Interpersonal & group processes
Interpersonal & group processes
This domain tests how people influence one another in groups and teams, including development, conformity, conflict, power, and leadership. Questions reward matching a concept to the situation and the remedy.
Groups and teams
Tuckman's stages are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning; not every group is linear, and punctuated equilibrium describes long inertia with a midpoint burst. Norms, roles, status, and cohesion shape behavior. Asch's conformity studies show people yield to a unanimous wrong majority; Janis's groupthink adds illusion of invulnerability, self-censorship, and pressure toward uniformity. Prevention includes a devil's advocate, outside experts, and leader neutrality. Social loafing is reduced by identifiable contributions, task importance, and small groups.
Conflict, power, and negotiation
Task conflict can improve decisions; relationship conflict usually harms them. Thomas–Kilmann styles are competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating; collaborating fits important issues with trust and time. Integrative negotiation expands the pie; distributive bargaining divides it; BATNA is the best alternative to agreement. French and Raven's bases are legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and referent power.
Leadership
Trait approaches identify traits but weak prediction. Behavioral studies contrast initiating structure and consideration (Ohio State), and task versus employee orientation (Michigan). Contingency models include Fiedler's least-preferred co-worker measure, path–goal theory (directive, supportive, participative, achievement-oriented), and situational leadership. Transformational leaders inspire and develop; transactional leaders exchange rewards for performance; LMX emphasizes dyadic quality.
Worked example
A cross-functional team silently agrees to a flawed launch because the CEO states a preference in the first meeting. This is groupthink, not healthy cohesion. The fix is procedural: the leader withholds an opinion, assigns a devil's advocate, invites outside data, and uses a second-chance round so dissent is safe.
Traps
Conflict is not always bad; task conflict can be functional. Cohesion can worsen performance if paired with conformity. A team is not merely a group with a label; it needs interdependence and shared goals. Leadership traits alone rarely predict effectiveness across situations.