Group Dynamics Flashcards

A trainer notices subgroups forming along departmental lines, reducing cross-team learning. The BEST intervention is to:

Answer: Restructure small groups to mix departments deliberately

Deliberately mixed groupings break down silos and promote diverse perspectives essential for transfer of learning.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a cohesive training group?

Answer: Shared commitment to goals and mutual support among members

Cohesive groups are marked by trust, shared purpose, and members actively supporting one another's learning.

When a group member takes on the 'devil's advocate' role, the trainer should TYPICALLY:

Answer: Recognize the value in challenging assumptions and channel it constructively

Devil's advocates prevent groupthink and, when channeled well, deepen critical analysis of training content.

In Belbin's team roles framework, which role focuses on ensuring the group completes tasks on time and to standard?

Answer: Completer Finisher

The Completer Finisher ensures quality and timeliness by attending to detail and following tasks through to completion.

A trainer observes that after a break, the group's energy and engagement have dropped significantly. The BEST immediate strategy is to:

Answer: Use a brief energizer or change the activity format to re-engage learners

Energizers and activity format changes quickly restore attention and re-establish group momentum.

The 'risky shift' phenomenon in groups describes the tendency for groups to:

Answer: Make riskier decisions collectively than members would individually

Diffused responsibility and social influence in groups often lead to riskier collective decisions than individuals make alone.

Which factor MOST directly influences the transition from the 'storming' stage to the 'norming' stage?

Answer: The group developing agreed-upon norms and resolving initial conflicts

Movement to norming occurs when the group negotiates expectations and achieves initial resolution of interpersonal conflicts.