Page 401 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

384 Glossary

False dilemma: Either- or thinking that assumes, incor- Gender: Learned and culturally transmitted sex- role behav-
rectly, that only two choices or courses of action are ior of an individual.
possible. Group: Three or more people with an interdependent goal
Fantasy: A statement not pertaining to the here and now who interact and influence each other.
of the group that offers a creative and meaningful Group charter: A written document that describes the
interpretation of events meeting a group’s psychologi- purpose of the group, its specific charge, area of free-
cal or rhetorical need. dom, membership, deadlines, and required output.
Fantasy chain: A series of statements by several or all Group climate: A group’s emotional and relational
group members in which a story is dramatized to help atmosphere.
create a group’s view of reality. Defensive climate: An atmosphere characterized by
Fantasy theme: What the content of the dramatization of mistrust, in which members tear each other down.
a fantasy or fantasy chain is about; the manifest theme Supportive climate: An atmosphere of respect, in
is the overt, surface content, and the latent theme is which members feel valued and appreciated.
the hidden, underlying meaning. Group culture: The pattern of values, beliefs, and norms
Faulty analogy: An incomplete comparison that stretches shared by group members, developed through inter-
a similarity too far; assuming that because two things action and incorporating members’ shared experi-
are similar in some respects, they are alike in others. ences in the group, patterns of interaction, and status
Feedback: A response to a system’s output; it may come relationships.
in the form of information or tangible resources and Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) or group support
helps the system determine whether it needs to make systems (GSS): Computer- based software and hard-
adjustments in moving toward its goal. ware systems designed to help groups improve a variety
Femininity (as applied to culture): The quality of cultures of group outcomes, such as creativity, problem solving,
that value nurturing and caring for others. and decision making.
Focus group: A special group procedure that encourages Grouphate: The feeling of antipathy and hostility that
freewheeling discussion focusing on a specific topic or many people have against working in a group, fostered
issue, often used to analyze people’s interests and val- by the many ineffective, time- wasting groups that exist.
ues for market research. Group polarization: The tendency for group members to
Formal role: Refers to a specific position within the group make decisions that are more extreme (more risky or
that carries a set of expectations for fulfilling that posi- cautious) than they would make individually.
tion, such as a group’s chair or secretary. Group socialization: The process of learning to become
Forum discussion: A large audience interacting orally, usu- part of a group, which involves reciprocal influence
ally following some public presentation. among members and between members and the
Functional Perspective: The approach to group problem group.
solving that focuses on the necessary communicative Antecedent phase: The preliminary phase in group
functions group members must perform for the group socialization in which individual member charac-
to do an effective job of problem solving and decision teristics influence member readiness and ability to
making. engage in effective group socialization.
Functions approach: The study of functions performed by Anticipatory phase: The phase in group socialization
leaders; the theory that leadership is defined by the func- in which members form initial expectations about
tions a group needs and can be supplied by any member. each other and the socialization process.
Assimilation phase: The phase in group socialization
G in which the member and the group have worked

Gatekeeper: Any member of a small group controlling out a comfortable fit.
who speaks during a discussion; any controller of the Encounter phase: The phase in group socialization in
flow of messages among members. which members’ expectations meet with the actual

gal37018_gloss_381_390.indd 384 3/28/18 12:39 PM