Deck 7: Learning and Decision Making

Question 1

When Jeff asked Joanna how to fix the error message he keeps getting on his computer,Joanna wrote the step-by-step instructions down for Jeff so that he could take care of the problem relatively easily.The type of knowledge described in this situation is called:

A)consensus-based knowledge.
B)tacit knowledge.
C)explicit knowledge.
D)intuition knowledge.
E)implicit knowledge.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following reflects relatively permanent changes in an employee's knowledge or skill that results from experience?

A)Decision making
B)Learning
C)Intuition
D)Consensus
E)Heuristics

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Decision making reflects a relatively permanent change in an employee's knowledge or skill that results from experience.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Research shows that the difference between experts and novices is almost always a function of intelligence as opposed to the more popular view that learning makes the difference.

Question 5

True learning only occurs when:

A)employees forget to mimic the behaviors of experts.
B)experts play the role of novices.
C)changes in behavior become relatively permanent.
D)an employee makes the right decision for the first time.
E)behavioral changes are not repeated over time.

Question 6

Which of the following is a characteristic of tacit knowledge?

A)Very difficult to articulate to others
B)Always conscious and accessible information
C)Can be learned through books
D)General information
E)Readily available to most

Question 7

Research shows that the differences between experts and novices are almost always a function of:

A)intelligence.
B)consensus.
C)heuristics.
D)gender.
E)learning.

Question 8

The knowledge that employees can typically learn only through experience is called:

A)consensus-based knowledge.
B)tacit knowledge.
C)explicit knowledge.
D)book-based knowledge.
E)implicit knowledge.

Question 9

Those with a performance-prove orientation focus on demonstrating their competence so that others will not think favorably of them.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of explicit knowledge?

A)Easily transferred through written communication
B)General information
C)Can be learned through books
D)Highly personal in nature
E)Always conscious and accessible information

Question 11

Communities of practice are groups of employees who work together and learn from one another by collaborating over an extended period of time.

Question 12

Explicit knowledge is what employees can typically learn only through experience.

Question 13

_____ refers to the process of generating and choosing from a set of alternatives to solve a problem.

A)Decision making
B)Intuition
C)Learning
D)Heuristics
E)Consensus

Question 14

When you read a textbook,the authors are communicating which of the following types of knowledge to you?

A)Popular
B)Tacit
C)Intuition
D)Explicit
E)Implicit

Question 15

Learning has a weak positive effect on commitment.

Question 16

Becca has been referred to as the resident expert at ABC International when it comes to media and all media-related issues.Many people have tried to work under her to learn but have not been very successful because she is so good at what she does but cannot really explain it to others.Becca can be described as having which type of knowledge?

A)Popular
B)Tacit
C)Book-based
D)Explicit
E)Open

Question 17

Because of their tacit knowledge,experts sometimes cannot put into words why they know that a problem exists,why a solution will work,or how they accomplished a task.

Question 18

To be rational decision makers,we should evaluate each alternative as soon as we think of it.

Question 19

The fundamental attribution error argues that people have a tendency to judge others' behaviors as due to external factors.

Question 20

For positive reinforcement to be successful,an employee needs to see a direct link between his/her behavior and the desired outcome.

Question 21

Which of the following is a characteristic of explicit knowledge?

A)Highly personal in nature
B)Sometimes holders do not even recognize that they possess
C)Typically job-and/or situation-specific
D)Always conscious and accessible information
E)Based on experience

Question 22

Originally known as _____,B.F.Skinner was the first to pioneer the notion that we learn by observing the link between our voluntary behavior and the consequences that follow it.

A)explicit knowledge
B)operant conditioning
C)social identity theory
D)tacit knowledge

Question 23

Corey has a tendency to be a smart-mouth in all meetings.In the beginning,coworkers and his manager used to smile or nod.This can be described as a _____.Such feedback gave him a boost and he continued doing it so much that now it was becoming annoying.The manager and other coworkers decided to ignore his remarks and keep moving ahead with their agenda.Faced with this new situation,Corey stopped making inappropriate comments.This strategy can be described as:

A)punishment;extinction.
B)positive reinforcement;extinction.
C)punishment;negative reinforcement.
D)positive reinforcement;negative reinforcement.
E)negative reinforcement;extinction.

