Problem Solving & Decision Making Flashcards

Which cognitive bias causes conflict parties to overvalue their own position simply because they proposed it?

Answer: Endowment effect

The endowment effect leads people to overvalue what they already 'own' or have proposed, making compromise harder.

The 'five whys' technique in problem solving involves:

Answer: Repeatedly asking 'why' to drill down to a root cause

Iteratively asking 'why' five times traces a problem back to its fundamental origin rather than stopping at surface explanations.

In conflict resolution, 'criteria-based decision making' means that parties:

Answer: Agree on objective standards before evaluating proposals

Agreeing on objective criteria (fairness, efficiency, market value) before evaluating options reduces subjective bias in decisions.

When a problem-solving session is stalled due to an impasse, a skilled conflict manager should:

Answer: Change the topic, take a break, or introduce a new framing of the issue

Impasse-breaking techniques include changing the conversation topic, taking breaks, or reframing to introduce fresh perspective.

Which of the following BEST describes an 'integrative' (win-win) solution?

Answer: An agreement that expands the resource pie to satisfy both parties' core interests

Integrative solutions create value by addressing each party's interests rather than merely dividing a fixed resource.

In group conflict problem-solving, 'groupthink' is a risk because it:

Answer: Suppresses dissenting views and leads to poor-quality decisions

Groupthink occurs when the desire for harmony overrides critical evaluation, producing flawed decisions.

A decision matrix in conflict problem solving is used to:

Answer: Score and compare multiple options against weighted criteria

A decision matrix allows systematic comparison of options by scoring them against criteria, making the best choice clearer.