Course(s) Used:

• Team and Small Group Communication

Goals and Objectives:

• Students understand the common constraints on group decision making.
• Students are able to articulate how these satisficing and groupthink are influenced by these constraints.

Rationale:

Students need to be able to articulate when and why groups choose sub-optimal decision-making strategies.

Materials Needed

Materials:

• None

Technology:

• Classroom computer and projector

Outline of the Lesson

1. Review of previous session's content
2. How often do we decide on "good enough" decisions? Why?
3. There are two important kinds of trust in group interactions:¹
   1. Task trust is the belief that each group member will do their fair share.
   2. Interpersonal trust is the belief that members will act in the best interests of the group.
4. Common constraints on group decision making
   1. Temporal constraints include availability and how quickly decisions must be made.
   2. Cognitive constraints include competing tasks and things to focus on.
   3. Situational constraints include limits imposed by the environment or decision task.
   4. Relational constraints include maintaining relationships and overcoming difficult ones.
5. Potentially problematic approaches
   1. Groupthink is prioritizing relationships and face over decision quality.²³
   2. Satisficing is accepting the first good-enough option rather than optimizing.⁴
6. Hands on group work: "Survival under time pressure"
7. Lesson closing

Limitations

This class requires 75 minutes when paired with the activity.

Variations and Accommodations

Follow guidance from local accommodation authorities.