Question 1

Monica knows that if she performs well on her next project, she will receive a pay raise. Unfortunately, Monica is not interested in a pay raise; she would rather have more vacation time to spend with her family. According to expectancy theory, Monica has a low level of:

Accepted Answer

Valence refers to the value that an individual places on a particular outcome or reward. In this case, Monica values vacation time more than a pay raise, indicating a low level of valence for the pay raise.

Question 2

A newspaper wants a saleswoman to increase her subscription sales. According to goal-setting theory, which of these goals will MOST likely to be effective in motivating this saleswoman?

Accepted Answer

Setting a specific and challenging goal (selling five new subscriptions per week) is the most effective way to motivate someone using goal-setting theory. Option A is too vague and does not provide a challenging goal. Option C is not specific enough and does not set a measurable goal. Option D is a motivational statement but does not provide a specific goal.

Question 3

_____ theories suggest that motivation is linked to the manner in which individuals monitor their own behaviors and adjust those behaviors in the pursuit of goals.

Accepted Answer

Self-regulation theories propose that individuals monitor their own behavior and adjust it in order to achieve their goals. This involves setting goals, planning how to achieve them, monitoring progress, and adjusting behavior if needed. Self-regulation theory emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, self-motivation, and self-control in achieving success. Examples of self-regulation theories include goal setting theory and social cognitive theory.

Question 4

Mariela believes that if she gets a favorable performance review, she will be more likely to get higher pay. According to expectancy theory, Mariela's belief reflects:

Accepted Answer

Mariela's belief that a favorable performance review will lead to higher pay reflects the concept of instrumentality in expectancy theory. Instrumentality refers to the belief that performance will be rewarded or lead to certain outcomes, such as increased pay. Valence refers to the value that an individual places on a particular outcome, while expectancy concerns the belief that a particular performance level will lead to a certain outcome. Inputs refer to the resources and efforts that individuals put into their work.

Question 5

Organizational justice involves three types of justice: distributive justice, procedural justice, and:

Accepted Answer

The three types of organizational justice are distributive justice, which concerns the fairness of outcomes, procedural justice, which concerns the fairness of procedures used to determine outcomes, and interactional justice, which concerns the fairness of interpersonal treatment by those involved in carrying out the procedures and determining outcomes. Therefore, the correct option is C, interactional justice.

Question 6

An individual's interest in, and concern with, fairness-related activities in a workplace is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Organizational justice refers to an individual's perception of and reaction to fairness within an organization, which encompasses their interest in and concern with fairness-related activities in the workplace.

Question 7

_____ is based on the premise that people's behaviors result from conscious choices among alternatives, and that these alternatives are evaluated with respect to valence, among other things.

Accepted Answer

The description best matches the expectancy theory, which focuses on how people make choices and decisions based on their calculation of the likelihood that their effort will lead to a certain outcome and the value they place on that outcome. The other options (A, C, and D) do not fully align with the given premise.

Question 8

Kia has received a poor grade in a class. When she visits her professor to discuss it, he explains in detail how her grade was decided, but he is very rude towards Kia. Kia likely experiences high _____ justice and low _____ justice.

Accepted Answer

Kia likely experiences low interactional justice because her professor was rude towards her during the meeting. She may also experience high informational justice because the professor explained in detail how her grade was decided. However, there is no indication that the grade decision itself was unfair, so it is unclear if she also experiences distributive or procedural justice.

Question 9

Alicia does not believe it is fair that she must work in her job for two years before she will be considered for promotion. Alicia's feelings of unfairness in this situation fall under the category of:

Accepted Answer

Alicia's concerns about fairness in this situation relate to procedural justice, which refers to the perceived fairness of decision-making processes and procedures. In this case, Alicia is questioning the rationale behind the two-year requirement and whether it is a fair process for determining eligibility for promotion.

Question 10

Carlos believes that there is a strong relationship between studying for many hours and receiving an A on his next exam. According to expectancy theory, Carlo's belief reflects:

Accepted Answer

Expectancy theory proposes that people are motivated to act in certain ways based on their beliefs about the relationship between their efforts, performance, and outcomes. Expectancy refers to the belief that if one puts in effort, it will lead to improved performance. In this case, Carlos believes that studying for many hours will lead to better exam performance, which reflects his expectancy. Valence refers to the value an individual places on a particular outcome, regulation refers to the process of adapting behavior to achieve a desired outcome, and instrumentality refers to the belief that achieving a certain level of performance will lead to desired outcomes. While these concepts are related to expectancy theory, they are not reflected in Carlos's belief about studying and exams.

