TB 08

Fundamentals of Management, 7e (Robbins/DeCenzo/Coulter)
Chapter 8 Foundations of Individual Behavior
1) One of the challenges in understanding organizational behavior is that it addresses issues that
aren't obvious.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Behavior within an organization has been compared to an iceberg. Many aspects of
the organization are visible, but just as many aspects are hidden from view but nevertheless have
profound effect on the organization itself.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 214
Objective: 8.1
2) Organizational behavior is primarily concerned with group interactions.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Organizational behavior is concerned with both group and individual behavior, as
well as various organizational aspects that include the structure, culture and human resource
policies of organizations.
Objective: 8.1
3) The goals of OB are to explain, predict, and understand behavior.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The goals of OB are to explain, predict, and influence, rather than understand
behavior.
Objective: 8.1
4) Attitudes are evaluative statements concerning objects, people, or events.

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Attitudes are statements that reveal an assessment of something that can be
favorable or unfavorable.
Objective: 8.1
5) Individuals try to reconcile attitudes and behavior so they are both rational and consistent.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Research and common experience both indicate that individuals like to be
consistent with respect to attitudes and behavior. Another way of seeing this issue is that people
do not like to be seen as hypocrites—they try to do what they say they believe in.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Objective: 8.2
6) Cognitive dissonance arises when people feel that their behavior and attitudes are consistent.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Dissonance occurs when individuals feel that they are being inconsistent, not
consistent.
Objective: 8.2
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7) The discomfort that results from high dissonance can be reduced when an individual feels that
she has a choice in the matter.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: In fact, not having a choice usually makes a person feel better about dissonance
than having a choice. Not having a choice takes the responsibility off of the individual, and so
relieves the discomfort of dissonance.
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Objective: 8.2
8) Research shows that high job satisfaction correlates with high productivity.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: In general, the more satisfied a person is with his or her job, the more productive
he or she is likely to be.
Objective: 8.2
9) Personality is defined as a unique combination of behavioral, emotional, and thinking patterns

that each person has.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: These patterns can be identified by personality tests such as the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator® and the Big Five model.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 220-221
Objective: 8.3
10) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® test can identify thousands of different basic personality
types.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® recognizes sixteen different basic personality
types, based on four personality dichotomies.
Objective: 8.3
11) In the Big Five model, emotional security was positively related to job performance.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Surprisingly, Big Five model research showed that individuals who were
emotionally secure tended to have low job performance.
Objective: 8.3
12) The ability to control one's own emotions is an important component in emotional
intelligence.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Controlling one's emotions and impulses is termed self-management.
Objective: 8.3
2
13) Emotional intelligence and academic intelligence are virtually identical.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Though the same individual can exhibit both emotional and academic intelligence,
the two metrics are very different. For example, a person with high EI can have low academic
intelligence, and vice versa.
Objective: 8.3
14) A worker with an external locus of control would tend to blame failure on himself.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Rather than himself, a worker with an external locus of control would tend to
blame failure on external sources, such as outside conditions or unfair treatment.
Objective: 8.3
15) A high Mach person tends to think that ends justify means.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: A key to the high Mach personality is that it focuses on results and not the path—
ethical or unethical—that a person takes to reach a goal.
Objective: 8.3
16) Employees with high self-esteem tend to be more satisfied with their jobs than low SEs.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: High SE individuals tend to correlate with high job satisfaction, perhaps because
they are able to derive more fulfillment out of the work itself rather than the praise they get from
doing the work.
Objective: 8.3
17) A low self-monitoring employee would be likely to be a good poker player.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Low self-monitoring individuals would not have the ability to conceal their
feelings, and would therefore tend to "give away" their hand in a poker game.
Objective: 8.3
18) A person who is risk-averse might do well as a stock trader.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Stock trading is a high pressure, high risk enterprise in which decisions need to be
made quickly on little information. People who are risk-takers tend to do well in this kind of job.
Objective: 8.3
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19) According to John Holland, the key to job success is how well an individual's personality
matches his or her job.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Holland thinks that people do have clear intrinsic personality types. A better fit
between personality type and job type results in higher job satisfaction.
Objective: 8.3
20) According to John Holland's theory, a realistic personality type might be well-suited to be an
economist.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: A realistic personality type would tend to prefer physical activities, something that
an economist would typically not do. Therefore, the statement is false.
Objective: 8.3
21) People from the Middle East tend to believe that life is not predetermined and they can
control their own destiny.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: To the contrary, people from Middle Eastern countries tend to be fatalistic and
think that life is predetermined.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.3
22) U.S. workers, more than Iranian workers, would likely have an external locus of control.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: U.S. workers, who come from a more individualistic culture in which people
depend on their own talents and resources, tend to have a more internal, not external, locus of
control.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.3
23) A fundamental idea of perception is that all people interpret and distort reality in some way.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Perception is subjective. No one sees fully objective reality. Everyone interprets
what he or she sees and distorts to a certain degree.
Objective: 8.4
24) Distortion of perception can only come from the person who is perceiving.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The target can also distort perception. For example, a loud person is more likely to
be noticed than a quiet person.
Objective: 8.4
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25) Attribution theory is primarily concerned with identifying one's own behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Attribution theory is concerned with determining whether the cause of others'
behavior is external or internal.
Objective: 8.4
26) Distinctiveness refers to whether an individual displays a behavior in many situations or

whether it's particular to one situation.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: High distinctiveness means you see this behavior only for this particular task and
not for related tasks. Low distinctiveness means the behavior is general for any related task.
Objective: 8.4
27) The fundamental attribution error states that individuals tend to overestimate the influence of
external factors in others.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: To the contrary, the fundamental attribution error assumes too much internal
influence in the behavior of others.
Objective: 8.4
28) Individuals tend to attribute their own successes to external factors.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Individuals tend to attribute success to inner qualities such as effort and talent,
rather than external qualities such as good fortune.
Objective: 8.4
29) In stereotyping, observers use group characteristics to judge individuals.

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: For example, an observer resorts to stereotyping when he assumes that a person of
a particular ethnic group will be a "hard worker."
Objective: 8.4
30) Perceptual shortcuts are not necessarily distorted.

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Perceptual shortcuts can be valuable for making quick assessments of people and
situations. The danger of perceptual shortcuts is to rely on them too much or fail to go beyond an
initial impression.
Objective: 8.4
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31) Operant behavior deals only with learned behavior.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Operant behavior does not deal with innate or reflexive behavior.
Objective: 8.5
32) In operant conditioning, if behavior is positively reinforced it is less likely to repeat.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The opposite is true—positively reinforced behavior is more, not less likely to
repeat.
Objective: 8.5
33) Skinner would argue that a dog responding to a whistle is an innate or unlearned behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Skinner would argue that the behavior was learned—the dog must have been
rewarded for the behavior in some way.
Objective: 8.5
34) Classical conditioning predicts that hearing music from a familiar horror movie might cause
a person to feel anxious.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Classical conditioning predicts that the association between the music and the
sense of fright causes the person to feel anxious.
Objective: 8.5
35) Social learning theory maintains that models who are different from ourselves have the
greatest influence on our behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Social learning theory states that people pay most attention to models who are
similar, not different from themselves.
Objective: 8.5
36) When a manager praises an employee for a job well done, she is providing positive
reinforcement.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Positive reinforcement supplies a reward for a desired behavior. Praise is a form of
reward.
Objective: 8.5
6
37) Negative reinforcement penalizes an individual for an undesired behavior.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Penalizing an individual for undesired behavior is called punishment, not negative
reinforcement. Negative reinforcement is the withdrawal of an unpleasant stimulus.
Objective: 8.5
38) Negative reinforcement is the withdrawal of something unpleasant.

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Withdrawing some kind of unpleasant stimulus is negative reinforcement.
Objective: 8.5
39) Gen Y individuals are those people who were born after 1997.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Gen Y people are defined as individuals who were born from 1982 to 1997.
Objective: 8.6
40) Gen Y individuals tend to be comfortable with new types of electronic technology.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Most Gen Y individuals grew up with many kinds of electronic devices so they are
comfortable with new devices.
Objective: 8.6
41) Which of the following best defines organizational behavior?

