Organizational Behavior Improving Performance and Commitment in The Workplace 6th Edition Colquitt Test Bank

Organizational Behavior Improving
Performance and Commitment in the

Workplace 6th Edition Colquitt Test
Bank
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Organizational Behavior, 6e (Colquitt)
Chapter 5 Stress
1) The particular demands that cause people to experience stress are called strains.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Stress is defined as a psychological response to demands that possess certain
stakes for the person and that tax or exceed the person's capacity or resources. The demands that
cause people to experience stress are called stressors.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Learning Objective: 05-01 What is stress, and how is it related to stressors and strains?
Bloom's: Remember
AACSB: Knowledge Application
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
2) When people first encounter stressors, the process of primary appraisal is triggered.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When people first encounter stressors, the process of primary appraisal is
triggered. Primary appraisal occurs as people evaluate the significance and the meaning of the
stressor they are confronting.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Transactional theory of stress
Bloom's: Remember
3) Hindrance stressors often trigger positive emotions such as pride and enthusiasm.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Challenge stressors often trigger positive emotions such as pride and enthusiasm.
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Topic: Challenge stressors
Learning Objective: 05-02 What are the four main types of stressors?
Bloom's: Remember
1
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4) Role ambiguity is often experienced among new employees who have not been around long
enough to receive instructions from supervisors or observe and model the role behaviors of more
senior colleagues.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Role ambiguity is often experienced among new employees who have not been
around long enough to receive instructions from supervisors or observe and model the role
behaviors of more senior colleagues.
Bloom's: Remember
5) Most people appraise situations with high time pressure as rather stressful, and they also tend
to appraise these situations as more hindering than challenging.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Although most people appraise situations with high time pressure as rather
stressful, they also tend to appraise these situations as more challenging than hindering.
Bloom's: Remember
6) Kathleen thought her college studies had prepared her completely for her new job as a
restaurant manager. She is completely surprised by the amount of responsibility that has
immediately been given to her and the number of skills she is expected to already have.
Combined with the amount of pressure she is under to get all the staffing and ordering forms
filled out and filed, she is feeling quite stressed. Kathleen is experiencing work-related challenge
stress.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Work-related challenge stressors include time pressure, work complexity, and
work responsibility.
Bloom's: Apply
2
7) Work-family conflict is an example of work hindrance stressor.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Nonwork hindrance stressors include work-family conflict, a special form of role
conflict in which the demands of a work role hinder the fulfillment of the demands of a family
role (or vice versa).
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Work-family conflict
Bloom's: Remember
8) Family time demands include participation in formal education programs, music lessons,
sports-related training, hobby-related self-education, participation in local government, and
volunteer work.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Family time demands refer to the time that a person commits to participate in an
array of family activities and responsibilities. Specific examples of family time demands include
time spent involved in family pursuits such as traveling, attending social events and organized
activities, hosting parties, and planning and making home improvements.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
9) A critical factor that determines coping strategy choice is the degree to which people believe
that a particular strategy gives them some degree of control over the stressor or how they feel
about it.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: A critical factor that determines coping strategy choice is the degree to which
people believe that a particular strategy gives them some degree of control over the stressor or
how they feel about it.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Behavioral coping
Learning Objective: 05-03 How do individuals cope with stress?
Bloom's: Remember
3
10) Stressors can cause gastrointestinal system problems.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Stressors cause gastrointestinal system problems. Symptoms of this type of strain
include stomachaches, indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
11) Social support refers to the help that people receive when they are confronted with stressful
demands.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Social support refers to the help that people receive when they are confronted with
stressful demands.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-04 How does the Type A Behavior Pattern influence the stress process?
Bloom's: Remember
12) Instrumental support refers to the help people receive that can be used to address the stressful
demand directly.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Instrumental support refers to the help people receive that can be used to address
the stressful demand directly.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Social support
Bloom's: Remember
4
13) Hindrance stressors have a strong positive relationship with job performance.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Hindrance stressors have a weak negative relationship with job performance. A
general explanation for this negative relationship is that hindrance stressors result in strains and
negative emotions that reduce the overall level of physical, cognitive, and emotional energy that
people could otherwise bring to their job duties.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How does stress affect job performance and organizational
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
14) Challenge stressors have a weak positive relationship with job performance.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Challenge stressors have a weak positive relationship with job performance.
People who experience higher levels of challenge stressors tend to have higher levels of task
performance.
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
15) Challenge stressors have a moderate negative relationship with organizational commitment.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Challenge stressors have a moderate positive relationship with organizational
commitment. People who experience higher levels of challenge stressors tend to have higher
levels of affective commitment and normative commitment. Relationships with continuance
commitment are weaker.
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
5
16) The first step in managing stress is to assess colleagues in the workplace.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The first step in managing stress is to assess the level and sources of stress in the
workplace.
Topic: Stress
Learning Objective: 05-06 What steps can organizations take to manage employee stress?
Bloom's: Remember
17) Hindrance stressors such as role ambiguity, conflict, and overload not only cause strain but
also decrease commitment and job performance.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Hindrance stressors such as role ambiguity, conflict, and overload not only cause
strain but also decrease commitment and job performance.
Bloom's: Remember
18) Supportive practices are one way of helping employees cope with stressful demands.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: One of the ways that organizations provide resources to employees so that they
can cope more effectively is through supportive practices that help employees manage and
balance the demands that exist in the different roles they have.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
6
19) In general, relaxation techniques to reduce strain attempt to help people appraise and cope
with stressors in a more rational manner.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Although relaxation techniques differ, their basic idea is the same—they teach
people how to counteract the effects of stressors by engaging in activities that slow the heart rate,
breathing rate, and blood pressure.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
20) Exercise programs are particularly successful because they reduce the types of stressors that
employees encounter.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Exercise programs reduce the strain felt by employees, not the number or type of
stressors.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
21) Which of the following is defined as a psychological response to demands for which there is
something at stake and coping with those demands taxes or exceeds a person's capacity or
resources?
A) stressors
B) Type A behavior
C) strains
D) stress
E) Type B behavior
Answer: D
Explanation: Stress is defined as a psychological response to demands for which there is
resources.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
7
22) ________ are the particular demands that cause people to experience stress.
A) Stressors
B) Type C demands
C) Strains
D) Burnouts
E) Type B demands
Answer: A
Explanation: Stress is defined as a psychological response to demands for which there is
resources. The particular demands that cause people to experience stress are called stressors.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
23) First, the network went down, then the guy in the next cubicle would not stop clearing his
throat, and now Delia cannot find a sticky note when she needs one. Delia's head hurts, her
shoulders are tense, and her back aches. Which of the following statements is true?
A) Delia's inability to find a sticky note is a strain, while her headache is a stressor.
B) The network going down represents a stressor, while Delia's backache is a strain.
C) The guy clearing his throat is a daily hassle, while Delia's tense shoulders are a work
outcome.
D) The network going down is a work hassle, while Delia's hurting head and back are daily
outcomes.
E) Delia's difficulty finding a sticky note is a primary effects, while her tense shoulders are a
secondary outcome.
Answer: B
Explanation: Broken copy machines, irritatingly loud coworkers, and lack of supplies are all
examples of stressors resulting from daily hassles. Headaches and gastrointestinal and
musculoskeletal problems are examples of strains resulting from stress caused by stressors.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
8
24) ________ are the negative consequences that occur when demands tax or exceed one's
capacity or resources.
A) Strains.
B) Daily hassles
C) Time pressures
D) Type A behavior
E) Cognitive pressures
Answer: A
Explanation: The negative consequences that occur when demands tax or exceed one's capacity
or resources are called strains.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
25) Nobuko is a customer service representative at Call Center Central. She thought a job
answering phones all day would be easy, and at first it seemed to be. But over time, the large
daily call volume and number of angry or aggressive callers made her edgy, and she found
herself being short with customers for no reason. She started having muscle spasms and began to
get headaches while at work. Nobuko's physical symptoms are examples of
A) poor decision-making.
B) personality quirks.
C) stress reduction.
D) stressors.
E) strains.
Answer: E
Explanation: The negative consequences that occur when demands tax or exceed a person's
capacity or resources are called strains.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
9
26) Which of the following best exemplifies benign job demands?
A) Carolina's laptop has been crashing at least three times a day, which makes it difficult for her
to get all of her work completed.
B) Rachel has not been given clear instructions on how to prepare month-end financial
statements and is worried about doing it wrong.
C) Anaya teaches third grade, and due to budget cuts, she has been forced to shop for her own
school supplies on her own time and with her own money.
D) Ferdinand, who fills orders for an online pharmacy, has been told he needs to increase both
the number of orders he fills per hour and reduce the number of errors he makes.
E) Gerald works as a shipping clerk at a publisher's warehouse, and although it can be a
challenge to load all the pallets onto trucks each day, he takes satisfaction in meeting the
afternoon deadline.
Answer: E
Explanation: Job demands that tend not to be appraised as stressful are called benign job
demands.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
27) The transactional theory of stress deals with