Question 24

Organizations use four specific consequences to modify employee behavior.They are known as:

A)attribution biases.
B)communities of practice.
C)contingencies of reinforcement.
D)climates of transfer.
E)heuristics.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of tacit knowledge?

A)Very difficult to articulate to others
B)Based on experience
C)Typically job-and/or situation-specific
D)Highly personal in nature
E)Always conscious and accessible information

Question 26

If you do your homework and assignments for your OB class just to avoid being yelled at by your professor,you have learned this behavior through the use of:

A)punishment.
B)extinction.
C)negative reinforcement.
D)heuristics.
E)positive reinforcement.

Question 27

Which of the following occurs when an unwanted outcome follows an unwanted behavior?

A)Heuristics
B)Negative reinforcement
C)Punishment
D)Extinction
E)Positive reinforcement

Question 28

_____ can be described as emotionally charged judgments that arise through quick,nonconscious,and holistic associations.

A)Performance-avoid orientation
B)Intuition
C)Performance-prove orientation
D)Nonprogrammed decisions
E)Rational decisions

Question 29

_____ occurs when there is the removal of consequences following an unwanted behavior.

A)Heuristics
B)Negative reinforcement
C)Punishment
D)Extinction
E)Positive reinforcement

Question 30

Jack recently received a $100 gift certificate and the quarterly attendance award at Dri-Fit Manufacturers.Jack's award can be described as which of these contingencies of reinforcement?

A)Heuristics
B)Retribution
C)Punishment
D)Extinction
E)Positive reinforcement

Question 31

Which theory argues that people in organizations have the ability to learn through the observations of others?

A)Social learning theory
B)Decision making theory
C)Bounded rationality theory
D)Social identity theory
E)Attribution theory

Question 32

Chris has consistently tried to demonstrate his ability so that his colleagues will not think poorly of him.Chris appears to have a(n):

A)projection bias.
B)availability bias.
C)performance-prove orientation.
D)self-serving bias.
E)performance-avoid orientation.

Question 33

Because tacit knowledge is so difficult to communicate,_____ might be the single best way to acquire it.

A)written reports
B)process manuals
C)extinction
D)modeling
E)attribution process

Question 34

When an individual has a(n)_____,building competence is deemed more important than demonstrating competence.

A)intuition
B)learning orientation
C)projection bias
D)explicit knowledge
E)bounded rationality

Question 35

A new,complex,and not recognized situation calls for:

A)performance-avoid orientation.
B)programmed decisions.
C)performance-prove orientation.
D)nonprogrammed decisions.
E)irrational decisions.

Question 36

Susan always focuses on demonstrating her ability so that her coworkers think favorably of her.Susan can be said to have a(n):

A)projection bias.
B)availability bias.
C)performance-prove orientation.
D)self-serving bias.
E)performance-avoid orientation.

Question 37

In general,_____ and _____ should be the most common forms of reinforcement used by managers to create learning among their employees.

A)Punishment;extinction
B)negative reinforcement;extinction
C)punishment;negative reinforcement
D)positive reinforcement;negative reinforcement
E)positive reinforcement;extinction

Question 38

_____ occurs when an unwanted outcome is removed following a desired behavior.

A)Heuristics
B)Negative reinforcement
C)Punishment
D)Extinction
E)Retribution

Question 39

_____ are groups of employees who work together and learn from one another by collaborating over an extended period of time.

A)Heuristics developers
B)Communities of practice
C)Control moderators
D)Social information systems
E)Attribution anchors

Question 40

Janell,a newly promoted manager at Island Properties,Inc.(IPI)is interested in learning about what she can do to increase desired behaviors at IPI.Which two contingencies of reinforcement she should focus on?

