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  2. MCAT Psychological Social Foundations
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MCAT Psychological Social Foundations Flashcards: 7b Group Decision Making Dynamics

Study 7b Group Decision Making Dynamics in MCAT Psychological Social Foundations with focused flashcards that help you recognize the idea, recall the key rule, and apply it in practice-style prompts.

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What this deck covers

This deck focuses on 7b Group Decision Making Dynamics, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for MCAT Psychological Social Foundations.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

MCAT Psychological Social Foundations Flashcards: 7b Group Decision Making Dynamics

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QUESTION

What is the definition of a social norm in group dynamics?

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ANSWER

Shared, informal rule that guides behavior in a group. Unwritten expectations that regulate group member behavior.

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Flashcard 1: What is the definition of a social norm in group dynamics?

Answer: Shared, informal rule that guides behavior in a group. Unwritten expectations that regulate group member behavior.

Flashcard 2: What is the superordinate goals strategy for reducing intergroup conflict?

Answer: Shared goals requiring cooperation reduce hostility between groups. Common goals requiring interdependence unite opposing groups.

Flashcard 3: What is group polarization in group decision-making outcomes?

Answer: Shift toward more extreme attitudes after group discussion. Discussion amplifies initial leanings through repeated exposure and arguments.

Flashcard 4: What is social loafing when people work in groups?

Answer: Reduced individual effort when contributions are not identifiable. People exert less effort when their individual output can't be evaluated.

Flashcard 5: What is the contact hypothesis for reducing prejudice between groups?

Answer: Intergroup contact reduces prejudice under appropriate conditions. Equal status contact with common goals reduces bias.

Flashcard 6: What is the social facilitation effect on performance in the presence of others?

Answer: Improves simple tasks and impairs complex or novel tasks. Arousal from others enhances dominant responses.

Flashcard 7: Identify the group process: a team avoids dissent to preserve unanimity despite flaws.

Answer: Groupthink. Consensus pressure suppresses critical thinking.

Flashcard 8: Identify the group process: a person exerts less effort in a tug-of-war than alone.

Answer: Social loafing. Individual effort decreases when pooled with others.

Flashcard 9: What is groupthink in group decision-making?

Answer: Consensus-seeking that suppresses dissent and critical evaluation. Prioritizes harmony over realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Flashcard 10: What is the Ringelmann effect in group tasks?

Answer: Individual productivity decreases as group size increases. Coordination losses and motivation deficits compound with size.

Flashcard 11: What is the common knowledge effect in group discussions?

Answer: Groups over-discuss shared info and under-discuss unique info. Members focus on validating shared knowledge rather than pooling unique info.

Flashcard 12: What is groupthink in the context of group decision-making?

Answer: Consensus-seeking that suppresses dissent and impairs decision quality. Desire for harmony overrides critical thinking and realistic evaluation.

Flashcard 13: What is group polarization in group decision-making?

Answer: Shift toward a more extreme group position after discussion. Discussion amplifies initial tendencies through repeated exposure to similar views.

Flashcard 14: What is evaluation apprehension as it relates to group performance?

Answer: Performance changes due to concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation affects task performance in social settings.

Flashcard 15: What is the primary mechanism behind social facilitation (Zajonc)?

Answer: Increased arousal strengthens dominant responses. Presence of others creates arousal that amplifies habitual responses.

Flashcard 16: What is the social facilitation effect?

Answer: Others’ presence improves easy tasks and impairs difficult tasks. Arousal from others enhances well-learned responses, hinders new ones.

Flashcard 17: What is deindividuation in group behavior?

Answer: Loss of self-awareness and restraint due to anonymity in a group. Group anonymity reduces self-monitoring and increases impulsive behavior.

Flashcard 18: What is diffusion of responsibility in a group setting?

Answer: Reduced sense of personal accountability when others are present. Shared responsibility dilutes individual obligation to act.

Flashcard 19: What is the hidden profile problem in group decision-making?

Answer: Best option is missed because unshared info is not pooled effectively. Critical information remains unshared, leading to suboptimal decisions.

Flashcard 20: What is informational social influence in a group?

Answer: Conforming because others are viewed as a source of correct information. People look to others' behavior to determine reality in ambiguous situations.

Flashcard 21: What is normative social influence in a group?

Answer: Conforming to gain approval or avoid disapproval. Social pressure motivates compliance to maintain group acceptance.

Flashcard 22: What is pluralistic ignorance in group situations?

Answer: Privately rejecting a norm while assuming others accept it. Everyone misperceives group consensus due to public conformity.

Flashcard 23: Identify the group phenomenon: A unanimous committee ignores warning signs to preserve harmony.

Answer: Groupthink. Prioritizing consensus over critical analysis exemplifies this phenomenon.

Flashcard 24: Identify the group phenomenon: People work less hard on a tug-of-war when in a large team.

Answer: Social loafing. Reduced effort when individual contributions can't be identified.

Flashcard 25: Identify the group phenomenon: A crowd watches an emergency and no one calls for help.

Answer: Bystander effect. Diffusion of responsibility prevents individual helping behavior.

Flashcard 26: Identify the group phenomenon: After discussion, a jury becomes more extreme than its initial average.

Answer: Group polarization. Initial positions intensify through discussion and mutual reinforcement.

Flashcard 27: What is social loafing in a group task?

Answer: Reduced individual effort when contributions are pooled in a group. Individual contributions become unidentifiable, reducing motivation.

Flashcard 28: What is the choice shift phenomenon in group decision-making?

Answer: Group decision shifts from the pre-discussion average of members. Group dynamics move decisions away from individual starting positions.

Flashcard 29: What is the risky shift phenomenon in group decisions?

Answer: Groups choose riskier options than the average member would alone. Shared responsibility reduces individual caution in decision-making.

Flashcard 30: What is social facilitation as it relates to performance in the presence of others?

Answer: Presence of others improves dominant responses (easy tasks). Arousal enhances well-learned behaviors but impairs complex tasks.