Deck 13: Careers and Work

Question 1

Key issues someone should know about an occupation include all of the following EXCEPT

A) extrinsic job satisfaction.
B) potential status.
C) future outlook.
D) ongoing training.

Answer 1

extrinsic job satisfaction.

Question 2

In addition to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, people searching for information on occupations can find it

A) through online searching.
B) on The American Psychological Association's website.
C) through profession webpages.
D) all of the above.

Answer 2

all of the above.

Question 3

Which of the following is the best predictor of the likelihood of making a good job choice?

A) Personal compatibility.
B) Math aptitude.
C) Identity.
D) Level of intelligence.

Answer 3

Personal compatibility.

Question 4

What you can derive from a job in terms of helping people, being creative, or shouldering responsibility is most closely associated with which of the following job characteristics?

A) Potential status.
B) Working conditions.
C) Intrinsic job satisfaction.
D) Opportunities for advancement.

Question 5

According to a Gallup poll cited in your text, 73% of Americans consider work either "very important" or "extremely important" to their lives. Therefore, it would be reasonable to expect that 

A) 27% of Americans consider work to be extremely unimportant.
B) good, fulfilling careers have little impact on people's well-being.
C) people's career success can positively impact their sense of self.
D) 27% of Americans consider work to be neither important nor unimportant.

Question 6

The Occupational Outlook Handbook includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) salaries.
B) education requirements.
C) employer listings.
D) job descriptions.

Question 7

According to recent research cited in the text, _____    has more influence on careers than_____     .

A) gender; ethnicity
B) ethnicity; gender
C) socioeconomic status; ethnicity
D) ethnicity; socioeconomic status

Question 8

Which of the following is an increasingly important specific aptitude?

A) Intelligence.
B) Math aptitude.
C) Identity.
D) Social skills.

Question 9

Which of the following is a key predictor of occupational status?

A) Years of education.
B) Parents' expectations.
C) Grade point average in high school.
D) Score on occupational interest inventory.

Question 10

Psychologists who study human behavior in the workplace are called_____ psychologists. 

A) work
B) developmental
C) behavioral
D) industrial/organizational

Question 11

Carlito is thinking of changing majors and career choice. He should find out 

A) the location of a job.
B) what day-to-day duties and responsibilities would be expected.
C) whether his friends think it is a good idea.
D) all of the above.

Question 12

Good sources of information about job characteristics include

A) the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
B) literature from professional organizations.
C) current members of an occupation.
D) all of the above.

Question 13

Which of the following instruments is designed to predict the career in which you might expect to find the most job satisfaction?

A) The Bem Self-Esteem Scale.
B) The Strong Interest Inventory.
C) The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule.
D) Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire.

Question 14

Jessica recently took an occupational interest inventory. Which of the following was it NOT likely to be?

A) Strong Interest Inventory.
B) Kuder Career Search with Placement Match.
C) Self-Directed Search.
D) Minnesota Multiphasic Interest Inventory.

Question 15

Maurice has an extremely high IQ-over 150. He has complained about never having held down a job that satisfied him. Which of the following possibilities is MOST likely, based on the research findings presented in the chapter? 

A) Maurice is an outlier because most intelligent people are satisfied in their jobs.
B) Maurice is more intelligent than his supervisors and they are jealous.
C) Maurice may not have been in a position in which he has been challenged.
D) Maurice, as well as other intelligent people, tend to lack social skills.

Question 16

After reading this chapter about familial impacts on career aspirations, which of the following statements is MOST accurate? 

A) Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are encouraged by their parents to be curious and independent.
B) Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are likely to attain different levels of education from their parents.
C) Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are unlikely to hold high educational aspirations even when encouraged.
D) Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often receive messages of conformity and obedience from their parents.

Question 17

Paula's parents taught her the importance of always being to work on time and showing deference to a supervisor's wishes. Most likely, Paula's parents

A) are a higher-status family.
B) are a lower-status family.
C) have college degrees.
D) are none of the above.

Question 18

Business environmental psychology is the study of behavior in the workplace. 

Question 19

Which of the following statements about investing in a college education is NOT true? 

A) College graduates earn over $1 million more in lifetime earnings than do high school graduates.
B) College graduates with higher GPAs tend to have better job performance and higher salary.
C) It is difficult to statistically and monetarily justify earning a college degree in a liberal arts field.
D) Jobs that require a college degree tend to have higher salaries than those jobs without an educational requirement.