A) motion-focused behavior coping.
B) primary and secondary appraisal of stress.
C) Type A behavior.
D) instrumental support.
E) presenteeism.
Answer: B
Explanation: The transactional theory of stress explains how stressors are perceived and
appraised (primary appraisal), as well as how people respond to the perceptions (secondary
appraisal).
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
10
28) When people first encounter stressors, the process of ________ is triggered.
A) behavioral appraisal
B) problem-focused appraisal
C) primary appraisal
D) emotional venting
E) critical thinking
Answer: C
Explanation: Primary appraisal occurs as people evaluate the significance and meaning of the
stressors they are confronting. Here, people first consider whether a demand causes them to feel
stressed, and if it does, they consider the implications of the stressor in terms of their personal
goals and overall well-being.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
11
29) Judy has just started a new job as a checker at Farmer's Grocery. It is her first job after
graduating from high school, and she hopes to save enough money in the first year to be able to
move in with her boyfriend. In her first week, she befriends two other new checkers, Silvio and
Natasha, and she finds the majority of customers to be polite and sociable. At the end of her first
week on the job, she checks the upcoming week's work schedule only to discover that she is
scheduled to have Tuesday and Friday off instead of Wednesday and Thursday as she requested.
She is disappointed because her boyfriend has Wednesdays and Thursdays off from his job as a
waiter, and their conflicting schedules means she will not be able to see him much. The next
week, she finds that she has Tuesday and Saturday off, despite once again requesting Wednesday
and Thursday off. The week after that, she finds herself feeling anxious about going into the
break room because she is reluctant to find out if her days off are again different from what she
requested. According to what you know about the transactional theory of stress, what will be the
next step Judy takes?
A) to ignore the problem and see if her boyfriend can get his work schedule changed to match
hers
B) to call in sick on the days she wants to have off and try to pick up extra shifts to make up the
difference
C) to confront her manager and demand that her schedule match the schedule she has requested,
or else she will quit
D) to decide that no job is worth that kind of hassle and immediately look for a new job that
offers a more desirable, fixed schedule
E) to realize the importance of spending time with her boyfriend and understand that a variable
work schedule will negatively impact her personal life
Answer: E
Explanation: The transactional theory of stress explains how stressors are perceived and
appraised, as well as how people respond to those perceptions and appraisals. When people first
encounter stressors, the process of primary appraisal is triggered. Primary appraisal occurs as
people evaluate the significance and the meaning of the stressor they are confronting. Here,
people first consider whether a demand causes them to feel stressed, and if it does, they consider
the implications of the stressor in terms of their personal goals and overall well-being.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
12
30) ________ occurs as people evaluate the significance and the meaning of the stressors they
are confronting.
A) Primary appraisal
B) Transactional analysis
C) Cognitive appraisal
D) Role conflict
E) Problem-focused appraisal
Answer: A
Explanation: Primary appraisal occurs as people evaluate the significance and the meaning of
the stressors they are confronting. Here, people first consider whether a demand causes them to
feel stressed, and if it does, they consider the implications of the stressor in terms of their
personal goals and overall well-being.
Bloom's: Remember
31) Alberto works as a receptionist for a graphic design firm. His daily job duties include making
copies, replying to e-mails, answering phones, and greeting people who enter the office. This
suite of tasks, when they are not overly taxing or exceeding his capacity, are called
A) benign job demands.
B) primary appraisals.
C) Type A activities.
D) stressors.
E) strains.
Answer: A
Explanation: Job demands that tend not to be appraised as stressful are called benign job
demands.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
13
32) Which of the following is an example of a strain?
A) Sylvia leaves her waitressing shift early many days in a row as a result of low customer
turnout.
B) Amrita develops insomnia while trying meet the deadline to sequencing a new gene.
C) Dario clocks in late to his retail sales job after a night of partying.
D) Vandaya works a second job to save up money for college.
E) Ahmed sits alone on his lunch hour and reads a book.
Answer: B
Explanation: The negative consequences that occur when demands tax or exceed a person's
capacity or resources are called strains.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
33) ________ are stressful demands that are perceived as hindering progress toward personal
accomplishments or goal attainment.
A) Role stressors
B) Time pressures
C) Psychological stressors
D) Hindrance stressors
E) Work complexities
Answer: D
Explanation: Hindrance stressors tend to trigger negative emotions such as anger and anxiety.
In contrast, managing additional responsibilities or higher workloads has a long-term benefit, in
that it helps build the employee's skills.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
14
34) ________ are stressful demands that are perceived as opportunities for learning, growth, and
achievement.
A) Challenge stressors
B) Daily hassles
C) Role conflicts
D) Hindrance stressors
E) Work-family conflicts
Answer: A
Explanation: Having to deal with additional responsibilities is likely to be perceived by most
employees as having long-term benefits. These kinds of stressors are called challenge stressors,
or stressful demands that people tend to perceive as opportunities for learning, growth, and
achievement.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
35) Which of these is a work hindrance stressor?

