The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B, False.
The statement that hazing promotes team cohesion is a pervasive and dangerous myth. While the idea of bonding through shared hardship can seem plausible, research and evidence from numerous studies overwhelmingly demonstrate that hazing is fundamentally detrimental to creating a healthy, unified, and effective team. Instead of fostering unity, it cultivates an environment of fear, mistrust, and resentment.
True team cohesion is built on a foundation of mutual respect, trust, and psychological safety. Hazing activities, which often involve humiliation, intimidation, and physical or psychological abuse, directly undermine these essential components. Rather than integrating new members, such practices can isolate them, causing anxiety, depression, and a sense of being devalued. This establishes a harmful power hierarchy based on dominance and submission, not on collaboration and shared purpose. Any perceived “bonding” that occurs through hazing is often superficial, rooted in a shared trauma or a desire to avoid further abuse, which is an unstable and unhealthy basis for a group.
Conversely, effective team building relies on positive, constructive, and inclusive activities. Practices like collaborative problem solving, team workshops, community service projects, and mentorship programs are proven to build genuine cohesion. These activities allow members to connect through shared successes and mutual support. They encourage open communication and help individuals appreciate each other’s strengths and contributions. In essence, while positive team building constructs a strong, supportive group from the ground up, hazing weakens a team’s foundation by introducing destructive elements that erode trust and safety, ultimately preventing the development of authentic cohesion.
