Which statement about group problem solving is true?

• A. When involvement of a group is appropriate, the synergistic effect of group problem solving often leads to better results than does problem solving by an individual.
• B. Any decision associated with an ethical dilemma results in negative consequences.
• C. Community problem solving is consistent with traditional incident-driven policing.
• D. To be effective, responses to a problem must impact all three sides of the problem analysis triangle.

Answer: (A)

Group problem solving leverages the combined knowledge and skills of multiple people, and when well managed it often produces outcomes that exceed what individuals can achieve alone. The synergistic effect comes from having more ideas, diverse perspectives, built-in checks on bias, and greater ownership of the solution, all of which help generate a stronger plan and easier implementation. That’s why this statement is the best fit.

The other ideas don’t hold as general truths. Not every ethical dilemma ends in negative results—group discussion can lead to decisions that minimize harm and improve legitimacy. Community problem solving emphasizes engaging with the community and addressing underlying issues, which differs from traditional incident-driven policing that focuses on responding to events after they occur. Finally, effective responses don’t necessarily have to impact all three sides of the problem analysis triangle; addressing the most relevant elements of a problem, sometimes with partial changes, can still be enough to reduce or resolve it.