Question 20

Occupational interest inventories helped channel women into gender-typed careers through gender bias.

Question 21

The results of an occupational interest inventory are designed to 

A) predict whether you would be successful in various jobs.
B) focus on recommendations for the career path you should follow.
C) indicate how similar your interests are to the typical interests of people in various jobs.
D) indicate whether your interests are consistent with job descriptions included in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about vocational choice is NOT accurate?

A) There are no limits on your career options.
B) Some career decisions are not easily undone.
C) You have the potential for success in a variety of jobs.
D) Vocational development will continue throughout your lifetime.

Question 23

John Holland's model of career choice is generally considered a(n) _____approach.

A) trait
B) developmental
C) problem-based
D) aptitude-based

Question 24

Leah likes physical tasks that require lots of coordination, but not a lot of social skills. According to Holland's model of career choice, Leah would be considered a/an _____type. 

A) social
B) realistic
C) enterprising
D) conventional

Question 25

Super's developmental model of career choice asserts that self-concept is the critical factor in the process.

Question 26

Jasmine recently took a test measuring the most researched and most supported vocational psychology model. Jasmine was measured on the

A) James-Lange Model.
B) Emotional Intelligence Test.
C) Self-Directed Social Skills Model.
D) Holland Model.

Question 27

Which of the following individuals proposed an influential developmental model of career choice?

A) Nancy Betz.
B) Roger Gould.
C) John Holland.
D) Donald Super.

Question 28

According to Holland's model of career choice, a clinical psychologist would probably be considered a/an      type.

A) artistic
B) realistic
C) investigative
D) conventional

Question 29

Critics of occupational interest inventories have claimed that 

A) several major occupational areas have been ignored.
B) they have helped channel women into gender-typed careers.
C) age-related bias in the instruments has increased in recent years.
D) they are biased toward certain ethnic groups.

Question 30

According to John Holland's trait measurement and matching model of career development, which of the following personal orientations would be most compatible with a job as a nurse?

A) Social.
B) Realistic.
C) Enterprising.
D) Conventional.

Question 31

Research suggests that choosing a career based on_____ rather than_____ leads to greater happiness. 

A) money; status
B) projected earnings; potential status
C) meaning and purpose; money
D) naturally easy tasks; money

Question 32

According to Holland's model, people who like to use their social skills to persuade others, and who perceive themselves as self-confident, sociable, and popular, would most likely be considered as having the _____personal orientation.

A) social
B) artistic
C) enterprising
D) conventional

Question 33

A hospital would be an example of an environment that is preferred by_____  types. 

A) social
B) realistic
C) enterprising
D) conventional

Question 34

According to Holland's theory of vocational choice,

A) we are likely to be satisfied with our first "real" job.
B) we seek a work environment that fits our personality.
C) career choice is determined primarily by our ability to adapt.
D) all of the above apply.

Question 35

If you wanted to develop a new occupational interest inventory, which of the following would be the best way to begin?

A) Find out what specific skills are needed to be successful in various jobs.
B) Ask job seekers what appeals to them about the jobs they're considering.
C) Examine the interests of people who enjoy their work in various occupations.
D) Survey people about the aspects of their jobs that are most important to them.

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT good vocational advice someone could give?

A) Keep looking for that one job that fits you perfectly.
B) Be cautious about choosing a career solely on the basis of salary.
C) Recognize that your career options will be limited to some extent by factors beyond your control.
D) Be prepared to reevaluate your vocational decisions at various times throughout your working life.

Question 37

According to Holland's model, a happy scientist is probably a conventional type.

Question 38

Which of the following individuals would most likely be considered to have an artistic personal orientation, according to Holland's model?

A) Someone who writes children's books.
B) Someone who is an architect.
C) Someone who coordinates social activities for his or her company.
D) Someone who educates his or her company's employees about new software.

Question 39

According to Super's developmental model of career choice, decisions about work and career reflect

A) societal and parental pressure to succeed.
B) people's educational attainment prior to entering the workforce.
C) people's attempts to express their self-concept and changing views of themselves.
D) aspirations to attain lifestyles consistent with their interests.

Question 40

Which of the following statements regarding gender bias on occupational interest inventories is accurate?

A) There is no evidence of gender bias on these inventories.
B) Gender bias existed in the past, but it has been eliminated.
C) Gender bias exists, but only for African-American women.
D) Gender bias has been reduced, but it has not been eliminated.