Question 11

Reyna knows that if she puts in longer hours, her performance on her project will improve. However, she feels her boss dislikes her, so even if she improves her performance, she believes she will not receive a raise (which she would really like). According to expectancy theory, Reyna has high _____ and low _____.

Accepted Answer

Expectancy theory suggests that motivation is influenced by the belief that effort will lead to performance (expectancy), performance will lead to outcomes (instrumentality), and the value of those outcomes (valence). Reyna believes her effort will improve her performance (high expectancy) but doubts this will lead to the desired outcome of a raise (low instrumentality).

Question 12

Which statement BEST summarizes the empirical research on equity theory?

Accepted Answer

Empirical research on equity theory has produced mixed results. While individuals who perceive themselves as underrewarded are more likely to attempt to change their ratios, those who perceive themselves as overrewarded may also take action to restore equity. One study found that overrewarded individuals may reduce their inputs (effort or time) to achieve equity, while another suggested that overrewarded individuals might increase their outputs (e.g. through increased productivity). Thus, while equity theory provides a useful framework for understanding motivations for individual behavior in organizational contexts, the specific outcomes of perceived inequity are not always straightforward.

Question 13

According to goal-setting theory, people will perform best when:

Accepted Answer

According to goal-setting theory, individuals perform best when they are assigned specific and challenging goals. These goals should stretch the individual and provide a sense of accomplishment upon completion. Specific goals give individuals clear direction, and challenging goals provide motivation and a sense of achievement upon their completion. Therefore, the best choice is B, specific and difficult goals.

Question 14

With respect to goal-setting theory, which of these statements is true?

Accepted Answer

The answer of With respect to goal-setting theory, which of...

Question 15

Interactional justice can be divided into two subtypes: interpersonal justice and:

Accepted Answer

Interpersonal justice refers to the fairness of how people are treated during interactions, while informational justice refers to the fairness of communication and information exchange. Therefore, the correct subtype that interacts with interpersonal justice is informational justice. Choices A, C, and D are not valid subtypes of interactional justice.

Question 16

Ella has learned that she will not be getting a bonus this year. She is particularly upset about this because her supervisor has not explained why she won't be getting the bonus and was rude to her when he told her the news. Ella is likely upset because of the low level of:

Accepted Answer

Interactional justice refers to the quality of the interpersonal treatment people receive when procedures are implemented. Ella's upset is likely due to the rude behavior of her supervisor and the lack of explanation, which pertains to the fairness and respect in the communication process, aligning with interactional justice.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the research on equity theory is MOST accurate?

Accepted Answer

The research on equity theory suggests that if people perceive that they are underpaid relative to their inputs and the inputs of others, they may experience feelings of inequity and lower their work quality. The other options presented are not supported by research on equity theory.

Question 18

Which of these is a way in which goal-setting changes behavior?

Accepted Answer

Goal-setting helps direct a person's attention towards the desired outcome, giving them a clear focus and motivation to take action. This can lead to changes in behavior as a person becomes more proactive in taking steps towards achieving their goals. Options B, C, and D are not directly related to the effect of goal-setting on behavior.

Question 19

According to goal-setting theory, motivation is enhanced when employees accept and are committed to specific, difficult goals as well as when they:

Accepted Answer

Feedback on progress helps employees adjust their efforts and strategies, maintaining motivation and commitment to achieving the goals.

Question 20

New research examining equity sensitivity suggests that _____ are fairly tolerant of underreward inequity, whereas _____ are fairly tolerant of overreward inequity.

Accepted Answer

The research suggests that those classified as "benevolents" are fairly tolerant of underreward inequity, while those classified as "entitleds" are fairly tolerant of overreward inequity. Therefore, option A is the correct choice as it correctly matches the two groups and their respective levels of tolerance for different types of equity. Options C and D are incorrect as they use unfamiliar terms that are not associated with equity sensitivity research. Option B is incorrect as it reverses the order of the two groups and their level of tolerance for different types of equity.

Quiz 9: Motivation