A) the actions of organizations in the workplace
B) the study of the workplace
C) the study of organizations
D) the study of the actions of people at work
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Organizational behavior, OB, is not merely a study of the workplace, of
organizations in isolation, or of the actions of organizations in the workplace. Instead, OB
focuses on people and their actions within the workplace while they are at work. This makes the
study of the actions of people at work the best definition of OB and the correct response.
Objective: 8.1
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42) Hidden aspects of an organization that OB provides insight into include ________.
A) strategies
B) attitudes
C) structure
D) objectives
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Strategies, structure, and objectives are visible, not hidden, aspects of
organizations so they are incorrect responses. Hidden responses include the attitudes that
employees carry with them on the job, making attitudes the correct response.
Objective: 8.1
43) Which of the following is a visible aspect of an organization?

A) attitudes
B) interpersonal conflicts
C) intergroup conflicts
D) objectives
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The attitudes, and both interpersonal and intergroup conflicts that arise within
organizations are all hidden aspects of organizations. Objectives, on the other hand, are explicit,
non-hidden, visible aspects of an organization, making that the correct response for this question.
Objective: 8.1
44) Organizational behavior focuses on ________.

A) individual behavior and group behavior
B) group behavior only
C) individual behavior only
D) neither group behavior nor individual behavior
Answer: A
Explanation: A) OB focuses on both individual and group behavior, making that the correct
response and eliminating the other responses. A third major area that OB is concerned with are
organizational aspects that include the structure, culture, and human resource policies and
practices of organizations.
Objective: 8.1
45) Which of the following are the goals of organizational behavior?

A) to explain, understand, and control behavior
B) to control and influence behavior
C) to explain, predict, and influence behavior
D) to predict, understand, and change behavior
Answer: C
Explanation: C) OB's official goals are to explain, predict, and influence behavior, making that
the correct response. All other choices can be ruled out because they include at least one
incorrect goal.
Objective: 8.1
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46) When managers influence employee behavior they ________.
A) predict what employees will do
B) steer it in a particular direction
C) understand why a behavior occurs
D) try not to change a behavior
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Influencing behavior means that managers change the behavior in some way.
Predicting or understanding behavior does not change any aspect of behavior itself, so those two
choices can be ruled out as correct responses, as well as trying not to change behavior. This
leaves "steering it in a particular direction" as the correct response—when they influence
behavior managers try to steer the behavior into one particular direction that is beneficial to the
organization.
Objective: 8.1
47) All of the following are included in the six behaviors that managers try to explain, predict,
and influence EXCEPT ________.
A) productivity and absenteeism
B) workplace attitudes and perceptions
C) workplace misbehavior and turnover
D) organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Managers try to explain, predict, and influence the following six behaviors:
productivity, absenteeism, workplace misbehavior, turnover, organizational citizenship behavior,
and job satisfaction. This rules out the three incorrect responses as correct answers since they
include the identified behaviors above. Attitudes and perceptions are not among the behaviors
that managers focus on, so workplace attitudes and perceptions is the correct response.
Objective: 8.1
48) This "behavior" is really an attitude.

A) job satisfaction
B) turnover
C) workplace misbehavior
D) employee productivity
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Behaviors are defined as actions that individuals take. Productivity is a behavior
because it involves working, an action, in an efficient way. Turnover, or quitting a job, is
definitely an action, so it too is a behavior. Workplace misbehavior involves troubling actions
that employees take, so it also qualifies as a behavior. Job satisfaction is actually a feeling that
employees have about their jobs, not an action that they take, so it is not really a behavior,
making job satisfaction the correct response.
Objective: 8.1
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49) Of the six behaviors that managers focus on, which behavior is typically the most troubling
to an organization?
A) absenteeism
B) workplace misbehavior
C) organizational citizenship behavior
D) employee productivity
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Employee productivity and organizational citizenship behavior are both positive
behaviors, so they are not troubling at all to managers. Absenteeism is troubling, but it is not as
severe a problem as workplace misbehavior, which can include violence and abuse, making
workplace misbehavior the correct response for this question.
AACSB: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities
Objective: 8.1
50) ________ is a performance measure of both efficiency and effectiveness of employees.

A) Employee productivity
B) Organizational citizenship behavior
C) Job satisfaction
D) Turnover
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior, and turnover are not in any
direct way related to efficiency or effectiveness, so they are incorrect responses. Productivity, on
the other hand, is a way to measure how much an employee gets done on the job, so it is a
measure of efficiency and effectiveness, making employee productivity the correct response.
Objective: 8.1
51) The three elements that make up an attitude are its ________ components.
A) cognitive, affective, and behavioral
B) affective, effective, and defective
C) cognitive, component, and affective
D) behavioral, cognitive, and misbehavioral
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The three components are cognitive (beliefs, knowledge), affective (emotional),
and behavioral (actions), making cognitive, affective, and behavioral the correct response. All
other responses contain at least one erroneous component.
Objective: 8.2
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52) The component of attitude that is made up of knowledge and information is ________.
A) cognitive
B) behavioral
C) affective
D) practices
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The three components of an attitude have to do with what you think and know
(cognitive), how you feel (affective), and how you act on what you think and feel (behavioral).
As the component that is involved with thoughts and information, cognitive is the correct
response for this question. Practices can be ruled out because practices are not thought to be a
component of an attitude.
Objective: 8.2
53) When you stand at attention during the playing of the national anthem you are revealing
which component of your attitude toward your country?
A) cognitive
B) affective
C) metacognitive
D) behavioral
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Standing at attention is more than knowledge, a belief (cognition), or a feeling
(affect) about your country, it is an action or a behavior, making behavioral the correct response.
Note that metacognitive is not a component of an attitude, so that is an incorrect response.
Objective: 8.2
54) The ________ component of attitude is based on emotions.