Question 41

College graduates with college-level reading, writing, and quantitative skills get higher-paying jobs than other college graduates.

Question 42

Because of pressure from his parents and friends, Larry is thinking more about his future career, and he has several possibilities in mind that he thinks are realistic. According to Super's developmental model of career choice, which of the following stages is Larry probably in?

A) Growth.
B) Exploration.
C) Maintenance.
D) Establishment.

Question 43

Super's decline stage involves

A) deceleration.
B) planning for retirement.
C) decreasing vocational activity.
D) all of the above.

Question 44

The jobs of the next decade are most likely to be in which of the following areas?

A) Professional and service.
B) Construction.
C) Agriculture.
D) Manufacturing.

Question 45

The higher-paying jobs go to college graduates 

A) regardless of skills.
B) for men, but not for women.
C) with college-level reading, writing, and math skills.
D) if they become air traffic controllers.

Question 46

Approximately what percentage of women is in the labor force today?

A) 20%.
B) 40%.
C) 60%.
D) 80%.

Question 47

Women's vocational development is different from men's primarily because

A) men tend to be better trained for gender-neutral jobs.
B) women are less likely to experience labor force discontinuity.
C) women's career paths are often discontinuous.
D) women with children one year old or younger generally don't work outside the home.

Question 48

According to Super's developmental model of career choice, the second stage in vocational development is

A) growth.
B) exploration.
C) maintenance.
D) establishment.

Question 49

According to Super's developmental model of career choice, which of the following stages involves making a commitment to a specific job and demonstrating the ability to function effectively in this job?

A) Growth.
B) Exploration.
C) Establishment.
D) Maintenance.

Question 50

Leaving the labor force, even for brief periods of time, is called

A) overemployment.
B) labor force discontinuity.
C) token employment.
D) re-employment disclamation.

Question 51

Your classmate Rachel is a business major. She has a strong entrepreneurial spirit and has long dreamt of being the CEO of her own startup company. While she believes that she will eventually marry her longtime beau, Luke, she has no interest whatsoever in having children. Based on the research on women's career development presented in your text, it would be MOST reasonable to expect which of the following? 

A) Rachel will end up having children and a continuous career path.
B) If she and Luke do not have children, Rachel is likely to experience career advancement on par with her male colleagues.
C) Women's lower salaries and workplace status is not at all connected to labor force discontinuity, so Rachel should not be affected.
D) The number of women in the workforce is projected to decrease, and so Rachel will not be alone if she does not work.

Question 52

Which of the following is NOT a workplace trend?

A) Increased technology.
B) More permanent jobs.
C) New work attitudes.
D) Less work/home boundaries.

Question 53

People who worry mainly about retaining their achieved status rather than improving it are probably in which of Super's developmental stages?

A) Decline.
B) Exploration.
C) Maintenance.
D) Establishment.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT an important work-related trend?

A) Lifelong learning is a necessity.
B) More jobs will be in the service sector.
C) Temporary employment is decreasing.
D) Technology is changing the nature of work.

Question 55

is the critical factor in Super's model of career choice.

A) Self-esteem
B) Self-concept
C) Developmental crisis
D) Level of aspiration

Question 56

Work is an activity that produces something of value for others. 

Question 57

The United States, like many other industrialized nations, is shifting toward a 

A) shorter work day but longer work week.
B) manufacturing or goods-producing economy.
C) bartering economy.
D) service-based economy.

Question 58

Martin sometimes fantasizes that he would like to be a policeman or a detective, though he has no idea what would be required of him to hold such a job. According to Super's model of career choice, what is Martin's probable stage of life?

A) Growth.
B) Exploration.
C) Maintenance.
D) Establishment.

Question 59

The relationship between years of education and income is 

A) positive.
B) negative.
C) not significant.
D) shaped like an inverted U.

Question 60

David is in Super's maintenance stage of vocational development. His primary concern is likely to be

A) committing to an occupation.
B) retaining the job status he has achieved.
C) making enough money to support his family.
D) deciding whether he should return to school to improve his skills so he can advance.

Question 61

In 2005, about _____of married women worked. 

A) 40%
B) 60%
C) 80%
D) 90%

Question 62

Jobs with _____and_____ are considered the most stressful.

A) low psychological demands; high decision control
B) high psychological demands; high decision control
C) low psychological demands; low decision control
D) high psychological demands; low decision control

Question 63

Laboratory research has demonstrated that attaching an affirmative action label to an employee results in

A) the employee being considered a "token."
B) the creation of a "glass ceiling" in the workplace.
C) negative feelings directed toward the employee.
D) feelings of jealousy among the employee's coworkers.