A) family time demands
B) work-family conflict
C) benign job demands
D) financial uncertainty
E) role overload
Answer: E
Explanation: Role overload occurs when the number of demanding roles a person holds is so
high that the person simply cannot perform some or all of the roles very effectively. Role
overload as a source of stress is becoming very prevalent for employees in many different
industries.
Bloom's: Remember
15
36) ________ is a work hindrance stressor that occurs from incompatible demands within a
single role that a person may hold.
A) Time pressure
B) Daily hassles
C) Role overload
D) Role ambiguity
E) Role conflict
Answer: E
Explanation: Role conflict refers to conflicting expectations that other people may have of us.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
37) ________ refers to a work hindrance stressor that occurs when the number of demanding
roles a person holds is so high that the person simply cannot perform some or all of the roles
very effectively.
A) Time pressure
B) Daily hassle
C) Role overload
D) Role ambiguity
E) Role conflict
Answer: C
high that the person simply cannot perform some or all of the roles very effectively.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
16
38) Alejandro hires Leona as a new sales coordinator at Rainproof Outdoor Gear after the
previous coordinator quit unexpectedly. After she completes orientation, Alejandro needs Leona
to quickly plan an upcoming sales meeting for all of the company's field sales representatives,
who will be gathering at the office in a week to go over the new product line. Despite the fact
that her predecessor did little planning for the meeting before she left, Leona wants to make a
good impression and begins to prepare the meeting even though she has never planned one
before. Three days before the meeting, Alejandro observes Leona in a conference room pacing
back and forth and wearing a slightly dazed expression as she shuffles papers around on the
table. It is obvious to Alejandro that she is trying to block out meeting rooms for each sales
representative group, determine the duration of each presentation, and figure out what kinds of
audio-visual equipment will be needed in each room. When he asks if she needs help, Leona
smiles and says, "Nope! I've got it all under control." However, Alejandro can tell she is
struggling to get things right. Based on what you know about the different types of work
hindrance stressors, what should Alejandro do?
A) explain to Leona the basic requirements for the meetings and provide her with the expected
times and locations needed for each group presentation
B) take Leona off the project and give it someone with more experience in planning meetings,
allowing Leona to observe and take notes
C) avoid interfering and let Leona continue to struggle her way through the task so that she
profits from learning by doing
D) step in and plan the meeting himself to ensure that things go smoothly and productivity is not
compromised
E) hire a temp to cover Leona's regular duties so that she has more time to devote to planning the
meetings
Answer: A
Explanation: Leona suffers from the work hindrance stressor role ambiguity, which refers to a
lack of information about what needs to be done in a role, as well as unpredictability regarding
the consequences of performance in that role. Employees are sometimes asked to work on
projects for which they are given very few instructions or guidelines about how things are
supposed to be done.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
17
39) Angela is working as the head of sales at Blue Mountain Cola. Her work requires her to
travel extensively and meet customers in various countries. However, Angela's role also requires
her to mentor several sales representatives who work under her and keep track of their progress.
Because Angela stays away from her office most of the time, she finds it difficult to manage both
types of work responsibilities. Angela faces which of the following challenges?
A) role complexities
B) role conflict
C) role penetration
D) role ambiguity
E) role enrichment
Answer: B
Explanation: One type of work-related hindrance stressor is role conflict, which refers to
conflicting expectations that other people may have of us. Angela is experiencing role conflict
because she is expected to travel and meet clients, as well as mentor and track the performance
of the sales representatives assigned to her.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
18
40) Kwame, Rosalinda, and Sven work at Security First Trust and National Reserve, a medium-
sized bank with 240 branches in eight states. Kwame works as a teller. Rosalinda works as one
of five regional supervisors, each of whom is expected to supervise a team of tellers. Kwame
recently received instructions from his supervisor that all tellers will be evaluated on the number
of people they assist at their window per day. Serving more customers means higher
performance effectiveness. However, Kwame is also expected to follow the bank's number-one
goal of customer satisfaction. Rosalinda is facing her own challenges. Two of the regional
supervisors suddenly left the bank for other opportunities, resulting in a significant increase in
work responsibility and time pressure for Rosalinda and the remaining two supervisors. Just two
days before the two regional supervisors quit, the bank hired Sven as a supervisor trainee. With
the bank suddenly short-handed, Sven was asked to take up all the responsibilities of a regional
supervisor. He has been given very few instructions or guidelines about how things are supposed
to be done. Instead, the bank expects him to learn on the job. Kwame is facing which type of
stressor?
A) work enlargement
B) work hindrance
C) work enrichment
D) work challenge
E) work complexity
Answer: B
Explanation: Kwame is facing role conflict as a stressor, which is a work hindrance stressor.
Role conflict refers to conflicting expectations that other people may have of us. It occurs from
incompatible demands within a single role that a person may hold.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
19
to be done. Instead, the bank expects him to learn on the job. Kwame, unable to meet both types
of expectations associated with his role, is facing
A) role complexity.
B) role conflict.
C) role ambiguity.
D) work responsibility.
E) work enrichment.
Answer: B
Explanation: Role conflict refers to conflicting expectations that other people may have of us.
Kwame is facing a conflict between the focus on customer satisfaction and the need for
effectiveness, measured by the number of customers attended to.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
20
to be done. Instead, the bank expects him to learn on the job. Sven is encountering stress
resulting from
A) work complexity.
B) role conflict.
C) role ambiguity.
D) negative life events.
E) daily hassles.
Answer: C
Explanation: Role ambiguity refers to a lack of information about what needs to be done in a
role, as well as unpredictability regarding the consequences of performance in that role. Sven has
been asked to take over as regional supervisor and learn on the job. Because Sven is new to the
job, it would be hard for him to take over all the responsibility.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
21
to be done. Instead, the bank expects him to learn on the job. Rosalinda's stress is related to a
A) cognitive distortion.
B) self-serving bias.
C) nonwork hindrance.
D) challenge stressor.
E) performance hindrance.
Answer: D
Explanation: One type of work-related challenge stressor is time pressure—a strong sense that
the amount of time you have to do a task is just not quite enough. When the two supervisors quit,
the pressure on Rosalinda increases due to there being fewer people capable of handling the
supervisory tasks. Hence, she is facing a work challenge stressor.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
22
44) Which of these is a work challenge stressor?
A) time pressure
B) daily hassles
C) role overload
D) role ambiguity
E) role conflict
Answer: A
Explanation: Daily hassles, role overload, role ambiguity, and role conflict are examples of
work hindrance stressors. Time pressure is a work challenge stressor.
Bloom's: Understand
45) ________ refer(s) to the lack of information regarding what needs to be done in a role, as
well as unpredictability regarding the consequences of performance in that role.
A) Time pressure
B) Daily hassles
C) Role overload
D) Role ambiguity
E) Role conflict
Answer: D
Explanation: Role ambiguity refers to a lack of information about what needs to be done in a
role, as well as unpredictability regarding the consequences of performance in that role.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
23
46) Meilla is the vice president of marketing at a medical supply company. In a typical work
week, she is required to attend three departmental meetings, prepare progress reports, sit in on
job interviews for other departments, have one-on-one meetings with each of her five managers,
and travel to a satellite location where mock-ups of new products are photographed for catalogs.
Most weeks, Meilla puts in more than 70 hours at the office, and she often responds to e-mails
while watching movies at home on the weekends. Despite this, she finds herself falling behind.
Meilla's experience is an example of
A) a lack of information about what needs to be done to accomplish her tasks.
B) competing expectations from different departments about her job duties.
C) the number of role demands placed on her being too high.
D) the requirements of the job exceeding her capabilities.
E) having too many nonwork obligations.
Answer: C
high that the person simply cannot perform some or all of the roles effectively.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
24
47) Gregor has worked in software quality assurance for three years, but is looking for
opportunities at other companies as a means to increase his salary and gain responsibility. To
prepare for his interview for a software engineer position, he studies programming in his spare
time and asks friends who are already programmers for interview tips. Despite his relative lack
of experience, he is thrilled when the human resources manager for the new company calls to tell
him he has been hired. Although he is eager to please his new boss, he gets nervous when his
first assignment requires him to implement a new user interface feature in a programming
language he is not very familiar with. While feeling a bit anxious about his ability to complete
the task, he uses online tutorials and asks for guidance from co-workers to help him achieve his
goal. He has to work late for three nights, but by the end of the week, he is proud to have
accomplished the task successfully and have learned new skills in the process. Gregor's path to
success is an example of
A) work responsibility.
B) work complexity.
C) role ambiguity.
D) time pressure.
E) role overload.
Answer: B
Explanation: Work complexity refers to the degree to which the requirements of the work—in
terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities—tax or exceed the capabilities of the person who is
responsible for performing the work. Although these types of experiences tend to be quite
stressful, workers report that being stretched beyond their capacity is well worth the associated
discomfort.
Topic: Task complexity
Bloom's: Apply
25
48) Which of the following reflect(s) the relatively minor routine demands that get in the way of
accomplishing the things that we really want to accomplish?
B) daily hassles
C) personal development
D) positive life events
E) negative life events
Answer: B
Explanation: Daily hassles refer to the relatively minor day-to-day demands that get in the way
of accomplishing the things that we really want to accomplish. Examples of hassles include
having to deal with unnecessary paperwork, office equipment malfunctions, annoying
interactions with abrasive coworkers, and useless communications.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
49) Which of the following is a work challenge stressor?

A) work complexity
B) a positive life event
C) role overload
D) a negative life event
E) role ambiguity
Answer: A
Explanation: One type of work-related challenge stressor is work complexity, which is the
degree to which the requirements of the work—in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities—tax
or exceed the capabilities of the person who is responsible for performing the work.
Bloom's: Understand
26
50) Which of the following refers to the degree to which the requirements of the work—in terms
of knowledge, skills, and abilities—tax or exceed the capabilities of the person who is
responsible for performing the work?
A) work responsibility
B) time pressure
C) work complexity
D) role conflict
E) a negative life event
Answer: C
Explanation: Work complexity refers to the degree to which the requirements of the work—in
terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities—tax or exceed the capabilities of the person who is
responsible for performing the work.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Task complexity
Bloom's: Remember
51) ________ refers to the nature of the obligations that a person has toward others.
A) Job capability
B) Time pressure
C) Work complexity
D) Role conflict
E) Work responsibility
Answer: E
Explanation: Work responsibility refers to the nature of the obligations that a person has toward
others. Generally speaking, the level of responsibility in a job is higher when the number, scope,
and importance of the obligations in that job are higher.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
27
52) Beth is a senior accountant at The American Bank. Her job profile includes preparing
monthly financial statements, getting high-net-worth individuals to invest in the bank, and
dealing with people who want loans above $30,000. Her work involves a lot of paperwork and
she frequently travels to meet clients. The end of each month is especially busy because Beth has
to check the audit reports as well. Unable to handle the pressure, Beth speaks to her boss and
asks to be given an assistant. This is an example of
A) daily hassles.
B) time pressure.
C) role overload.
D) work complexity.
E) a negative life event.
Answer: C
high that the person simply cannot perform some or all of the roles effectively. Role overload as
a source of stress is becoming very prevalent for employees in many different industries, and in
fact, studies have shown that this source of stress is more prevalent than both role conflict and
role ambiguity.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
53) Work-family conflict is a type of ________ stressor.