A) cognitive
B) behavioral
C) affective
D) action
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Attitudes are thought to have three main components: cognition, affect, and
behavior. An attitude starts with the knowledge, thoughts, and beliefs that a person has on a
subject, the cognitive part of attitude. The emotional feeling that results from this knowledge,
thoughts, and beliefs is termed the affect, making affective the correct response. Both behavioral
and action can be ruled out because they refer to actions, not emotions or feelings.
Objective: 8.2
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55) Wendy spent several hours looking over an architect's plans and forming an impression for a
new building design. Which component of attitude did she carry out?
A) affective
B) behavioral
C) emotive
D) cognitive
Answer: D
Explanation: D) In gathering information, Wendy is clearly carrying out the cognitive
component of attitude, making cognitive the correct response. She has not formed any feelings
about the building, which rules out affective and emotive as correct responses. Wendy has also
not acted on her impressions or feelings, eliminating behavioral as a correct response.
Objective: 8.2
56) After carefully examining the architect's plans yesterday, today Wendy has decided that she
loves the new design. Which component of forming an attitude did she carry out today?
A) cognitive
B) affective
C) behavioral
D) informational
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Wendy's love of the new design is an emotional feeling or affect, making
affective the correct response. She carried out the cognitive component of attitude (gathering
information) yesterday rather than today—causing cognitive and informational to be eliminated
as a correct answer. Wendy has also not yet acted on her impressions or feelings, eliminating
behavioral as a correct response.
Objective: 8.2
57) After deciding that she likes the architect's new building design this morning, this afternoon
Wendy has decided to go ahead with the project. Which component of attitude did she use this
afternoon?
A) cognitive
B) behavioral
C) emotive
D) affective
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Wendy's decision to "green light" the project is an intention to carry out an
action or behavior, making behavioral the correct response. The behavioral component is the
final part of attitude formation, making the cognitive and affective (emotive, affective)
components of attitude incorrect responses for this question because those components had
already been completed prior to this afternoon's action.
Objective: 8.2
12
58) In everyday parlance, the term attitude refers only to the ________ component of attitude.
A) cognitive
B) informational
C) behavioral
D) affective
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The term attitude commonly refers to only the affective, or emotional
component of an attitude, making affective the correct response. The cognitive and behavioral
components of attitude are part of every attitude, but they are often not explicitly referred to.
Objective: 8.2
59) A manager would most likely be interested in employees' attitudes about which of the
following?
A) family responsibility
B) personal responsibility
C) job satisfaction
D) past jobs
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Managers are most interested in attitudes that affect the performance of
employees on the job. Family or personal responsibility may be important to a person, but they
are unlikely to affect job performance as much as job satisfaction. Similarly, attitudes toward
past jobs may affect employee performance to a small degree, but not nearly to the degree that
job satisfaction affects the employee in his or her current position, making job satisfaction the
correct response.
Objective: 8.2
60) The degree to which an employee identifies with his or her job or actively participates in it
refers to the employee's ________.
A) job involvement
B) organizational commitment
C) global commitment
D) job satisfaction
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Job involvement doesn't measure an employee's commitment to a corporation or
an organization, but rather, it reflects the employee's identification and "ownership" of a
particular job, making job involvement the correct response. Job satisfaction measures how
happy or unhappy an employee is with a job, not how much the person identifies with the job,
making job satisfaction an incorrect response.
Objective: 8.2
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61) An employee who brags about her company to friends and recommends all company
products as gifts is likely to have high ________.
A) job involvement
B) organizational commitment
C) personal commitment
D) organizational citizenship
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This employee's actions show pride in, and identification with the organization
itself, not the job that she has. Organizational citizenship and job involvement would both be
oriented more toward the job itself than the organization, so the correct answer here is
organizational commitment. Personal commitment is not correct because it refers to a personal,
not an organizational commitment.
Objective: 8.2
62) With respect to employee engagement in a job, this seems to be the most important factor to
employees around the world.
A) base pay
B) respect
C) benefits
D) type of work
Answer: B
Explanation: B) While base pay, benefits, and type of work are all important to varying degrees
to workers, studies show respect is the number one factor in determining employee engagement
in a job. Workers who are shown respect show the most engagement in their jobs.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.2
63) The country that seems to value respect more than any other country is ________.
A) the United States
B) the United Kingdom
C) China
D) France
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Though workers in the United States, China, and France all think respect is
important, the country that gives respect its highest value in employee engagement studies is the
United Kingdom.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.2
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64) In this country, the type of work one does is valued above all other factors with respect to
employee engagement.
A) China
B) India
C) Japan
D) France
Answer: D
Explanation: D) India, Japan, and especially China all gave "type of work" relatively low scores
when compared to other factors such as "respect" in studies that measured factors that were
important for employee engagement. In France, however, the type of work one does ranks
number one in importance with respect to employee engagement.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.2
65) Cognitive dissonance theory states that a person feels ________ when his attitudes and
actions don't match.
A) comfortable
B) uncomfortable
C) confused
D) confident
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A clash between attitudes and actions is likely to make a person feel like a
hypocrite—that is, he is not living up to who he says he is. Seeing oneself as hypocritical would
tend to make a person feel uncomfortable rather than confused. Feeling comfortable or confident
would probably be somewhat the opposite of the way the person who was feeling dissonance
would actually feel, which rules out those two choices as correct responses.
Objective: 8.2
66) The cognitive dissonance theory proposes that the factors that can mitigate the discomfort
caused by dissonance are ________.
A) importance, influence, and rewards
B) influence, rewards, and goals
C) importance, goals, and status
D) influence, reinforcement, and rewards
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The three determining factors for controlling discomfort from cognitive
dissonance are importance, influence, and rewards. The other three choices can all be eliminated
because they all include at least one incorrect determining factor.
Objective: 8.2
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67) A person who is being hypocritical about something that has high importance in her life
would be likely to experience ________ discomfort from cognitive dissonance.
A) low
B) no
C) high
D) minimal
Answer: C
Explanation: C) All other things being equal, if a person is being hypocritical about something
that is very meaningful to her, she will experience high discomfort from cognitive dissonance,
making that the correct response. This discomfort can be tempered if the dissonance is shown to
be caused by something that she cannot control (low influence) or she receives some kind of
large compensation for her effort (high reward).
Objective: 8.2
68) A person who is experiencing cognitive dissonance might have his discomfort from the
dissonance reduced if he has ________ control over his actions.
A) some
B) total
C) almost total
D) little or no
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Having some, total, or almost total control over one's actions increases, rather
than decreases, discomfort from dissonance. The more you feel that you are responsible for your
actions (the more control you have), the more discomfort you are likely to experience. This
eliminates "some," "total," and "almost total" as correct responses and makes "little or no" the
right answer. Having little or no control over your actions makes you feel less uncomfortable
about the actions themselves.
Objective: 8.2
69) Taking a job in a repressive country that you disapprove of politically might cause
discomfort from dissonance unless ________.
A) the job suits you well
B) the job offers enormous pay
C) the job offers little pay
D) the job does not suit you well
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Discomfort from dissonance can be mitigated by a high reward. This makes the
job offering enormous pay the correct response since it offers high pay and eliminates the choice
regarding little pay because it's a low reward. How well the job suits you would not be likely to
be a strong enough reward to mitigate any discomfort you might feel from taking the job, so "the
job suiting you well" or "the job not suiting you well" are incorrect.
Objective: 8.2
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70) After the disappointment of not getting a new position, an employee states, "That job looks
like a real headache, anyway." This is an example of ________ to reduce discomfort from
dissonance.
A) reducing importance
B) increasing importance
C) reducing influence
D) increasing influence
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The statement is a rationalization that attempts to minimize the importance of
the new position, making reducing importance the correct response and ruling out increasing
importance. The statement has no connection to reducing or increasing influence, since influence
involves control over the decision and the employee's statement did not reduce or increase his
control over the decision.
Objective: 8.2
71) Which of the following are typically the most important reasons for why managers want to
increase positive job attitudes?
A) lower rates of turnover and absenteeism
B) higher rates of turnover and absenteeism
C) to decrease worker unhappiness
D) to increase worker happiness
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Ultimately, productivity is the manager's goal and can typically be achieved
only with less turnover and absenteeism, making lower rates of turnover and absenteeism the
correct response and eliminating higher rates. Whether or not workers are happy might be
important to a manager, but not nearly as important as productivity, so decreasing or increasing
worker happiness are ruled out as possible correct answers.
Objective: 8.2
72) Studies show that the statement, "Happy workers are productive workers" is ________
A) completely false
B) completely true
C) fairly true
D) largely false
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The evidence shows a fairly strong correlation between job satisfaction and
productivity, indicating that "fairly true" is the correct response here and eliminating the other
choices. The correct answer is only "fairly true" rather than "completely true" because the
correlational evidence, though strong, still cannot completely distinguish whether job satisfaction
creates high productivity or vice versa—that the sense of accomplishment that people get from
high productivity creates job satisfaction.
Objective: 8.2
73) To reduce dissonance in the workplace, managers are advised to hold ________ responsible
for the causes of the dissonance.
A) employees
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B) both employees and management
C) fellow workers
D) external forces
Answer: D
Explanation: D) To reduce dissonance, managers are advised to shift responsibility for the
dissonance-producing actions of employees from themselves to outside sources. These sources
might include management, competitors, customers, or some other external force. These facts
make external forces the correct response and eliminate the other three choices as possible
correct responses.
Objective: 8.2
74) Rather than try to make employees happy, managers might do well to focus on making work
________.
A) easy to accomplish
B) challenging and interesting
C) challenging and difficult
D) simple rather than complex
Answer: B
Explanation: B) One of the keys to high productivity is that employees find their work
interesting and challenging, making that the correct response. Work that is too easy, too hard, or
overly simple has not been shown to be conducive to high worker productivity so these choices
can be ruled out.
Objective: 8.2
75) ________ is the unique combination of psychological traits that describe a person.
A) Character
B) Intelligence
C) Behavior
D) Personality
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Personality is defined as the combination of emotional patterns, thought
patterns, and behavioral patterns that make a person unique and special. None of the other
