5 Teams and Group Dynamics Free Online FlashCards

What defines a group?

A group is two or more people who interact and influence one another.

What characterizes Tuckman’s forming stage?

Members learn the team’s purpose, clarify expectations, and seek guidance; goals, roles, and working arrangements may remain unclear.

How can roles affect team dynamics?

Roles describe the contributions and responsibilities members take on. Unclear or overlapping roles can cause missed tasks or friction.

What does effective collaboration require beyond goodwill?

Collaboration combines members’ efforts and knowledge toward shared work. It requires a shared goal, understood responsibilities, and coordination of interdependent tasks.

What does psychological safety enable, and what does it not mean?

Psychological safety lets members ask questions, admit mistakes, and raise concerns without expecting humiliation or punishment; it does not remove accountability or disagreement.

What distinguishes a team from a group?

A team coordinates members’ efforts toward a shared goal, with mutual accountability for results.

What happens during Tuckman’s storming stage?

Differences emerge over priorities, approaches, responsibilities, or influence. Constructive disagreement can expose assumptions and improve decisions.

What marks Tuckman’s norming stage?

Members build trust, establish shared expectations and working methods, and clarify roles and coordination.

What enables a team to perform in Tuckman’s model?

Members can devote more effort to the work because they have workable relationships, roles, and routines.

Are Tuckman’s stages a fixed sequence for every team?

The stages are a framework for possible patterns, not a fixed sequence; teams may revisit earlier challenges when membership, goals, or circumstances change.

What are group norms, and why do they matter?

Norms are shared expectations about acceptable behavior. They can support high performance or make unhelpful behavior seem acceptable.

What is cohesion, and what can it not guarantee?

Cohesion is members’ sense of connection and commitment. It can support cooperation, but does not ensure good results without supportive goals and norms.