A) nonwork hindrance
B) primary work challenge
C) nonwork challenge
D) work hindrance
E) job enrichment
Answer: A
Explanation: One example of nonwork hindrance stressors is work-family conflict, a special
form of role conflict in which the demands of a work role hinder the fulfillment of the demands
of a family role (or vice versa).
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
28
54) According to research, which of the following is considered the most stressful life event?
A) divorce
B) jail term
C) pregnancy
D) death of a spouse
E) change in occupation
Answer: D
Explanation: The death of a spouse is the most stressful life event.
Bloom's: Remember
55) Which of the following is a nonwork hindrance stressor?

B) a positive life event
C) personal development
D) time pressure
E) financial uncertainty
Answer: E
Explanation: Financial uncertainty is a nonwork hindrance stressor. This type of stressor refers
to conditions that create uncertainties with regard to the loss of livelihood, savings, or the ability
to pay expenses. This type of stressor is highly relevant during recessions or economic
downturns.
Bloom's: Understand
29
56) Which of these is a nonwork challenge stressor?
A) role overload
B) time pressure
C) role ambiguity
D) a positive life event
E) financial uncertainty
Answer: D
Explanation: Positive life events like marriage, pregnancy, the addition of a new family
member, and ending school are all stressful in their own way. However, each is associated with
some positive, rather than negative, emotions.
Bloom's: Understand
57) Family time demands are what type of stressor?

A) nonwork challenge stressor
B) nonwork hindrance stressor
C) work challenge stressor
D) work hindrance stressor
E) emotional stressor
Answer: A
Explanation: Family time demands represent a nonwork challenge stressor that reflects the time
that a person commits to participate in an array of family activities and responsibilities.
Bloom's: Understand
30
58) Activities including participation in formal education programs, music lessons, sports-related
training, hobby-related self-education, and volunteer work are examples of
A) virtual learning.
B) financial uncertainty.
C) work-family conflict.
D) family time demands.
E) personal development.
Answer: E
Explanation: Personal development activities include participation in formal education
programs, music lessons, sports-related training, hobby related self-education, participation in
local government, or volunteer work.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Personal development
Bloom's: Remember
59) ________ refer(s) to the behaviors and thoughts that people use to manage both the stressful
demands that they face and the emotions associated with those stressful demands.
A) Coping
B) Cognitive
C) Hindrances
D) Institutional
E) Role overload
Answer: A
Explanation: Coping refers to the behaviors and thoughts that people use to manage both the
stressful demands that they face and the emotions associated with those stressful demands. The
first part of the coping definition highlights the idea that methods of coping can be categorized
on the basis of whether they involve behaviors or cognitions.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
31
60) Lupe is the assistant editor at the Voice of Today, an online publication. With recent
increased readership, the editorial committee had decided to move up the deadline for article
submissions to eight hours. This move was not welcomed by the junior writers and editors. Lupe,
though unhappy with the decision, faces the problem head on and choses to cope by working
faster and harder. This is an example of ________ coping.
A) emotion-focused behavior
B) problem-focused behavior
C) fear-focused cognitive
D) anxiety-focused cognitive
E) stress-focused behavior
Answer: B
Explanation: Behavioral coping involves the set of physical activities that are used to deal with
a stressful situation. Problem-focused coping refers to behaviors and cognitions intended to
manage the stressful situation itself. Because Lupe is managing the stressful situation itself by
working harder and faster, the coping strategy can be classified as problem-focused behavior
coping.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
61) Coping strategies can be viewed as either ________ focused.

A) problem or emotion
B) behavior or cognition
C) positively or negatively
D) work or nonwork
E) personally or organizationally
Answer: A
Explanation: Coping strategies can be viewed as either problem or emotion focused.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
32
62) Which of the following is an example of behavioral coping?
A) Marcel asks his manager for advice on how to create a spreadsheet to track defective items.
B) Rocio conceives of a strategy for more efficiently conducting next month's warehouse
inventory.
C) Jenna sits at her desk and daydreams about her upcoming vacation rather than thinking about
tomorrow's deadline.
D) Jean-Baptiste chooses not to worry about his broken office chair and thinks about playing
ping-pong on his lunch break.
E) Efram pumps himself up before making a presentation to the board of directors by visualizing
a successful outcome.
Answer: A
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
63) Which of these is an example of problem-focused coping?

A) maintaining a positive outlook
B) talking to a friend to release pent-up emotions
C) taking time out to listen to some music
D) seeking the assistance of a supervisor
E) dwelling on less annoying aspects of the daily events
Answer: D
Explanation: Seeking assistance from coworkers, self-motivation, acquiring additional
resources, and strategizing are examples of problem-focused coping.
Bloom's: Understand
33
64) As manager of the accounting department at the Low Price Warehouse, Babette noticed that
the cohesion of the collections team was rather low. Each team member was assigned a section
of the alphabet, A-D, E-G, etc., and was responsible for calling only those customers within that
particular range. In terms of division of labor, this worked well, but it also kept her employees in
their own specific bubbles, resulting in few interactions between team members. To address this,
Babette instituted mandatory Friday afternoon meetings where she would provide coffee and
brownies, and employees would pair up, and each person would present the other's weekly report
to the entire group. She felt this would give the entire team a sense of what others were working
on and would encourage healthy competition once everyone knew what everyone else's stats
were. As soon as she began holding the meetings, one of her best employees, Jermaine, began
leaving the office just before the meetings began. He always turned his reports into her before he
left, and they were always accurate and well written, but he never showed up at the meetings.
When Babette talked to Jermaine about his absences, he sheepishly explained that he had a fear
of talking in front of groups. Applying the concepts behind secondary appraisal, how should
Babette deal with Jermaine's avoidance issue?
A) require Jermaine to attend the meetings or be given a formal reprimand