choices fits this definition, so character, intelligence, and behavior are all incorrect responses.
Objective: 8.3
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76) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) is based on ________ that are revealed in a
100-item questionnaire.
A) two dichotomies
B) four dichotomies
C) four personality types
D) eight personality types
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® is based on four separate dichotomies that
determine whether a person is: extroverted or introverted, sensing or intuitive, thinking or
feeling, or judging or perceiving. This makes four dichotomies the correct response and
eliminates two dichotomies. Four and eight personality types are incorrect because the Myers-
Briggs Type Indicator® reveals sixteen personality types, not four or eight.
Objective: 8.3
77) The extroversion versus introversion scale on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® determines
whether a person is oriented ________.
A) outwardly or inwardly
B) toward gathering data or the big picture
C) logically or emotionally
D) toward planning or flexibility
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The extroversion-introversion scale of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®
focuses primarily on whether a person is oriented in an outward or inward direction, making that
the correct response. Gathering data describes the sensing-intuition scale, so it is an incorrect
response. Logically or emotionally describes the thinking-feeling scale, so it is an incorrect
response. Planning or flexibility describes the judging-perceiving scale, so it is an incorrect
response.
Objective: 8.3
78) The judging versus perceiving scale on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® determines
whether a person is oriented ________.
C) toward planning or flexibility
D) logically or emotionally
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The judging-perceiving scale of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® focuses
primarily on whether a person is oriented toward planning or flexibility in dealing with important
issues, making that the correct response. Gathering data describes the sensing-intuition scale, so
it is an incorrect response. Logically or emotionally describes the thinking-feeling scale, so it is
an incorrect response. Outwardly or inwardly describes the introversion-extroversion scale, so it
is an incorrect response.
Objective: 8.3
19
79) The thinking versus feeling scale on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® determines whether a
person is oriented ________.
A) logically or emotionally
C) outwardly or inwardly
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The thinking-feeling scale of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® focuses
primarily on whether a person is oriented in a logical or an emotional way, making that the
correct response. Gathering data describes the sensing-intuition scale, so it is an incorrect
response. Outwardly or inwardly describes the extroversion-introversion scale, so it is an
incorrect response. Planning or flexibility describes the judging-perceiving scale, so it is an
incorrect response.
Objective: 8.3
80) The sensing versus intuition scale on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® determines whether
a person is oriented ________.
C) logically or emotionally
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The sensing-intuition scale of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® focuses
primarily on whether a person is oriented toward gathering data to form an impression, or
looking at a wider, more big-picture view, making gathering data the correct response. Outwardly
or inwardly describes the extroversion-introversion scale, so it is an incorrect response. Logically
or emotionally describes the thinking-feeling scale, so it is an incorrect response. Planning or
flexibility describes the judging-perceiving scale, so it is an incorrect response.
Objective: 8.3
81) If you are a person who dislikes making plans, you would probably score high on which
aspect of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®?
A) more extrovert than introvert
B) more introvert than extrovert
C) more judging than perceiving
D) more perceiving than judging
Answer: D
Explanation: D) More extrovert or more introvert can be ruled out because the EI scale measures
whether you are outwardly or inwardly oriented, neither of which deals with making plans. A
judging person tends to be a plan-maker, while a perceiving person tends to be spontaneous and
flexible and might dislike the sense of confinement that plans engender. This makes more
perceiving than judging the correct response and rules out more judging than perceiving as a
correct answer.
Objective: 8.3
20
82) If you are a person who prefers to focus on the big picture when you make a decision, you
would probably score high on which aspect of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®?
A) sensing more than intuition
B) intuition more than sensing
C) thinking more than feeling
D) feeling more than thinking
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Thinking more than feeling and feeling more than thinking can be ruled out
because the TF scale measures whether you are logical or emotional, both of which could include
a "big picture" orientation. An intuitive person tends to want to look at the big picture as opposed
to gathering facts and details, making intuition more than sensing the correct response and ruling
out sensing more than intuition as a correct answer.
Objective: 8.3
83) The Big Five model of personality includes all of the following exceot ________.
A) extroversion
B) agreeableness
C) conscientiousness
D) intuitiveness
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The Big Five model of personality includes extroversion, agreeableness,
conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience. This makes intuitiveness the
correct response, because intuitiveness is the only personality dimension that is not part of the
Big Five.
Objective: 8.3
84) Job studies show that this Big Five personality dimension was consistently important for
success no matter what the job type.
A) extraversion
B) conscientiousness
C) openness to experience
D) emotional stability
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Though extraversion was shown to correlate to success in sales positions, and
openness to experience successfully predicted training success, the only dimension that seemed
to predict success for all job types was conscientiousness, making conscientiousness the correct
response. Note that emotional stability actually predicted lack of success in job performance, so
it cannot be the correct response for this question.
Objective: 8.3
21
85) Surprisingly, studies show that emotional security is ________.
A) positively related to job performance
B) not positively related to happiness
C) positively related to job type
D) not positively related to job performance
Answer: D
Explanation: D) One might think that the more emotionally secure a person is, the more she
would feel confident and comfortable in her job, the better she would perform in her job. In fact,
this is not the case—emotional security does not correlate positively with job performance,
making "not positively related to job performance" the correct response and eliminating
"positively related to job performance" as the correct response. Emotional security is likely to
relate positively to happiness, ruling out "not positively related to happiness" as a correct
response. "Positively related to job type" is incorrect because there is no evidence that supports a
correlation between emotional security and job type.
Objective: 8.3
86) Emotional intelligence includes all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) cognitive skills
B) self-awareness
C) self-management
D) social skills
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The five dimensions of emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-
management, social skills, self-motivation, and empathy. That makes cognitive skills the only
item not identified as an emotional intelligence dimension, so it is the correct response.
Objective: 8.3
87) This dimension of emotional intelligence allows people to sense and understand how others
are feeling.
A) self-awareness
B) self-management
C) empathy
D) social skills
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The ability to sense how others are feeling is called empathy, making that the
correct response. Understanding one's own feelings is termed self-awareness. Controlling one's
own feelings is called self-management. Social skills are the tools that are necessary to deal with
the emotions of others.
Objective: 8.3
22
88) A person who takes full responsibility in both his successes and failures is likely to be high in
this emotional intelligence dimension.
A) self-awareness
B) self-management
C) empathy
D) self-motivation
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A person who can take responsibility for his own actions, whether they are
successful or not, is high in self-motivation, making self-motivation the correct response for this
question. Incorrect answers include empathy (the ability to sense how others are feeling), self-
awareness (understanding one's own feelings), and self-management (controlling one's own
feelings).
Objective: 8.3
89) The Bell Labs and Air Force studies have shown that emotional intelligence is ________ job
performance.
A) not important to
B) almost as important as as academic intellect in
C) equally important as academic intellect in
D) more important than academic intellect in
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The surprising results from the two studies showed that EI was more important
to job success than academic ability, making that the correct response and ruling out other
responses. Note that in the Bell Labs study the people being compared all had very high
academic abilities to begin with, so the results do not seem to advocate looking exclusively at EI
scores for success.
Objective: 8.3
90) If you believe that you control your own destiny, then your personality would be described as
having a(n) ________.
A) external locus of control
B) high Mach score
C) low Mach score
D) internal locus of control
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Locus of control reflects how much responsibility a person takes for his or her
own actions. People with an external locus of control tend to attribute outside forces for their
failures and successes, while those with an internal locus of control tend to take the responsibility
themselves. This makes internal locus of control the correct response and rules out external locus
of control. Mach scores have more to do with how people deal with power than taking
responsibility for their own actions, so both of those choices are incorrect responses.
Objective: 8.3
23
91) A tennis player who blames a loss on windy conditions would be likely to have ________.
A) an external locus of control
B) an internal locus of control
C) no locus of control
D) high self-esteem
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Locus of control reflects how much responsibility a person takes for his or her
own actions. People with an external locus of control tend to attribute outside forces for their
failures and successes, while those with an internal locus of control tend to take the responsibility
themselves. Since the tennis player is blaming the wind, an outside force, for his failure, it makes
him likely to have an external locus of control, making that the correct response and ruling out
internal and no locus of control. Self-esteem would have little to do with taking responsibility for
one's actions, so that choice is incorrect here.
Objective: 8.3
92) A person who believes that "the ends justify the means" would be likely to have a high level
of which personality trait?
A) empathy
B) Machiavellianism
C) self-awareness
D) social skills
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Self-awareness and social skills bear little relevance to ends justifying means,
so those choices can be ruled out. Empathy, or sensing the feelings of others might prevent a
person from fully taking advantage of an "ends justify means" point of view, so that choice can
be ruled out. The person that does live by the "ends justify means" credo is the high Mach
individual who tends to think only of goals and not the methods he uses to achieve those goals.
This makes Machiavellianism the correct response.
Objective: 8.3
93) This kind of individual might be most likely to have legal problems.
A) low Mach
B) high Mach
C) low self-esteem
D) risk-averse
Answer: B
Explanation: B) High Mach individuals tend to subscribe to an "ends justify means" philosophy,
often causing them to justify cutting ethical and legal corners when pursuing their goals. Such
ethical lapses could result in a high Mach person having legal difficulties, making that the correct
response and ruling out low Mach. Risk-averse individuals would be least likely to commit
actions that might result in legal problems, ruling out that choice as a correct answer. Low self-
esteem individuals would have no more likelihood of getting in legal trouble than any other
category or group, so low self-esteem can be ruled out.
Objective: 8.3
24
94) High self-esteem individuals tend to ________.
A) make excuses for themselves
B) avoid making excuses for themselves
C) take risks
D) avoid risks
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Making excuses has little connection to whether or not a person has high self-
esteem, so both choices regarding excuses can be ruled out as correct responses for this question.
High self-esteem individuals often think that they can do anything, so they tend to be risk-takers,
making taking risks the correct response and eliminating avoiding risks as a correct response.
Objective: 8.3
95) ________ individuals tend to be dependent on positive evaluation from others.

