Which scenario best exemplifies small group communication?

Which scenario best exemplifies small group communication?

• A. A lecture to a large audience
• B. A team working together to solve a problem
• C. A one-on-one counseling session
• D. A public announcement at a ceremony

Answer: (B)

Small group communication centers on a small number of people who work together toward a shared goal, with interdependence, turn-taking, feedback, and a sense of group identity. When a team works on solving a problem, members brainstorm, build on each other’s ideas, negotiate roles, and coordinate steps because the outcome depends on joint effort. This live, interactive exchange is what defines small group communication. A lecture to a large audience is mass or public communication, where information is delivered to many listeners with limited back-and-forth. A one-on-one counseling session is interpersonal communication, a dyadic exchange between two people. A public announcement at a ceremony is also public/mass communication. None of these involve the same level of collaborative, interactive problem-solving that a small group exemplifies. So the team working together to solve a problem best fits small group communication.

Small group communication centers on a small number of people who work together toward a shared goal, with interdependence, turn-taking, feedback, and a sense of group identity. When a team works on solving a problem, members brainstorm, build on each other’s ideas, negotiate roles, and coordinate steps because the outcome depends on joint effort. This live, interactive exchange is what defines small group communication.

A lecture to a large audience is mass or public communication, where information is delivered to many listeners with limited back-and-forth. A one-on-one counseling session is interpersonal communication, a dyadic exchange between two people. A public announcement at a ceremony is also public/mass communication. None of these involve the same level of collaborative, interactive problem-solving that a small group exemplifies.

So the team working together to solve a problem best fits small group communication.