B) arrange for Jermaine to attend an intensive class on effective public speaking
C) discontinue the meetings to make sure Jermaine is not uncomfortable around his colleagues
D) make meeting attendance voluntary and hope that Jermaine will attend when he feels less
pressure to do so
E) allow Jermaine to continue to skip the meetings because in every other way his work
performance is exceptional
Answer: B
Explanation: Secondary appraisal involves asking, "What should I do?" and "What can I do?"
in response to a stressful situation. Behavioral coping involves the set of physical activities that
are used to deal with a stressful situation. An example of behavioral coping is an employee who
has several daily hassles who avoids work by coming in late, leaving early, or even staying
home. Problem-focused behavioral coping involves seeking assistance or acquiring additional
resources to help manage the feelings of stress.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
34
65) Makayla was taking the trash out to the dumpster behind the bakery where she worked when
she heard a loud noise. Just around the corner she saw her co-worker Narayan kicking at the
brick wall and cursing under his breath. She asked him what was wrong, and he told her that his
boss had denied his request for vacation even though it had been approved two months before.
Narayan was told that due to the recent layoffs, they would be understaffed for the Thanksgiving
holiday, and all previously approved vacation requests had been put on hold. Narayan was upset
because this meant he would be unable to attend his cousin's wedding, where he was looking
forward to seeing his extended family. Narayan's outburst is an example of ________ coping.
A) fear-based cognitive
B) emotion-focused cognitive
C) problem-focused cognitive
D) emotion-focused behavioral
E) problem-focused behavioral
Answer: D
Explanation: Emotion-focused coping refers to the various ways in which people manage their
own emotional reactions to stressful demands. Behavioral coping involves the set of physical
activities that are used to deal with a stressful situation. Emotion-focused behavioral coping
includes engaging in alternative activities, seeking support, and venting anger.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
66) Kristen attempts to address time pressure by working harder and seeking assistance in
devising a strategy for accomplishing the work more efficiently. In the example, Kristen uses
A) virtual coping.
B) cognitive-based coping.
C) problem-focused coping.
D) Type A coping mechanisms.
E) organizational coping mechanisms.
Answer: C
Explanation: Problem-focused coping refers to behaviors and cognitions intended to manage
the stressful situation itself. Behavioral coping involves the set of physical activities that are used
to deal with a stressful situation.
Bloom's: Apply
35
67) Self-motivation and changing priorities are examples of ________ coping strategies.
A) fear-avoidance behavior
B) emotion-focused behavior
C) emotion-focused cognitive
D) problem-focused cognitive
E) primary
Answer: D
the stressful situation itself. Cognitive coping refers to the thoughts that are involved in trying to
deal with a stressful situation.
Bloom's: Understand
68) Hector works as an office assistant for a small, five-person software development start-up.
Since it is a relatively new company without extensive resources, Hector is constantly having to
deal with a lack of supplies and faulty office equipment. While these problems sometimes get
him down, the co-owners of the fledgling company are his friends from college, and he looks
forward to seeing them every day. In order to offset his frustration with the sometimes
inadequate equipment, Hector instead celebrates the fact that he gets to work in a casual
environment with friends. Hector's approach is an example of
A) emotion-focused cognitive coping.
B) problem-focused cognitive coping.
C) secondary appraising.
D) behavioral coping.
E) strain mitigation.
Answer: A
own emotional reactions to stressful demands. Cognitive coping refers to the thoughts that are
involved in trying to deal with a stressful situation.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
36
69) Which of the following is an example of problem-focused coping?
A) Layla meets with her manager to discuss her feelings of failure after her new packaging
design was rejected by the marketing department.
B) When Josiah was unable to find the source of a bug in a smartphone app he was testing, he set
that task aside and worked on something else.
C) In order to meet a pending deadline, Ava chooses to wear noise canceling headphones and set
her phone to ring through to voicemail while she focuses on achieving her goal.
D) Kai reassessed his feelings of inadequacy after being passed over for a promotion and decided
to see it as an opportunity to reengage with the job he has rather than the job he wants.
E) Because Cora was always being asked by her boss to stay late on Fridays to finish last-minute
tasks, she elected to take advantage of the company's telecommuting policy and work from home
on Fridays instead.
Answer: C
the stressful situation itself. Examples of problem-focused coping include working harder and
strategizing. Emotion-focused coping refers to the various ways in which people manage their
own emotional reactions to stressful demands. Examples of emotion-focused coping include
avoiding, distancing, and ignoring, as well as looking for the positive in the negative and
reappraising.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
70) Seeking support and venting anger are examples of which of the following coping strategies?
A) emotion-focused behavior coping
B) problem-focused behavior coping
C) stress-focused cognitive coping
D) fear-avoidance cognitive coping
E) problem-focused cognitive coping
Answer: A
own emotional reactions to stressful demands. Behavioral coping involves the set of physical
activities that are used to deal with a stressful situation.
Bloom's: Understand
37
71) Alisha and Carolina work at the Flash-Frozen Vegetables factory. The company is short-
staffed, and the employees are finding it difficult to meet the daily production requirements. Both
Alisha and Carolina are facing time pressures in their respective departments. Alisha decides to
work longer hours to meet the deadline, whereas Carolina tries to distance herself from her
problems at work by thinking about the positive things in her life. Which of these coping
strategies is Alisha utilizing?
A) emotion-focused behavior coping
C) emotion-focused cognitive coping
D) problem-focused cognitive coping
E) primary cognitive coping
Answer: B
the stressful situation itself. Behavioral coping involves the set of physical activities that are used
to deal with a stressful situation.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
72) Alisha and Carolina work at the Flash-Frozen Vegetables factory. The company is short-
staffed, and the employees are finding it difficult to meet the daily production requirements. Both
Alisha and Carolina are facing time pressures in their respective departments. Alisha decides to
work longer hours to meet the deadline, whereas Carolina tries to distance herself from her
problems at work by thinking about the positive things in her life. Which of these coping
strategies is Carolina utilizing?
A) social support
C) emotion-focused cognitive coping
D) instrumental support
E) behavior coping
Answer: C
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Bloom's: Apply
38
73) Looking for the positive in the negative, and avoiding, distancing, and ignoring are examples
of
A) problem-focused cognitive coping strategies.
B) problem-focused behavior coping strategies.
C) emotion-focused cognitive coping strategies.
D) primary cognitive coping strategies.
E) primary behavior coping strategies.
Answer: C
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
74) Raoul owns a furniture moving company. During late spring, especially when the local
colleges go on summer break and students move out of the dorms, he finds himself overloaded
with work, which often makes him feel irritable and anxious. To calm himself, he often takes
time out to go swimming. In this example, the coping strategy that Raoul uses can be classified
as
A) primary appraisal.
B) cognitive coping.
C) emotion-focused coping.
D) Type A coping behavior.
E) Type B coping behavior.
Answer: C
Explanation: In contrast to problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping refers to the
various ways in which people manage their own emotional reactions to stressful demands.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
39
75) ________ is the emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that results from having to cope
with stressful demands on an ongoing basis.
A) Burnout
B) Type A behavior pattern
C) Type B behavior pattern
D) A stressor
E) A benign job demand
Answer: A
Explanation: Burnout is defined as the emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that results
from having to cope with stressful demands on an ongoing basis.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
76) Which if the following is an example of instrumental support?

A) Talisa complains about her boss to a co-worker in the break room.
B) Horatio's husband listens to him complain about his workday over dinner.
C) Odell invites each of his team members to open up to him about their grievances.
D) Jenny offers to answer phones to give the receptionist a chance to get caught up on his filing.
E) Uriel stops at the gym at the end of his shift to work out his frustrations by sparring with a
boxing partner.
Answer: D
Explanation: Instrumental support refers to the help people receive that can be used to address
the stressful demand directly. Emotional support refers to the help people receive in addressing
the emotional distress that accompanies stressful demands.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
40
77) Due to time pressure and heavy workload, Dan has developed high blood pressure and has
started to show forgetfulness at work and home. These are examples of ________ strains.
A) physiological and behavioral
B) psychological and behavioral
C) physiological and psychological
D) internal and external
E) psychological and cognitive
Answer: C
Explanation: Physiological strains that result from stressors occur in at least four systems of the
human body. Psychological strains that result from stressors include depression, anxiety, anger,
hostility, reduced self-confidence, irritability, inability to think clearly, forgetfulness, lack of
creativity, memory loss, and a loss of sense of humor.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
78) Depression, anxiety, and anger reflect ________ strain.

A) physiological
B) psychological
C) behavioral
D) nonwork
E) cognitive
Answer: B
Explanation: Psychological strains that result from stressors include depression, anxiety, anger,
hostility, reduced self-confidence, irritability, inability to think clearly, forgetfulness, lack of
creativity, memory loss, and a loss of sense of humor.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
41
79) George is a stockbroker in a leading brokerage firm. Recently, he has been assigned several
additional tasks. He begins to consume alcohol to cope with the increasing workload. George
also becomes demanding and overly critical of his coworkers and his family. In this example,
George is exhibiting ________ strain.
A) virtual
B) Type A
C) hindrance
D) behavioral
E) instrumental
Answer: D
Explanation: Behavioral strains are unhealthy behaviors such as grinding one's teeth at night,
being overly critical and bossy, excessive smoking, compulsive gum chewing, overuse of
alcohol, and compulsive eating.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
80) People with the Type A Behavior Pattern are typically

A) aggressive and competitive.
B) thoughtful and cooperative.
C) methodical and precise.
D) lazy and unproductive.
E) cautious and insecure.
Answer: A
Explanation: "Type A" people tend to be impatient, hard-driving, competitive, controlling,
aggressive, and even hostile.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
42
81) The two major types of social support are
A) financial and literal.
B) practical and theoretical.
C) instrumental and emotional.
D) psychological and cognitive.
E) behavioral and physiological.
Answer: C
Explanation: Social support refers to the help that people receive when they are confronted with
stressful demands, and there are at least two major types. One type of social support is called
instrumental support, which refers to the help people receive that can be used to address the
stressful demand directly. A second type of social support is called emotional support. This type
of support refers to the help people receive in addressing the emotional distress that accompanies
stressful demands.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Bloom's: Remember
82) Which of these refers to the help people receive that addresses the stressful demand directly?
A) instrumental support
B) physiological support
C) emotional support
D) psychological support
E) internal support
Answer: A
Explanation: One type of social support is called instrumental support, which refers to the help
people receive that can be used to address the stressful demand directly. For example, if a person
is overloaded with work, a coworker could provide instrumental support by taking over some of
the work or offering suggestions about how to do the work more efficiently.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
43
83) Charene is a product development manager for Unique Automotive Accessories. When she
was first hired, she proved herself to be one of the most productive new employees. Lately,
Charene's supervisor, Ivan, has noticed that her productivity is slipping from its previous high
point. Whenever Ivan stays late at the office, he sees that Charene is always at her desk, eating
take-out, and she is always the first to arrive in the morning. He also observes that her e-mail
replies are often time-stamped on the weekend. Ivan decides to hire Charene an assistant to ease
her workload and improve her work-life balance. Ivan's approach to alleviating Charene's
stressors is an example of
A) burnout.
B) cognitive coping.
C) emotional support.
D) instrumental support.
E) organizational cohesion.
Answer: D
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
84) A supervisor appears understanding and empathizes with his subordinates when they
experience work-related stress. In this example, the supervisor is providing ________ support.
A) instrumental
B) emotional
C) tangible
D) physiological
E) cognitive
Answer: B
Explanation: Emotional support refers to the help people receive in addressing the emotional
distress that accompanies stressful demands. As an example, the supervisor of the individual who
is overloaded with work might provide emotional support by showing interest in the employee's
situation and appearing to be understanding and empathetic.
Topic: Emotional support
Bloom's: Understand
44
85) Akono is an associate with Wealth Management Partners in Texas. Among various other
work commitments, Akono has to compile the annual financial statement for Broadband Express,
an important client. It is a job with heavy workload and a short turnaround deadline. Anaya,
Akono's colleague, observed this stressful situation and volunteered to assist Akono in meeting
the deadline. The support received by Akono can be best described as ________ support.
A) marginal
B) physiological
C) emotional
D) adaptive
E) instrumental
Answer: E
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
86) Which of the following is an example of a Type A Behavior Pattern?