A) High self-esteem
B) High Mach
C) Low self-esteem
D) Internal locus of control
Answer: C
Explanation: C) High self-esteem, internal locus of control, and high Mach individuals would
tend to be immune or indifferent to external praise, making all of these choices incorrect answers
for this question. Low self-esteem individuals, on the other hand, would look for praise from
others and tend to be dependent on it, making low self-esteem the correct response.
Objective: 8.3
96) A high self-monitoring individual would tend to ________.

A) have no skill in playing different roles
B) have no skill in hiding her feelings
C) be good at playing different roles
D) have no experience in hiding her feelings
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A person who is high in self-monitoring would be good at assuming different
roles and postures in different situations, making being good at playing different roles the correct
response and eliminating having no skill in playing different roles. A high self-monitoring person
would be practiced and skilled in hiding feelings, which would eliminate having no skill or
experience in hiding her feelings as correct responses for this question.
Objective: 8.3
25
97) A low self-monitoring individual would tend NOT to pursue a career as ________.
A) an actor
B) a scientist
C) an accountant
D) an engineer
Answer: A
Explanation: A) A person who is low in self-monitoring would not be good at assuming different
roles in different situations, making acting a very poor career choice, and therefore the correct
answer for this question. Scientists, accountants, and engineers do not need to have the same
degree of role-playing skills as an actor, so those choices can be eliminated as correct responses
for this question.
Objective: 8.3
98) A manager who takes very little time to make a decision probably has the trait of ________.
A) high self-esteem
B) external locus of control
C) low self-monitoring
D) high risk-taking
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Risk takers are individuals who trust their intuition about a situation and tend to
make quick decisions, making high risk-taking the correct response and eliminating the other
choices. Locus of control, self-esteem, and self-monitoring have little relationship to speed in
decision making, so those choices can be ruled out.
Objective: 8.3
99) A NASCAR race car driver would be a good occupational match for which personality type?
A) risk averse
B) risk taker
C) low Mach
D) low self-esteem
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Driving requires quick decisions and the ability to deal with risk, so a risk taker
is the best match for a race car driver; it would also eliminate risk averse as a correct response.
Low Mach and low self-esteem individuals would tend to lack the self-confidence to be high-risk
traders, so those choices can be ruled out as correct responses for this question.
Objective: 8.3
26
100) John Holland's theory assumes all of the following EXCEPT ________.
A) different types of jobs are suited to different personalities
B) people in jobs that suit their personality are likely to be more satisfied
C) there are intrinsic personality differences in people
D) people in jobs that suit their personality make more money
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Holland's assumptions in order are: People have intrinsic personality
differences. Different jobs are suited to different personalities. People in jobs that suit their
personality will be more satisfied. Only the choice regarding people making more money is not
one of these assumptions, so it is the correct response. It is doubtful that this statement is even
true, as there is no credible evidence that having a job that suits your personality is likely to pay
more money.
Objective: 8.3
101) A person who rates high on Holland's social scale would probably find a good match with
which of the following jobs?
A) farmer
B) painter
C) teacher
D) mathematician
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The occupations of farmer, painter, and mathematician are all fairly isolated
trades that would have little or no propensity to help others or deal with large groups of people,
so those three choices can be ruled out as correct responses for this question. A teacher, on the
other hand, is a highly social position that also involves helping others, so it is a good match for
a person who rates highly on Holland's social scale. This makes "teacher" the correct response.
Objective: 8.3
102) A person rating high on the investigative personality type would have the best job match for
which job?
A) nurse
B) mechanic
C) reporter
D) counselor
Answer: C
Explanation: C) An investigative personality type would want to have the chance to dig into
situations to uncover truth and understanding. The best fit for this personality type would be a
reporter who could use her investigative skills to carry out research and uncover the truth about a
situation. A nurse, mechanic, or counselor does not typically conduct research so a reporter
would be a better job match for this person than any of these jobs.
Objective: 8.3
27
103) According to Holland's social scale, becoming a lawyer would be a good job match for
someone with this personality type.
A) realistic
B) investigative
C) conventional
D) enterprising
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The enterprising personality type includes three characteristics that seem to
match that of a lawyer: lawyers are verbal; lawyers influence others; lawyers attain power.
Therefore enterprising seems to be a good match for a lawyer. Realistic, investigative, and
conventional personality types do not share any one of the three characteristics listed above, so
none of these choices is a good match for a lawyer.
Objective: 8.3
104) Which of the following pairs would be a good match in Holland's scheme?
A) realistic: psychologist
B) investigative: golf pro
C) social: coach
D) artistic: chemist
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A realistic person who prefers physical activities would not be well-suited as a
psychologist who works with words, so that choice is not a good match. An investigative person
who prefers thinking chores would not be well-suited as a golfer who works with her physical
skills, so that choice is not a good match. An artistic person who prefers creative activities would
not be well-suited as a chemist who works with great discipline and control, so that choice is not
a good match. What does make a good match is a coach, who needs to work with people to get
them to do their best, making "social: coach" the correct response here.
Objective: 8.3
105) Chinese workers tend to value ________ than Americans.

A) hard work more
B) conscientiousness less
C) agreeableness less
D) agreeableness more
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Both Chinese and American cultures value hard work, so that statement is not
true. Studies show that Chinese value conscientiousness more than Americans and agreeableness
less. This eliminates those choices as correct responses. The only valid response listed is that
Chinese tend to value agreeableness less than Americans.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 217, 225
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.3
28
106) North Americans seem to be much more likely to have ________ than people from Middle
Eastern countries.
A) an internal locus of control
B) an external locus of control
C) no locus of control
D) a variable locus of control
Answer: A
Explanation: A) North Americans seem much more likely to have the belief that they can control
their own lives, giving them an internal locus of control. An external locus of control is common
in Middle Eastern countries, giving people the impression that they have little control over their
lives. The remaining two choices can be ruled out because all people are assumed to have some
kind of stable locus of control and it makes little sense for locus of control to be variable.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.3
107) Managers in Germany and the United States would probably agree that the most important
factor for job performance is ________.
A) agreeableness
B) conscientiousness
C) social skills
D) emotional stability
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Though agreeableness, emotional stability, and social skills may contribute to
job performance, by far the most common characteristic for success on the job according to both
European and American managers is conscientiousness, making that the correct response.
AACSB: Diversity
Objective: 8.3
108) ________ is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory impressions to give meaning
to the environment.
A) Attribution
B) Selection
C) Learning
D) Perception
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Perception is a process of observing, integrating, and interpreting, making that
the correct response and eliminating the other responses. Perceptions are usually associated with
visual items, but people can perceive using their sense of hearing, for example, when they listen
to music. Perception is the process of using sensory information to form an impression about the
world around you.
Objective: 8.4
29
109) Different people typically have ________.
A) the same perception of a single situation
B) the same perception of different situations
C) different perceptions of the same situation
D) an undistorted perception of a situation
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Everyone's perception is distorted to a degree, so an undistorted perception is
not a correct answer. In most cases, different people get different perceptions of the same
situation, making that the correct response and ruling out "the same perception of a single
situation" as a correct response. Since it is common for different people to get different
perceptions of a single situation, it stands to reason that people almost always get a unique
perception of different situations, so "the same perception of different situations" is not true.
Objective: 8.4
110) Which three factors act to shape and sometimes distort perception?
A) the perceiver, target, context
B) attitudes, past experiences, expectations
C) temperature, time, location
D) past experiences, context, location
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The factors that shape perception are who the perceiver is, what is being
perceived (the target), and the situation in which the target is being perceived (the context)
making that the correct response. "Temperature, time, location" is incorrect because it includes
context factors only, not target or perceiver factors. Similarly, "attitudes, past experiences,
expectations" is incorrect because it includes factors that involve the perceiver only, not the
target or the context. "Past experiences, context, location" is incorrect for similar reasons,
because it does not include all three types of factors—perceiver, target, and context.
Objective: 8.4
111) Factors that can influence the perceiver of a situation include ________.
A) temperature, time, location
B) attitudes, past experiences, expectations
C) size, shape, color
D) lighting, place, date
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The choices indicating temperature and lighting both identify factors that
influence the context of an event or object that is observed, not the perceiver of the event.
Factors such as lighting influence the situation that surrounds what is being observed. Similarly,
size, shape, and color identify factors that influence the target, not the perceiver of the situation,
so that choice is incorrect. Factors that can and do affect the perceiver of a situation are such
things as attitudes, past experiences, and the expectations of the person who is observing, making
that choice the correct response for this question.
Objective: 8.4
30
112) Which situation would be an example of the target influencing a perception?
A) viewing a dog through binoculars
B) viewing a dog when you are exhausted
C) a dog barking
D) near dark conditions
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Viewing through binoculars or when the viewer is tired are both examples of
the perceiver, not the target, influencing perception. Viewing in near dark conditions is an
example of context influencing perception. The only choice in which the target itself influences
perception is a dog barking in which the dog calls attention to itself by barking.
Objective: 8.4
113) Attribution theory is primarily concerned with explaining ________.