Question 64

Jason belongs to an ethnic minority group and feels as though his coworkers see him as a_____        worker; consequently, he is likely to experience more_____  pressure than the typical white male.

A) minority; stress
B) token; performance
C) minority; performance
D) token; stress

Question 65

According to Robert Karasek, the two factors that play a key role in determining occupational stress are_______________

A) decision control and employee autonomy.
B) psychological demands and decision control.
C) employee autonomy and relationship with superior.
D) relationship with superior and psychological demands.

Question 66

Between 1975 and 2005,

A) the number of working women with children under the age of three increased over 20%.
B) the number of workers reared below poverty level declined sharply.
C) 20% of working women left the full-time workforce to raise children at home.
D) discrimination against women and minorities in the workplace had almost completely ended.

Question 67

Older adults are troubled more by personal stressors than are younger people.

Question 68

In 1970, approximately % of married women worked, while in 2005, approximately__________% of married women worked.

A) 40; 60
B) 60; 40
C) 60; 80
D) 80; 60

Question 69

Billy is a mail worker where there is constant pressure to increase his speed and productivity. Psychologists would say Billy's job contains

A) low psychological demand.
B) high mental load.
C) low decision control.
D) low automatic load.

Question 70

Suppose you are interning with an industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologist. The I/O psychologist is consulting with an automobile factory supervisor to help improve the employee experience. You sit in on an interview in which the plant supervisor shares that he has observed unusually high numbers of his manufacturing employees leaving the assembly plant over the past 3 years. If the I/O psychologist utilizes Robert Karasek's research on occupational stress, which of the following suggestions is he MOST likely to make to the plant supervisor?

A) Increase expectations and the psychological demands made upon the manufacturing employees.
B) Create situations in which the manufacturing employees will have more competition with one another.
C) Give manufacturing employees less control over their decision-making and prevent individual initiative.
D) Let manufacturing employees take more initiative and have more control over their decision-making.

Question 71

Arnold is in charge of a large branch of government and Meg is in charge of a mom-and-pop small business. Regarding satisfaction with their employees' academic skill levels, as typical current employers,

A) both will be unhappy.
B) Meg will be happier than Arnold.
C) Arnold will be happier than Meg.
D) both will be happy.

Question 72

There appears to be a "glass ceiling" that

A) allows supervisors to evaluate the potential of their subordinates.
B) prevents white males from succeeding in traditionally female-oriented jobs.
C) prevents most women and ethnic minorities from advancing beyond middle management.
D) allows women and ethnic minorities to be trained for jobs in upper management.

Question 73

One argument often made against affirmative action is that

A) more underqualified minority workers are promoted into management positions.
B) more whites are tracked into traditionally minority-dominated jobs.
C) white males may come to resent reverse discrimination.
D) human resources personnel are attacked for discriminatory practices.

Question 74

According to Robert Karasek, occupational stress is most likely to occur under which of the following conditions?

A) High psychological demands and low decision control.
B) Low psychological demands and high decision control.
C) Low psychological demands and low decision control.
D) High psychological demands and high decision control.

Question 75

A full-time workweek in the United States is

A) 60 hours a week in law and finance.
B) 48 hours a week on average.
C) up from 1990 to 2000.
D) all of the above.

Question 76

Women and minorities are frequently passed over for promotion in favor of white men. This practice seems to be particularly problematic in which of the following kinds of jobs?

A) Traditionally blue-collar jobs.
B) Higher levels of management.
C) Positions in the area of human services.
D) Jobs in which a graduate degree is necessary.

Question 77

Marietta works as a cook. She is likely to have a_____ amount of stress, since her job is low in decision control and high in psychological demand.

A) high
B) low
C) impossible to tell
D) moderate

Question 78

When there is only one woman or minority person in an office, that person becomes a symbol of all the members of that group. This scenario illustrates which of the following concepts?

A) Tokenism.
B) Job segregation.
C) Sexual harassment.
D) Affirmative action employee.

Question 79

At least_____ of workers in the United States claim their jobs are stressful. 

A) 80%
B) 60%
C) 40%
D) 20%

Question 80

Which is NOT a common job stressor?

A) Perceived inequities.
B) Pressure of deadlines.
C) Lack of control over one's work.
D) The monotony associated with regular hours.