A) Enrique keeps to himself at office parties, preferring to read a book or wear earbuds rather
than talk to anyone.
B) Natalia comes in late and leaves early, often without asking for permission or notifying her
supervisor in advance.
C) During weekly meetings, Sharona talks over other people and is always in a hurry to get back
to her desk and get back to work.
D) Frederica is an excellent team player, and she never takes credit for her efforts, preferring to
see the outcome as the product of a group effort.
E) Kristoffer is a slow and methodical worker, and he can always be counted on to get his work
done with a high degree of accuracy, if not always on time.
Answer: C
Explanation: "Type A" people tend to be impatient, hard-driving, competitive, controlling,
aggressive, and even hostile.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
45
87) Which of the following statements is true regarding social support?
A) Social support refers to the support that occurs outside the stress-causing environment.
B) Social support refers to the level of financial security that an individual receives from
government-managed social work programs.
C) Social support is classified into two types: emotional support and cognitive support.
D) Most research on social support focuses on the ways that social support buffers the
relationship between stressors and strains.
E) Social support cannot directly influence the stress process.
Answer: D
Explanation: Social support has the potential to influence the stress process in several different
ways. However, most research on social support focuses on the ways that social support buffers
the relationship between stressors and strains.
Bloom's: Understand
46
88) A year ago Niantha was promoted to project manager at FeedTheWorld.com, an online
charity organization that facilitates the distribution of out-of-date food from supermarkets and
restaurants to homeless shelters and food pantries. In an effort to boost productivity and keep the
team engaged and relaxed, Niantha implemented a number of light-hearted strategies such as
casual Fridays, Random Theme Mondays, and Pajama Wednesdays. Since there is little client
contact at the office, she saw no reason for her team to dress formally, and she wanted them to
feel as comfortable as possible in the workplace. In order to keep things her team energized and
goal-oriented, she created weekly challenge goals and friendly competition among team
members by posting the total amount of food each person managed to reclaim that week. As a
result of Niantha's efforts, the team's productivity skyrocketed in the first three months, with
multiple members vying to win the week's "Biggest Community Helper" award. The team got
along well, fraternized after hours, and Niantha's vice president applauded her department's
improved output. In the past six months, however, productivity has been slipping, and Niantha is
puzzled. Looking over her records, she sees that her two best employees, Reggie and Shay, have
not missed a single day of work in six months. Niantha did catch Reggie sleeping at his desk
once or twice, and Shay recently had a persistent cough. But both of them engage in a friendly
rivalry each week as they vie for the top prize, and each seems to respond positively to her
demands on their time. Yet, somehow, their overall productivity has ebbed, as has that of the
team as a whole. Given what you know about the nature of challenge stressors, how should
Niantha address the issue of lost productivity?
A) by giving Shay and Reggie extra projects each week that require them to stay late or work
weekends
B) by assigning projects to different pairs of employees each week, making sure Reggie and
Shay are never on the same team
C) by allowing Reggie and Shay to choose their own projects each week before handing out
assignments to the rest of the team
D) by making the rest of the team responsible for Shay and Reggie's work output and taking
away casual dress privileges if the team fails to meet its goals
E) by requiring that Reggie and Shay use at least one day of paid time off per month and sending
them home if they show up to work visibly sick, tired, or distressed
Answer: E
Explanation: High levels of challenge stressors may have negative consequences that only
become apparent over the long term. People whose jobs are filled with challenge stressors
experience strains that can result in illness, but because they tend to be more satisfied,
committed, and engaged with their jobs, they come to work anyway. This phenomenon, which is
referred to as presenteeism, can result in prolonged illness, as well as the spread of illness, and
ultimately a downward spiral of impaired performance and employee health.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
commitment?
Bloom's: Apply
47
89) Hindrance stressors have a ________ effect on job performance.
A) high negative
B) strong negative
C) strong positive
D) weak negative
E) moderately positive
Answer: D
Explanation: Hindrance stressors have a weak negative relationship with job performance. A
general explanation for this negative relationship is that hindrance stressors result in strains and
negative emotions that reduce the overall level of physical, cognitive, and emotional energy that
people could otherwise bring to their job duties.
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
90) Which of the following situations demonstrates the connection between hindrance stressors
and organizational commitment?
A) Xander deals with his frustration over his boss showing favoritism to other members of his
team by going for runs at lunch.
B) Hilary's manager constantly makes unreasonable demands that force her to work long hours,
and as a result she is looking for another job.
C) When Oberon learned that a lazy coworker had been given a big raise, Oberon decided to
work harder in order to earn a similar raise for himself.
D) Frida's company cuts costs by not replacing old, worn out equipment, so she is forced to
ignore the problems in order to focus on getting her work done.
E) The psychological pressure Sheila felt as an accountant during tax season led her to form a
support group with other people in her department who felt the same way.
Answer: B
Explanation: Hindrance stressors have a strong negative relationship with organizational
commitment. People who work at jobs that they know are causing them to feel constantly sick
and exhausted will likely be dissatisfied with their jobs and feel less desire to stay with the
organization and more desire to consider alternatives.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
commitment?
Bloom's: Apply
48
91) Hindrance stressors have a ________ relationship with organizational commitment.
A) weak positive
B) strong negative
C) strong positive
D) moderate negative
E) moderate positive
Answer: B
Explanation: Hindrance stressors have a strong negative effect on organizational commitment.
People who experience higher levels of hindrance stressors tend to feel lower levels of affective
commitment and lower levels of normative commitment. Effects on continuance commitment are
weaker.
Topic: Stress
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
92) Which of the following statements is true about the effects of stressors?
A) Hindrance stressors have a strong negative effect on job performance.
B) Hindrance stressors have a moderate negative effect on organizational commitment.
C) Challenge stressors have a strong negative relationship with job performance.
D) Employees who experience higher levels of challenge stressors also tend to have lower levels
of job performance.
E) Challenge stressors have a moderate positive relationship with organizational commitment.
Answer: E
Explanation: Challenge stressors have a weak relationship with job performance and a
moderate relationship with organizational commitment. However, in contrast to the results for
hindrance stressors, the relationships are positive rather than negative.
Topic: Stress
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
49
93) Some highly motivated individuals come to work even though they are suffering from the
physiological, psychological, or behavioral strain caused by stress. This phenomenon, known as
________, can result in reductions in productivity even greater than those resulting from
employees who avoid work due to the effects of stress.
A) presenteeism
B) insubordination
C) stress resistance
D) workplace defiance
E) organizational commitment
Answer: A
Explanation: Presenteeism refers to the situation in which employees come to work even
though they are suffering physiological, psychological, or behavioral strain. This can result in
prolonged illness, the spread of illness, and a downward spiral of impaired performance, which
can have even worse effects on productivity than absenteeism.
Topic: Stress
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
94) People who experience higher levels of challenge stressors tend to have higher levels of
A) presenteeism.
B) hindrance stress.
C) job performance.
D) organizational burnout.
E) psychological distractions.
Answer: C
Explanation: Employees who experience higher levels of challenge stressors also tend to have
higher levels of job performance and organizational commitment.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Job performance
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
50
95) Attempts to reduce stressors in the workplace are most beneficial when focused on ________
stressors.
A) cognitive
B) challenge
C) hindrance
D) behavioral
E) ambiguous
Answer: C
Explanation: Reducing stressors is likely to be most beneficial when the focus of the effort is on
hindrance stressors.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
commitment?
Bloom's: Remember
96) Miranda is in charge of tracking the output quality of recycled aluminum at Reclaimed
Metals. When she went on maternity leave, Silas was brought on in a temporary capacity to
cover her position during her absence. The department manager, Rochelle, knew that the
company's rapid growth had increased Miranda's workload over recent months, and she wanted
to ensure Miranda would not have to work overtime upon her return since Miranda would have a
new baby at home. In order to allow Miranda to ease back into work upon her return and to
account for increased work demands due to future company growth, Rochelle decided to hire
Silas permanently to handle the quality assurance responsibilities with Miranda. This
arrangement is known as
A) contracting.
B) job sharing.
C) virtual work.
D) term-time working.
E) compressed working hours.
Answer: B
Explanation: Job sharing does not mean splitting one job into two but rather indicates that two
people share the responsibilities of a single job, as if the two people were a single performing
unit. It can be used to reduce role overload and foster work-life balance.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Job sharing
Bloom's: Apply
51
97) By providing ________, organizations aim to increase job-related competencies and skills
that help employees to cope with stressful demands.
A) hindrance stressors
B) benign job demands
C) training interventions
D) emotional support
E) transactional theories
Answer: C
Explanation: Organizations provide resources to employees through training interventions
aimed at increasing job-related competencies and skills. Training that increases employee
competencies and skills is also beneficial to the extent that it promotes a sense that the demands
are more controllable.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
98) A compressed workweek, telecommuting, on-site child care and flextime are all examples of
A) training interventions.
B) supportive practices.
C) challenge stressors.
D) primary appraisals.
E) job sharing.
Answer: B
Explanation: Supportive practices such as a compressed workweek, full-time telecommuting,
on-site child care, and flextime help employees manage and balance the demands that exist in the
different roles they have.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
52
99) Indira manages a team of people in the accounting department at Financial Partners, LLP.
The company has been in buyout talks with a large competitor for the past few months. As the
merger deal nears completion, Indira started noticing a change in her team's conduct. One of the
collection agents, Malcolm, is taking longer lunches and often returns reeking of alcohol. She
observed Akobo, the accounts receivable supervisor, uncharacteristically lashing out at vendors
on the phone. Her own assistant, Marjorie, started nervously tapping her feet and pulling at her
hair during meetings. Indira is worried about her team and their well-being. According to the
protocols of assessment, which of the following actions will help Indira best understanding her
team's issues?
A) hiring an expert to observe her team as they work and to report on the status of each member
B) reading through her team's e-mail correspondence to search for clues about their shift in
behavior
C) bringing in a masseuse at lunch time once a week to give free massages to the team members
who want them
D) instituting a program through which high-performing employees mentor lower-performing
team members, regardless of seniority
E) considering what might be causing the issues and having her team members fill out
questionnaires asking about the sources of their anxieties
Answer: E
Explanation: The first step in managing stress is to assess the level and sources of stress in the
workplace. Although there are many ways to accomplish this type of evaluation, often referred to
as a stress audit, managers can begin by asking themselves questions about the nature of the jobs
in their organization to estimate whether high stress levels may be a problem. The first category
of questions might involve the degree to which the organization is going through changes that
would likely increase uncertainty among employees. As an example, a merger between two
companies might increase employees' uncertainty about their job security and possible career
paths. A second category of questions might center on the work itself. These questions typically
focus on the level and types of stressors experienced by the employees.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
53
100) As an alternative to managing stressors, many organizations teach employees to use
________ to counteract the effects of stressors by engaging in activities that slow the heart rate,
breathing rate, and blood pressure.
A) heuristics
B) relaxation techniques
C) emotional suppression
D) primary performance appraisal
E) transactional analysis
Answer: B
Explanation: Relaxation techniques teach people how to counteract the effects of stressors by
engaging in activities that slow the heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
101) Which of these techniques attempt(s) to help people appraise and cope with stressors in a
more rational manner?
A) self-hypnosis techniques
B) relaxation techniques
C) catharsis
D) cognitive-behavioral techniques
E) free association
Answer: D
Explanation: Cognitive-behavioral techniques attempt to help people appraise and cope with
stressors in a more rational manner.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
54
102) Veronica is feeling stressed and has asked her manager if there are any supportive practices
available to help her. Her manager suggests that since Veronica is interested in environmental
issues, she should take advantage of a program that would enable her to take six months away
from the company to work on the local "reclaim the bay" initiative. Veronica's manager is
offering her
A) a sabbatical.
B) a vacation.
C) flextime.
D) a compressed workweek.
E) a stress challenge.
Answer: A
Explanation: Some organizations help their employees cope with stress by offering them the
opportunity to take a sabbatical—paid or unpaid time off to engage in alternative activities.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
103) A majority of all ________ are attributable to stress-related causes.