A) the behavior of groups
B) one's own perceptions
C) the behavior of others
D) the perceptions of others
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Attribution theory is useful primarily for explaining the behavior of other
individuals, making the behavior of others the correct response and eliminating the behavior of
groups as the correct response. In attribution theory, observers try to characterize the behavior of
others as predominantly caused by internal or external factors. Attribution theory uses
perceptions, but it is not involved in explaining perceptions, making both one's own perceptions
and the perceptions of others incorrect responses.
Objective: 8.4
114) In attribution theory, ________ behavior is largely beyond an individual's control.

A) externally caused
B) internally caused
C) consistent
D) inconsistent
Answer: A
Explanation: A) In attribution theory, internally caused behavior can be attributed to a person's
own character traits, while externally caused behavior is caused by outside forces that the
individual has no control over. This makes "externally caused" the correct response and
eliminates "internally caused" since internally caused behavior can be controlled by the
individual. Whether or not behavior is consistent or inconsistent does not affect how it is
controlled, so both of these choices are incorrect responses.
Objective: 8.4
31
115) In attribution theory, if everyone who is faced with a similar situation responds in the same
way, we can say the behavior shows ________.
A) consensus
B) high distinctiveness
C) low distinctiveness
D) medium distinctiveness
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Consensus in attribution theory compares a single person's behavior to others. If
others faced with a similar situation respond to the situation in a way that is similar to the
particular person being evaluated, then the behavior exhibited is said to show consensus. This is
clearly the case for this question, making consensus the correct response. Distinctiveness
assesses behavior for a particular person in different situations, rather than different people in
similar situations, making the three choices regarding distinctiveness all incorrect.
Objective: 8.4
116) In attribution theory, if a person is conscientious in five separate tasks, but in the sixth task
fails to be conscientious, this task is said to have ________.
A) low distinctiveness
B) high distinctiveness
C) high consensus
D) low consensus
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The person was generally conscientious, so the fact that she failed to be
conscientious in one instance suggests that the incident was highly unusual for this person, or
had high distinctiveness. This makes high distinctiveness the correct response and eliminates low
distinctiveness as the correct response. Consensus is a measure of how similar the person's
behavior is to the behavior of others—something that is not being measured here—so high and
low consensus are both incorrect.
Objective: 8.4
117) In attribution theory, the behavior of an individual who shows low distinctiveness and low
consensus is likely to be attributed as ________.
A) internally caused
B) externally caused
C) beyond his control
D) not his fault
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Low distinctiveness and low consensus are both signs that this is a pattern of
behavior that is particular to this person, so it is internally, not externally caused, making
internally caused the correct response. The other three choices can all be ruled out because all
three choices identify external causes of behavior.
Objective: 8.4
32
118) In attribution theory, the behavior of an individual who shows high distinctiveness and low
consistency is likely to be attributed as ________.
A) under her control
B) her responsibility
C) internally caused
D) externally caused
Answer: D
Explanation: D) High distinctiveness and low consistency are indications that this behavior is
particular to this person for this particular task, not generalized, and likely to be caused by some
external factor. She is not likely to show the same type of behavior for a different task, so the
behavior must be externally, not internally caused, making "externally caused" the correct
response. The other three choices can be ruled out because they all identify internal, rather than
external, causes of behavior.
Objective: 8.4
119) If a person who is always late for work is late once again and blames it on a traffic jam,
coworkers would probably attribute that person's lateness to ________.
A) traffic
B) an external source
C) an internal source
D) his car
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Habitual lateness for a repeated behavior shows high consistency and low
distinctiveness for this kind of situation, so the behavior is likely to be internally caused, making
an internal source the correct response. The other three choices all identify external causes of
being late, so they are incorrect responses.
Objective: 8.4
120) Which pairing is correct?

A) high distinctiveness ⇒ internal cause of behavior
B) low distinctiveness ⇒ external cause of behavior
C) high consensus ⇒ external cause of behavior
D) low consistency ⇒ internal cause of behavior
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The only choice that correlates to actual behavior is the one indicating that
when consensus is high it means that other individuals respond to a similar situation in the same
way, indicating that the source of the behavior is external and beyond the person's control. All
other pairs are incorrect.
Objective: 8.4
33
121) Which pairing is NOT correct?
A) low consistency ⇒ external cause of behavior
B) low distinctiveness ⇒ external cause of behavior
C) high consensus ⇒ external cause of behavior
D) low consensus ⇒ internal cause of behavior
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The only choice that does not correlate to actual behavior is the one that
indicates that when distinctiveness is low it means that this is not a unique situation for the
individual, he or she often responds in a similar way, indicating that the source of the behavior
would be thought of as internal, not external. All other pairs are all valid correlations so they are
incorrect responses for this question.
Objective: 8.4
122) The fundamental attribution error causes people to tend to attribute ________.
A) successes of others to external factors
B) failures of others to external factors
C) their own successes to external factors
D) their own failures to internal factors
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The fundamental attribution error causes people to attribute success in others to
external factors, such as luck, and failure of others to internal factors, such as laziness. The only
choice that reflects one of these two situations is the one indicating successes of others being
attributed to external factors, the correct response. The choice regarding attribution of failures of
others to external factors is not correct because the fundamental attribution error causes people to
attribute others' failures to internal, not external causes. The remaining two choices refer to the
self-serving bias, not the fundamental attribution error.
Objective: 8.4
123) The self-serving bias causes people to tend to attribute ________.

A) successes of others to external factors
B) failures of other to external factors
C) their own successes to internal factors
D) their own failures to internal factors
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The self-serving bias causes people to attribute their own success to internal
factors, such as hard work, and their own failure to external factors, such as bad luck. The only
choice that reflects one of these two situations is the choice indicating attribution of their own
successes to internal factors, the correct response. The choice indicating attribution of their own
failures to internal factors is not correct because the self-serving bias causes people to attribute
their failures to external, not internal causes. The remaining two choices refer to the fundamental
attribution error, not the self-serving bias.
Objective: 8.4
34
124) When people judge someone on the basis of the perception of a group they are a part of,
they are using the shortcut called ________.
A) stereotyping
B) selectivity
C) assumed similarity
D) the halo effect
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Stereotyping is judging others on the basis of their group, not on their
individual merits, making it the correct response. Selectivity is incorrect because it refers to
"speed reading" to make judgments about an individual, not judging an individual by his or her
group. Assumed similarity is incorrect because it is making assumptions that others share your
own traits, not judging an individual by his or her group. The halo effect is incorrect because it is
judging a person by a single trait, not judging an individual by his or her group.
Objective: 8.4
125) By using ________, we form an impression about a person based on a single characteristic,
such as intelligence or appearance.
A) stereotyping
B) selectivity
C) the halo effect
D) assumed similarity
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The halo effect is judging others on the basis of a single trait, making it the
correct response. Selectivity is incorrect because it is "speed reading," not judging an individual
by virtue of a single trait. Assumed similarity is incorrect because it is making assumptions that
others share your own traits, not judging an individual by a single trait. Stereotyping is incorrect
because it is judging a person by his or her group, not by a single trait.
Objective: 8.4
126) Any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience is known
as ________.
A) reflex
B) learning
C) instinctual behavior
D) intrinsic behavior
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The critical element that distinguishes learning from other behaviors is that it is
a result of experience, not a behavior that is innate or genetically programmed. This makes
learning the correct response. The other three choices all identify behavior that is inborn, rather
than occurring as a result of experience, so those choices are incorrect.
Objective: 8.5
35
127) Operant conditioning is any behavior that occurs as a result of ________.
A) coincidence
B) an innate behavior program
C) reinforcement from reward or punishment
D) reinforcement from reward only
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Operant conditioning is any behavior that has been instilled as a result of
reinforcement from either a reward or a punishment, making it the correct response and
eliminating reinforcement from reward only because it does not mention punishment. Operant
conditioning is definitely based on experience, which rules out innate behavior, and not a result
of coincidence, since reinforcements typically need to be repeated, ruling out coincidence.
Objective: 8.5
128) Social learning theory involves learning through ________.

