.
C) pursuit of particular organizational goals.
D) fulfillment of the need for social contact
E) creation of timelines and rationale
Answer: D
Explanation: D) An informal group is neither formally structured nor organizationally
determined. Informal groups are natural formations in the work environment that appear in
response to the need for social contact.
4) Which of the following differentiates between formal and informal groups?
A) The timeline of reference for formal groups is greater than that for informal groups.
B) The impact of formal groups on organizational performance is lesser than that of informal
groups.
C) Formal groups pursue the goal of social contact, while informal groups have definite
organizational goals to attain.
D) Formal groups are typically smaller in size when compared to informal groups.
E) Formal groups involve clearly defined tasks and roles, while informal groups are neither
formally structured nor organizationally determined.
Answer: E
,Explanation: E) A formal group is one that is defined by the organization's structure, with
designated work assignments establishing tasks. An informal group is neither formally structured
nor organizationally determined.
5) Our tendency to take personal pride or offense for the accomplishments of a group we
are a part of, is the territory of the ________ theory.
A) social exchange
B) expectancy
C) social identity
D) reinforcement
E) equity
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Our tendency to take personal pride or offense for the accomplishments of a
group is the territory of social identity theory.
6) Which of the following is true with regard to the social identity theory?
A) It proposes that members take personal pride in accomplishments but dissociate from the
group in the event of any offenses or failures.
B) It proposes that people have emotional reactions to the failure or success of their group
because their self-esteem is tied into the group's performance.
C) It proposes that people develop only one social identity in childhood that becomes more
defined and concrete in the course of their lives.
D) It proposes that social identities can never be detrimental as they have no effect on how
members of an in-group view members of an out-group.
E) It proposes that members of an in-group are viewed as being homogenous, while members of
an out-group are seen as being heterogeneous.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Social identity theory proposes that people have emotional reactions to the
failure or success of their group because their self-esteem gets tied into the group's performance.
7) ________ is defined as the tendency to see members of the group of which we are a part
of as better than other people.
A) In-group homogeneity
B) Xenocentrism
C) In-group favoritism
D) Black sheep effect
E) Hindsight bias
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In-group favoritism means we see members of our in-group as better than other
people, and people not in our group as all the same.
8) At Milton farms, where a large part of the management comes from the same
sociocultural background, many employees of diverse ethical or cultural origins are hired
only to ensure legal compliance with laws relating to diversity at the workplace. The
company's day-to-day functioning leaves much to be desired in terms of promoting
diversity. Recently, the owner's cousin was promoted to the post of a branch manager while
, three suitable candidates hailing from a different cultures were blatantly overlooked. This
is an example of ________.
A) social loafing
B) in-group favoritism
C) groupthink
D) contrast bias
E) social exchange
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In-group favoritism means we see members of our in-group as better than other
people, and people not in our group as all the same.
9) Aaron Dias was working on the last shift for the day at All Needs, a retail store owned by
an Asian man, when he opened the cash register and stole some money thinking that
nobody would witness him stealing. However, one of the customer attendants watched him
steal the money and reported it to the manager the next day, following which Aaron was
terminated. Subsequently, the manager became extremely strict with all his Caucasian
employees and was often heard abusing them saying "you guys are all the same." This
scenario depicts ________.
A) social loafing
B) in-group favoritism
C) groupthink
D) contrast bias
E) social exchange
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In-group favoritism means we see members of our in-group as better than other
people, and people not in our group as all the same.
10) Similarity is a characteristic under the social identity theory that manifests itself in the
________.
A) tendency of in-group members to notice and emphasize identities that reflect how different
they are from other groups
B) tendency of people who have greater uniformity in values and characteristics to have
greater group identification as well
C) tendency of people to link themselves to high-status groups in an attempt to define themselves
favorably
D) tendency of people to use the group as a means of understanding who they are and how they
fit into the world
E) tendency of in-group members to prefer and endorse the products, ideas, and aspects of
someone else's culture over their own
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Similarity is a characteristic under the social identity theory that manifests itself
in the fact that people who have the same values or characteristics as other members of their
organization have higher levels of group identification.
11) In the context of the social identity theory, distinctiveness refers to the ________.
A) tendency of people who have greater uniformity in values and characteristics to have greater
identification as well
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