A) firings
B) doctor visits
C) violent outbursts
D) health-care costs
E) work-related injuries
Answer: B
Explanation: Estimates are that between 60 and 90 percent of all doctor visits can be attributed
to stress-related causes.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
55
104) The process by which managers evaluate the nature of the jobs in their organization to
determine if high stress levels are an issue is known as a(n)
A) stress audit.
B) health check.
C) time pressure test.
D) transactional study.
E) organizational assessment.
Answer: A
Explanation: Using an evaluation called a stress audit, managers can begin to ask themselves
questions about the nature of the jobs in their organization to estimate whether high stress levels
may be a problem.
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Remember
105) Mohammed, who managed an IT department at the corporate headquarters of the retail
clothing chain Real Cheap Shirts, noticed one of his best technicians, Mia, was often coming in
late, and when she was on time, she was distracted and harried. She occasionally ran diagnostic
tests on the wrong systems or lost focus when presenting her weekly recap reports to the team.
Mohammed asked if something was going on, and Mia admitted that her grandfather, whom she
lived with, was showing signs of dementia, and she was trying her best to care for him alone, but
it was hard to do that and commit 100 percent to her work duties. Mohammed proposed to alter
Mia's work requirements such that she could work whatever hours she wanted to, including some
telecommuting from home, as long as she completed her assigned tasks by the end of each week.
Mia smiled when she heard this and was grateful that her boss was so understanding. In allowing
Mia to have altered work hours, Mohammed was utilizing
A) cognitive coping.
B) personal instruction.
C) supportive practices.
D) training interventions.
E) organizational flexibility.
Answer: C
Explanation: Supportive practices help employees manage and balance the demands that exist
in different roles they have. Examples of supportive practices include flextime, part-time
telecommuting, compressed workweeks, and onsite child care.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
56
106) Distinguish between a stressor and a strain, and give one example of each.
Answer: Student answers and examples will vary but should demonstrate understanding of the
difference between stressors and strains. A sample answer follows.
The demands that cause people to experience stress are called stressors. The negative
consequences that occur when demands tax or exceed a person's capacity or resources are called
strains. People differ in terms of how they perceive and evaluate stressors and the way they cope
with them. As a result, different people may experience different levels of stress even when
confronted with the exact same situation.
An example of a stressor is equipment failure that hinders job performance, such as a copier that
jams repeatedly and prevents an employee from assembling weekly reports on time. An example
of a strain is the tension headache that same employee suffers as a result of the frustration caused
by the faulty copier.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
107) Explain the transactional theory of stress.
Answer: The transactional theory of stress explains how stressors are perceived and appraised,
as well as how people respond to those perceptions and appraisals. When people first encounter
stressors, the process of primary appraisal is triggered. Primary appraisal occurs as people
evaluate the significance and the meaning of the stressor they are confronting. Here, people first
consider whether a demand causes them to feel stressed, and if it does, they consider the
implications of the stressor in terms of their personal goals and overall well-being. Job demands
that tend not to be appraised as stressful are called benign job demands.
Bloom's: Remember
57
108) Describe the nature of hindrance stressors, and give one example each of three different
hindrance stressors.
Answer: Student answers and examples will vary but should demonstrate understanding of
hindrance stressors. A sample answer follows.
Hindrance stressors are stressful demands that people tend to perceive as hindering their progress
toward personal accomplishments or goal attainment. Hindrance stressors most often trigger
negative emotions such as anxiety and anger. Work hindrance stressors include role conflict, role
ambiguity, role overload, and daily hassles. Nonwork hindrance stressors include work-family
conflict, negative life events, and financial uncertainty.
One example of the work hindrance stressor role overload is a lawyer who has so many clients
that she ends up working late every night and every weekend to keep up with her workload. An
example of the nonwork hindrance stressor negative life events is an employee going through a
divorce that affects her attitude at work and results in negative emotions. An example of the
work hindrance stressor role conflict is a grocery cashier who is required to check out customers
as quickly as possible but who is also asked to be polite and sociable with customers. Talking
leisurely with customers, while fostering a warm atmosphere in the store, can work against the
goal of fast checkout.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
58
109) Christopher works as a financial analyst in an investment firm. Because several of his
colleagues recently resigned from the firm, he has had to take over extra responsibilities. His
manager notices that Christopher has started smoking heavily and often gets irritable with his
coworkers. What kind of strain is Christopher experiencing? If you were his manager, what kind
of coping mechanism would you prefer that he use to cope with the stress?
Answer: Student answers will vary but should demonstrate understanding of behavioral strains
and potential coping mechanisms. A sample answer follows.
Christopher is experiencing behavioral strains. Behavioral strains are unhealthy behaviors such
as grinding one's teeth at night, being overly critical and bossy, excessive smoking, compulsive
gum chewing, overuse of alcohol, and compulsive eating. The coping strategy that Christopher
uses will ultimately have important implications for how effectively he can meet or adapt to the
different stressors that he faces. A manager would most likely want subordinates to cope with the
stress of heavy workload by using a problem-focused strategy—working harder—rather than an
emotion-focused strategy—leaving work several hours early to create distance from the stressor.
Students' answers to the last part of the question will vary.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
59
110) Explain the four broad categories of coping, and give an example of each.
Answer: Student answers and examples will vary. A sample answer follows.
Coping involves different activities that can be grouped into four broad categories based on two
dimensions. The first dimension refers to the method of coping, and the second dimension refers
to the focus of coping. Behavioral coping involves the set of physical activities that are used to
deal with a stressful situation. Cognitive coping refers to the thoughts that are involved in trying
to deal with a stressful situation. Problem-focused coping refers to behaviors and cognitions
intended to manage the stressful situation itself. Emotion-focused coping refers to the various
ways in which people manage their own emotional reactions to stressful demands.
An example of behavioral coping would be a copywriter working on a tight deadline choosing to