A) instinct
B) systematic study of books and manuals
C) logical inference
D) observing models
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Instinct, studying, and using logic have little or nothing to do with social
learning, which is the process by which people learn by observing others who serve as models.
An example of social learning is a golfer who learns to swing by observing professional golfers
on television. The correct answer for this question is observing models.
Objective: 8.5
129) The amount of influence a model has begins with the ________ process of becoming aware
of the model.
A) attentional
B) retentional
C) motor reproduction
D) reinforcement
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Becoming aware of a model depends on attentional processes being activated,
making attentional the correct response. Retention processes involve memory rather than
attention, while motor reproduction processes involve copying behaviors, and reinforcement
processes involve incentives being attached to behaviors.
Objective: 8.5
36
130) When a young basketball player copies the free throw style of an NBA player, he is using
his ________.
A) retention processes
B) motor reproduction processes
C) attentional processes
D) reinforcement processes
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A young player physically mimicking a model is using his motor reproduction
processes, making this the correct response. Retention processes involve memory rather than
motor skills, while attentional processes involve observing and paying attention to the model.
Finally, reinforcement processes involve incentives being attached to behaviors rather than the
use of motor skills.
Objective: 8.5
131) Which of the following is NOT thought to be a tool that managers can use to shape
behavior?
A) positive reinforcement
B) negative reinforcement
C) punishment
D) attentional processes
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment are recognized
ways to shape and influence behavior. Positive reinforcement provides rewards. Negative
reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus. Punishment applies an unpleasant stimulus to an
unwanted behavior. Attentional processes are features by which observers notice and pay
attention to models, not ways to to shape behavior so it is the correct response for this question.
Objective: 8.5
132) When a manager gives an employee a bonus for a job well done, which behavior-shaping
method is the manager using?
C) punishment
D) extinction
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The manager is giving the employee a reward, or distributing positive
reinforcement. Negative reinforcement would require the removal of an unpleasant stimulus,
something that the manager is not doing here. Punishment would require the manager to apply an
unpleasant stimulus as a result of an unwanted behavior, the opposite of what is being done here.
Extinction would involve the removal of a positive or a negative reinforcement to get rid of the
behavior, which the manager is not doing here.
Objective: 8.5
37
133) When a football coach makes the team run laps because it can't get a play right, he is using
which behavior-shaping method?
C) punishment
D) extinction
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The coach is penalizing the team for an unwanted behavior, or distributing
punishment, making punishment the correct response. Negative reinforcement would require the
removal of an unpleasant stimulus, while the coach here is instead applying that unpleasant
stimulus. Positive reinforcement would require the coach to reward a behavior, the opposite of
what is being done here. Extinction would involve the removal of a positive or a negative
reinforcement to get rid of the behavior, but the coach here is applying a negative stimulus, not
removing it.
Objective: 8.5
134) When a football coach cancels a grueling "meat-grinder drill" because the team is
performing well, he is using which behavior-shaping method?
C) punishment
D) extinction
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The coach is using negative reinforcement to reward the team for a wanted
behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus, making negative reinforcement the correct
response. Punishment would require the application, rather than the removal an unpleasant
stimulus. Positive reinforcement would require the coach to reward a behavior with some
positive stimulus. Extinction would involve the removal of a positive or a negative reinforcement
to get rid of the behavior.
Objective: 8.5
135) In an attempt to get employees to stop congregating, a manager decides to remove free
bagels from the company snack bar. Which behavior-shaping method is she using?
C) punishment
D) extinction
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The manager is using extinction—she is removing a reinforcement to allow a
behavior to disappear, making extinction the correct response. Negative reinforcement would
require the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to encourage a behavior, while in this case the
manager is removing a pleasant stimulus to extinguish a behavior. Punishment would require the
application, rather than the removal of an unpleasant stimulus. Positive reinforcement would
require the manager to reward a behavior with some positive stimulus.
Objective: 8.5
38
136) Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Gen Y workers?
A) high expectations
B) little interaction with colleagues
C) goal oriented
D) seek out creative challenges
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Gen Y workers are goal oriented and like to build ownership of tasks, like to
seek out creative challenges and tend to have high expectations, both for themselves and their
employers. What Gen Y workers don't seem to prefer is little interaction with colleagues. In fact,
Gen Y workers often actively seek out colleagues to learn from, making little interaction with
colleagues the correct response for this question.
Objective: 8.6
137) Which of the following is a common way in which Gen Y workers differ from workers in
other generations?
A) office attire
B) ability to work hard
C) ability to focus
D) showing respect
Answer: A
Explanation: A) There is no evidence to support the idea that Gen Y workers do not work as
hard as, focus, or show as much respect as workers from other generations, so all of those
choices are incorrect. Where Gen Y workers do seem to differ from other generations is in the
clothing they wear—Gen Y workers tend to be much more casual than their older counterparts.
This makes office attire the correct response.
Objective: 8.6
138) Which of the following is on the rise in today's organizations?

A) respectful behavior
B) use of good manners
C) hostility and aggression
D) amicable relations
Answer: C
Explanation: C) There is no evidence that respect, manners, or amicability are on the rise in
today's organizations. What is increasing are incidents of hostility, acrimony, aggression, and
even violence, making hostility and aggression the correct response.
Objective: 8.6
39
139) Describe the focus and goals of organizational behavior that are covered in this chapter.
Answer: Organizational behavior is a field of study that is concerned specifically with the
actions of people at work. This chapter focuses primarily on two areas of organizational
behavior, individual behavior and group behavior.
Individual behavior includes topics such as attitudes, personality, perception, learning, and
motivation. Group behavior includes norms, roles, team building, leadership, and conflict.
The goals of organizational behavior are to explain, predict, and influence behavior. Managers
need to be able to explain why employees engage in some behaviors rather than others, predict
how employees will respond to various actions the manager might take, and influence how
employees behave.
Objective: 8.1
140) In a short essay, define what an attitude is.

Answer: Attitudes are evaluative statements  either favorable or unfavorable  concerning
objects, people, or events. Attitudes reflect how an individual feels about something. When a
person says, "I like work that is challenging," he or she is expressing an attitude about work.
Objective: 8.2
141) In a short essay, identify and discuss the three components of an attitude.
Answer: The three components that make up an attitude are cognition, affect, and behavior. The
cognitive component of an attitude is made up of the beliefs, opinions, knowledge, or
information held by a person. The belief that "I am underpaid" illustrates cognition.
The affective component of an attitude is the emotional or feeling part of an attitude. The
affective component of an attitude would be reflected by the statement, "I am angry that I am
underpaid."
Finally, affect can lead to behavioral outcomes. The behavioral component of an attitude refers to
an intention to behave in a certain way toward someone or something. For instance, "I will quit
my job unless I get a raise" is an example of the behavioral component of an attitude.
Objective: 8.2
40
142) In a short essay, list and discuss the five personality traits of the Big Five Model of
personality.
Answer: Extraversionthe degree to which someone is sociable, talkative, and assertive.
Agreeableness  the degree to which someone is good-natured, cooperative, and trusting.
Conscientiousness  the degree to which someone is responsible, dependable, persistent, and