A)Punishment and extinction
B)Positive reinforcement and punishment
C)Punishment and negative reinforcement
D)Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement
E)Negative reinforcement and extinction

Question 41

Learning has _____ effect on performance and _____ effect on commitment.

A)a moderate negative;a moderate positive
B)a strong positive;a moderate negative
C)a weak negative;a strong positive
D)a moderate positive;a weak positive
E)a weak positive;a moderate negative

Question 42

The tendency for people to see their environment only as it affects them and as it is consistent with their expectations is called:

A)climates of transfer.
B)selective perception.
C)availability action.
D)satisficing.
E)thin-slicing.

Question 43

Define the term heuristic.Give an example of a heuristic.

Question 44

Bounded rationality says that we are likely to:

A)select the first alternative that minimizes value.
B)evaluate all the alternatives simultaneously.
C)use accurate information to evaluate alternatives.
D)develop an exhaustive list of alternatives to consider as solutions.
E)pick the alternative that maximizes value.

Question 45

The notion that decision makers simply do not have the ability or resources to process all available information and alternatives to make an optimal decision refers to:

A)heuristics.
B)communities of practice.
C)bounded rationality.
D)projection bias.
E)performance-prove orientation.

Question 46

_____ is the process of selecting,organizing,storing,and retrieving information about the environment.

A)Stereotyping
B)Perception
C)Motivation
D)Reasoning
E)Satisficing

Question 47

Define social learning theory and explain the four steps of the modeling process.

Question 48

The tendency for people to base their judgments on information that is easier to recall refers to the:

A)availability bias.
B)bandwagon effect.
C)self-fulfilling prophecy.
D)projection bias.
E)stereotype.

Question 49

Define explicit and tacit knowledge.Identify the differences between the two types of knowledge.

Question 50

At a World Issues Conference,all the participants were asked to develop responses to two case situations.People naturally split themselves up into teams based on their occupations.Which of the following helps to explain why the participants acted this way?

A)Self-fulfilling prophecy
B)Bandwagon effect
C)Social identity theory
D)Projection bias
E)Needs theory

Question 51

If Sandy comes to the group meeting late and you feel that she is coming late because she has a low motivation for work,it could reflect a(n):

A)self-serving bias.
B)fundamental attribution error.
C)anchoring error.
D)illusion of control error.
E)halo effect.

Question 52

Miranda has always had the tendency to blame something external for her lateness or other failures but is quick to take the credit when she does something right.Which of these best describes Miranda's tendency?

A)Self-serving bias
B)Fundamental attribution error
C)Anchoring
D)Illusion of control
E)Halo effect

Question 53

"Does Mary tend to act differently in other circumstances?" is a question that answers which of the following elements about attribution?

A)Consistency
B)Extinction
C)Consensus
D)Control
E)Distinctiveness

Question 54

_____ results when decision makers select the first acceptable alternative considered.

A)Heuristics
B)Communities of practice
C)Rational decision making
D)Satisficing
E)Stereotyping

Question 55

"Does John always come late for department meetings?" is a question that answers which of the following elements about attribution?

A)Consistency
B)Consensus
C)Extinction
D)Distinctiveness
E)Control

Question 56

To be a rational decision maker,we should do all of the following EXCEPT:

A)boil the problem down to something that is easily understood.
B)develop an exhaustive list of alternatives to consider as solutions.
C)evaluate all the alternatives simultaneously.
D)use accurate information to evaluate alternatives.
E)pick the alternative that maximizes value.

Question 57

"Throwing good money after bad" captures which of the following common decision-making errors?

A)Availability bias
B)Confirmation bias
C)Escalation of commitment
D)Gambler's fallacy
E)Halo effect

Question 58

_____ are simple,efficient,rules of thumb that allow us to make decisions more easily.

A)Heuristics
B)Extinction effects
C)Self-fulfilling prophecies
D)Climates of transfer
E)Attributions