work faster and harder to meet the goal successfully. An example of cognitive coping would be a
sewer repairperson focusing her thoughts on the good her job is doing for the community rather
than being disgusted by the unpleasant odors she is mired in day after day. An example of
problem-focused coping would be a mail carrier who spent time to work out the most efficient
route for delivering the mail in his service area to make sure he got home on time each day. An
example of emotion-focused coping would be a construction worker who was afraid of heights
seeking counseling to ease his anxiety.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
60
111) Tina is a highly ambitious graphic designer. She has a constant sense of urgency and tends
to be impatient with persons who do not live up to her sense of perfection. Her general activity
level is very high, and she sets high standards for herself work-wise. She puts much more effort
into her work than other people do. What type of behavior pattern does she have? How would
this influence her work? Are there any risks associated with her behavior pattern?
Answer: Tina exhibits Type A Behavior Pattern. Such people have a strong sense of time
urgency and tend to be impatient, hard-driving, competitive, controlling, aggressive, and even
hostile. They also have a strong desire to achieve. Tina, being a Type A individual, is more likely
to appraise demands as being stressful rather than being benign. Her hard-driving
competitiveness could make her hypersensitive to demands that could potentially affect her
progress toward goal attainment. Tina may be more prone to interpersonal conflict. Students'
answers will vary for the last response. The Type A Behavior Pattern has been directly linked to
coronary heart disease and other physiological, psychological, and behavioral strains.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
112) Explain the concept of presenteeism, and describe the effects it has on workplace
productivity.
Answer: High levels of challenge stressors may have negative consequences that only become
apparent over the long term. People whose jobs are filled with challenge stressors experience
strains that can result in illness, but because they tend to be more satisfied, committed, and
engaged with their jobs, they come to work anyway. This phenomenon, which is referred to as
presenteeism, can result in prolonged illness, as well as the spread of illness, and ultimately a
downward spiral of impaired performance and employee health. In fact, it may surprise you to
learn that the reductions in productivity that result from presenteeism are even larger than
reductions in productivity that result from employee absenteeism.
Topic: Stress
commitment?
Bloom's: Understand
61
113) FinSmart, a finance firm, plans to hire a psychological counselor to help employees cope
with stress. The firm also holds relaxation trainings and plans to build a recreation room where
employees can relax. The finance manager of the firm feels that these are unnecessary costs.
How would you counter his argument?
Answer: Student answers will vary but should demonstrate understanding of how organizations
can help reduce stress for their employees.
Employee stress results in strains that cost organizations in terms of reduced employee
performance and commitment. Health-related costs are driven to a great extent by employee
stress. Estimates are that between 60 percent and 90 percent of all doctor visits can be attributed
to stress-related causes, and the cost of providing health care to people who experience high
levels of stress appears to be approximately 50 percent higher than for those who experience
lower levels of stress. The relationship between stress and health care costs means that there
could be huge dividends for FinSmart if it manages employees' stress more effectively.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Apply
114) What is a stress audit? Explain how to reduce stressors and strains.
Answer: A stress audit is an assessment of the level and sources of stress in the workplace. This
is the first step in managing stress. If a stress audit reveals that stress may be a problem, then
alternative courses of action must be taken into consideration. Managing or reducing stressors is
one general course of action. One way an organization could reduce stressors is to try to
eliminate or significantly reduce stressful demands. Job sharing is an example of this approach.
This is to reduce role overload and foster work-life balance. As an alternative to managing
stressors, many organizations use practices that reduce strains. One type of strain-reducing
practice involves relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and
miscellaneous calming activities. Another practice involves cognitive-behavioral techniques.
These techniques tend to help people appraise and cope with stressors in a more rational manner.
A third practice involves health and wellness programs. These are comprehensive efforts that
include health screening and health-related courses and information.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
62
115) The organization must help its employees cope with stress. List the various resources an
organization can provide to help employees cope with stressors.
Answer: Student answers will vary but should demonstrate understanding of methods and
resources organizations can use to help employees cope with stressors. A sample answer follows.
One way that organizations provide resources to employees is through training interventions
aimed at increasing job-related competencies and skills. Employees who possess more
competencies and skills can handle more demands before they begin to appraise these demands
as overly taxing or exceeding their capacity. Training that increases employee competencies and
skills is also beneficial to the extent that it promotes a sense that the demands are more
controllable, and a sense of control promotes problem-focused coping strategies. A second way
that organizations provide resources to employees so that they can cope more effectively is
through supportive practices that help employees manage and balance the demands that exist in
the different roles they have. For example, organizations use flextime to give employees some
degree of latitude in terms of which hours they need to be present at the workplace. Flexible
working hours give employees the ability to cope with demands away from work, so they do not
have to worry about these demands while they are at work. Some organizations allow
telecommuting on a part-time basis.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
63
116) Describe the practices that organizations use to reduce employee strains.
Answer: As an alternative to managing stressors, many organizations use practices that reduce
strains. Some organizations use relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation,
meditation, and miscellaneous calming activities like taking walks, writing in a journal, and deep
breathing. Although these relaxation techniques differ, the basic idea is the same—they teach
people how to counteract the effects of stressors by engaging in activities that slow the heart rate,
breathing rate, and blood pressure. Cognitive-behavioral techniques attempt to help people
appraise and cope with stressors in a more rational manner. To understand what these techniques
involve, think of someone you know who not only exaggerates the level and importance of
stressful demands but also predicts doom and disaster after quickly concluding that the demands
simply cannot be met. Strain-reducing practices involve health and wellness programs. The
nature of these programs and resources varies a great deal from organization to organization, but
in general, they're comprehensive efforts that include health screening (blood pressure,
cholesterol levels, pulmonary functioning) and health-related courses and information. Other
examples of health and wellness programs intended to reduce strain include smoking cessation
programs, on-site fitness centers or fitness center memberships, and weight loss and nutrition
programs.
Topic: Stress
Bloom's: Understand
64

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Organizational Behavior Improving Performance and Commitment in The Workplace 6th Edition Colquitt Test Bank

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Organizational Behavior Improving

Performance and Commitment in the

27) The transactional theory of stress deals with

35) Which of these is a work hindrance stressor?

49) Which of the following is a work challenge stressor?

53) Work-family conflict is a type of ________ stressor.

55) Which of the following is a nonwork hindrance stressor?

57) Family time demands are what type of stressor?

61) Coping strategies can be viewed as either ________ focused.

63) Which of these is an example of problem-focused coping?

A) require Jermaine to attend the meetings or be given a formal reprimand

76) Which if the following is an example of instrumental support?

78) Depression, anxiety, and anger reflect ________ strain.

80) People with the Type A Behavior Pattern are typically

86) Which of the following is an example of a Type A Behavior Pattern?

103) A majority of all ________ are attributable to stress-related causes.

107) Explain the transactional theory of stress.

An example of behavioral coping would be a copywriter working on a tight deadline choosing to

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