achievement oriented.
Emotional stability  the degree to which someone is calm, enthusiastic, and secure about who
he or she is (positive) or tense, nervous, depressed, and insecure about who he or she is
(negative).
Openness to experience  the degree to which someone is imaginative, artistically sensitive, and
intellectual.
The Big Five provide more than just a personality framework. Research has shown that
important relationships exist between these personality dimensions and job performance.
Objective: 8.3
143) In a short essay, discuss how locus of control can help explain individual behavior in
organizations.
Answer: People who believe that they are in control of their own lives have an internal locus of
control—they see themselves as having agency over events. They see their own efforts being the
primary reasons for why they succeed or fail.
People with an external locus of control see themselves as pawns, believing that what happens in
their lives is due to outside forces and events over which they have little control or influence.
These forces and events include both powerful institutions (the state, the culture) as well as such
random things as luck or chance.
Locus of control is largely a cultural phenomenon. In western societies, locus of control tends to
be internal; people feel that what they do matters. In societies such as those in the Middle East,
locus of control tends to be external—people feel that they have little control over what happens
in their lives.
Objective: 8.3
41
144) In a short essay, discuss how Machiavellianism can help explain individual behavior in
organizations.
Answer: An individual who is high in Machiavellianism is pragmatic, maintains emotional
distance, and believes that ends can justify means. High Mach individuals understand power and
the way to get it. Believing that ends justify means for a high Mach individual can result in
corners sometimes being cut and ethics given short shrift or even ignored in favor of the goal that
the person is seeking.
In jobs that require bargaining skills or that have substantial rewards for winning, high Machs are
productive. In jobs in which ends do not justify the means or that lack absolute measures of
performance, high Machs can vary in performance. One can imagine that high Machs are good at
manipulating others and acquiring power in very aggressive, highly competitive "dog eat dog"
organizations and circumstances.
Objective: 8.3
145) In a short essay, discuss how self-esteem can help explain individual behavior in
organizations.
Answer: Self-esteem (SE) refers to the degree to which people like or dislike themselves. The
research on self-esteem offers some interesting insight into organizational behavior. For example,
self-esteem is directly related to expectations for success. High SEs believe that they possess the
ability needed to succeed at work. Individuals with high SEs tend to take more risks in job
selection and are more likely to choose unconventional jobs than are people with low SEs. A
number of studies confirm that high SEs are more satisfied with their jobs than are low SEs.
Objective: 8.3
146) In a short essay, discuss how self-monitoring can help explain individual behavior in
organizations.
Answer: Self-monitoring refers to an individual's ability to adjust his or her behavior to external,
situational factors. Individuals high in self-monitoring show considerable adaptability in
adjusting their behavior. They are highly sensitive to external cues and can behave differently in
different situations.
An individual high in self-monitoring can adopt one mode of behavior when, for example,
dealing with high-level managers, and a completely different behavior mode when in the
company of rank-and-file workers. Low self-monitors, on the other hand, seem unable to adjust
their behavior according to situation. They tend to display their true dispositions and attitudes in
every situation, and therefore would seem less capable of deception and less likely to try to
indulge in deception.
Objective: 8.3
42
147) In a short essay, discuss how risk-taking can help explain individual behavior in
organizations.
Answer: People differ in their willingness to take chances. Differences in the propensity to
assume or to avoid risk have been shown to affect how long it takes individuals to make a
decision and how much information they require before making their choice.
To maximize organizational effectiveness, managers should try to align employee risk-taking

propensity with specific job demands. For instance, high risk-taking propensity may lead to
effective performance for a commodities trader in a brokerage firm because this type of job
demands rapid decision making. On the other hand, an accounting job for a person who must be
responsible for the financial well-being of an entire organization might be better suited to a
conservative, non-risk-taking individual.
Objective: 8.3
148) In a short essay, list and discuss three shortcuts frequently used in judging others.
Answer: In assumed similarity, the observer's perception of others is influenced more by the
observer's own characteristics than by those of the person observed. For example, a middle
manager may be focused on getting a promotion, so he will assume that other managers share his
preoccupation in advancing in the organization.
When someone is judged on the basis of our perception of a group he or she is part of, we use the
shortcut called stereotyping. Racial, ethnic, and gender stereotyping typically are the most
harmful form of stereotyping. However, even "innocent" stereotyping, like assuming an
individual from a particular group is a "hard worker" can create problems within an organization.
When individuals form a general impression about a person on the basis of a single
characteristic, such as intelligence, sociability, or appearance, the halo effect is the influencing
factor. For example, a manager may attribute a disproportionate amount of responsibility on an
employee who is a superb golfer, even though that person's golf abilities might not translate at all
to the workplace.
Objective: 8.5
43
149) In a short essay, define learning and then explain operant conditioning.
Answer: Learning is any relatively permanent change in behavior that is not innate; it occurs as
a result of experience. Operant conditioning contends that people learn a behavior to get
something they want or to avoid something they don't want. The tendency to repeat learned
behavior is influenced by the reinforcement or lack of reinforcement that happens as a result of
the behavior.
For example, when a sales manager knocks herself out to exceed all previous sales totals in a
successful sales drive, she might receive reinforcement from a variety of places: praise from her
boss, recognition from the corporation, a promotion, a bonus, admiration from colleagues—all of
which strengthen and fortify the notion for the manager to put in extra work. The manager
learned from her experience that extra effort pays off.
Objective: 8.5
150) In a short essay, describe social learning.

Answer: The belief that people can learn both through observation and direct experience is
called social learning theory. The influence of others is central to the social learning viewpoint.
The amount of influence that these models will have on an individual is determined by four
processes: attentional processes; retention processes; motor reproduction processes; and
reinforcement processes.
Attentional processes focus on how well the model captures a person's attention. For example, a
dancer would seek to emulate the moves that he sees in a popular video because they are
dramatic and attractive.
Retentional processes measure how well the observer can remember the model and its key
features.
Motor reproduction processes focus on how well the observer is able to emulate the model
physically.
Reinforcement processes focus on how strong the incentives are for the observer to want to
emulate the behavior.
Objective: 8.5
44
151) In a short essay, explain how managers can shape behavior using positive and negative
reinforcement.
Answer: There are four ways to shape behavior: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement,
punishment, or extinction. When a behavior is followed by some kind of reward, such as when a
manager praises an employee for a job well done, it's called positive reinforcement. Positive
reinforcement will increase the likelihood of the desired behavior being repeated.
Rewarding a response with the elimination or withdrawal of something unpleasant is called

negative reinforcement. A manager who promises to cancel a "no Internet during work"
restriction as a reward for increased production is using negative reinforcement. The manager is
removing something unpleasant (the restriction) as a reward for desired behavior—increased
production.
Objective: 8.5
152) In a short essay, explain how managers can shape behavior using punishment and
extinction.
Answer: Punishment penalizes undesirable behavior and seeks to eliminate it. Suspending an
employee without pay for repeatedly coming to work late is an example of punishment.
Eliminating any reinforcement that is maintaining a behavior is called extinction. When a

behavior isn't reinforced, gradually it disappears. For example, a manager may offer rewards to
encourage people to volunteer for early retirement. If too many people volunteer for early
retirement, putting stress on the organization, the manager may remove the reward and try to
eliminate volunteering for early retirement.
Objective: 8.5
45

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Fundamentals of Management, 7e (Robbins/DeCenzo/Coulter)

Chapter 8 Foundations of Individual Behavior

2) Organizational behavior is primarily concerned with group interactions.

3) The goals of OB are to explain, predict, and understand behavior.

4) Attitudes are evaluative statements concerning objects, people, or events.

9) Personality is defined as a unique combination of behavioral, emotional, and thinking patterns

17) A low self-monitoring employee would be likely to be a good poker player.

18) A person who is risk-averse might do well as a stock trader.

26) Distinctiveness refers to whether an individual displays a behavior in many situations or

28) Individuals tend to attribute their own successes to external factors.

29) In stereotyping, observers use group characteristics to judge individuals.

30) Perceptual shortcuts are not necessarily distorted.

32) In operant conditioning, if behavior is positively reinforced it is less likely to repeat.

38) Negative reinforcement is the withdrawal of something unpleasant.

41) Which of the following best defines organizational behavior?

43) Which of the following is a visible aspect of an organization?

44) Organizational behavior focuses on ________.

45) Which of the following are the goals of organizational behavior?

48) This "behavior" is really an attitude.

50) ________ is a performance measure of both efficiency and effectiveness of employees.

54) The ________ component of attitude is based on emotions.

86) Emotional intelligence includes all of the following EXCEPT ________.

95) ________ individuals tend to be dependent on positive evaluation from others.

96) A high self-monitoring individual would tend to ________.

105) Chinese workers tend to value ________ than Americans.

113) Attribution theory is primarily concerned with explaining ________.

114) In attribution theory, ________ behavior is largely beyond an individual's control.

120) Which pairing is correct?

123) The self-serving bias causes people to tend to attribute ________.

128) Social learning theory involves learning through ________.

138) Which of the following is on the rise in today's organizations?

140) In a short essay, define what an attitude is.

Agreeableness  the degree to which someone is good-natured, cooperative, and trusting.

Conscientiousness  the degree to which someone is responsible, dependable, persistent, and

To maximize organizational effectiveness, managers should try to align employee risk-taking

150) In a short essay, describe social learning.

Rewarding a response with the elimination or withdrawal of something unpleasant is called

Eliminating any reinforcement that is maintaining a behavior is called extinction. When a

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