Deck 14: Workplace Law: Harassment, Discrimination, and Fairness

Question 1

The passage of the sexual _____ law is a result of _____.

A) discrimination; a sincere effort to maintain equality
B) discrimination; a ploy to dissuade support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964
C) favoritism; the hippie movement of the 1960s
D) favoritism; the feminists' push for gender equality

Answer 1

discrimination; a ploy to dissuade support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Question 2

Based on MacKinnon's typology, the type of unwelcome sexual advances in the form of an explicit exchange, where a threat against a job or promotion is made unless the victim complies sexually, is called:

A) hostile environment.
B) racial discrimination.
C) quid pro quo harassment.
D) consensual relationship.

Answer 2

quid pro quo harassment.

Question 3

Studies show that in-person interviews conducted _____ are often systematically biased against minorities, women, and the elderly. A better approach, and a more predictive one, is to conduct _____.

A) with a set list of questions and clearly structured; interviews in a free-form manner
B) with a set list of questions and clearly structured; interviews over the phone using a computerized voice
C) in a free-form manner; structured interviews with a set list of questions
D) in a free-form manner; interviews over the phone using a computerized voice

Answer 3

in a free-form manner; structured interviews with a set list of questions

Question 4

In Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc. (1998), the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex harassment could be:

A) consensual.
B) justified in certain circumstances.
C) grounds for a lawsuit.
D) avoided.

Question 5

Studies conducted on desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954 found that desegregation:

A) had no effect on prejudice.
B) led to an increase in prejudice of whites toward blacks.
C) led to a decrease in prejudice of whites toward blacks.
D) only decreased prejudice in schools but not in the workplace.

Question 6

"You'll have to sleep with me if you want to be promoted" is an example of which type of sexual harassment, as identified by Catharine MacKinnon?

A) Quid pro quo harassment.
B) Sexual discrimination.
C) Hostile work environment.
D) Sexual categorical remarks.

Question 7

In Harris v. Forklift Systems (1993), the Supreme Court held that in sexual harassment cases, it was _____ to show psychological injury, and a _____ standard should be applied.

A) not necessary; reasonable person
B) not necessary; reasonable woman
C) mandatory; reasonable person
D) mandatory; reasonable woman

Question 8

The sexual discrimination law is an amendment to:

A) the Civil Rights Act.
B) the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.
C) the Bill of Rights.
D) the Voting Rights Act.

Question 9

On the basis of their studies, Fiske and Glick made several recommendations for reducing the incidence of harassment. Which of the following is NOT included in their recommendations?

A) Creating clear standards for what is appropriate and not appropriate in professional settings.
B) Eliminating sexually explicit materials in the workplace.
C) Ensuring gender neutrality in promotion and hiring decisions.
D) Posting the rules of conduct prominently in several locations in the workplace.

Question 10

Studies show that jurors focus on a few key factors when they decide on an outcome of a sexual harassment case. The factors include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) the victim's character.
B) the consequences suffered by the victim.
C) how the company responded to the situation.
D) whether the head of the company is a man or a woman.

Question 11

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

A) outlawed discrimination based on place of birth.
B) outlawed discrimination based on age.
C) outlawed discrimination based on race and gender.
D) specifically addressed the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace.

Question 12

Yale law professor Catharine MacKinnon has defined two basic forms of sexual harassment at work: _____ harassment and _____ harassment.

A) quid pro quo; mano a mano
B) quid pro quo; hostile environment
C) hostile environment; mano a mano
D) lewd hints; inappropriate touching

Question 13

Two basic forms of sexual harassment at work were categorized by a Yale law professor:

A) Howard Smith.
B) Peter Glick.
C) Gloria Steinem.
D) Catharine MacKinnon.

Question 14

The Supreme Court held that occasional teasing, crude jokes, and even sometimes offensive language do not amount to harassment. It has instructed lower courts to use which standard to gauge whether the conduct in question created an unlawful hostile environment?

A) The reasonable woman standard.
B) The totality of circumstances test.
C) The reasonable man standard.
D) The Griggs test.

Question 15

In which of the following schemes for dividing up resources does everybody get the same rewards?

A) The principle of need.
B) Equality.
C) Equity.
D) Forbearance.

Question 16

In the case of Ellison v. Brady (1991), the ninth circuit court of appeals first adopted a reasonable _____ standard in response to research showing that men and women have _____ views of what constitutes sexual harassment.

A) woman; very similar
B) woman; somewhat different
C) person; very similar
D) man; somewhat different

Question 17

Studies show that females experience workplace harassment _____ often than males, and harassment rates in the military are _____.

A) more; higher for males than females
B) more; higher for both genders
C) less; higher for males than females
D) less; higher for females than males

Question 18

Close to _____ of females and about _____ of males have reported being sexually harassed in the workplace.

A) one tenth; 1%
B) one half; a quarter
C) one half; 15%
D) one quarter; a half

Question 19

Studies show some clear signs that modern forms of racism do exist. For example, a study by Vanman and his colleagues (1990) finds that subjects report liking black people _____ than liking white people, and their facial muscles reveal that _____.

A) slightly less; this is actually the case
B) slightly more; the opposite is true
C) slightly more; they like blacks significantly more than they report
D) much less; the opposite is true

Question 20

It is difficult to obtain exact estimates of how often harassment in the workplace occurs. All of the following are valid reasons for this, EXCEPT:

A) different studies asked about different types of harassment.
B) people's memories about their workplace experiences may be inaccurate.
C) people often refuse to disclose information about workplace harassment.
D) rates of harassment vary across work settings.

Question 21

When women are victimized, their harassment _____ other women.

A) mostly comes from
B) rarely comes from
C) is unlikely to be noticed by
D) is never reported by

Question 22

It is often difficult to evaluate how much sexual harassment takes place on the job. One reason, according to the text, is that when asked about such past events, victims' reports might be biased due to:

A) posttraumatic stress bias.
B) distorted memories.
C) the interviewer's poor interviewing skills.
D) confusion about the purpose of reporting.

Question 23

Cassandra is among very few women who work in construction. She has been targeted by multiple male co-workers who keep telling her crude sexual jokes, pinching her buttocks, and exposing themselves to her as a form of "fun" during lunch breaks. In Catharine MacKinnon's typology, this type of sexual harassment is referred to as:

A) hostile environment.
B) racial discrimination.
C) systematic desensitization.
D) consensual relationship.

Question 24

When determining whether a particular behavior is offensive, a judgment needs to be made as to whether others in the same situation would have considered the environment as hostile. This standard is referred to as the:

A) consensual relationship agreement.
B) disparate treatment standard.
C) interpersonal justice standard.
D) reasonable person standard.

Question 25

When a man is harassed by a woman at work, which one of the following phrases is most likely to be directed at him?

A) "Stop acting like a pussy!"
B) "Hey handsome, let's meet after work!"
C) "Men only have one thing on their mind!"
D) "Who is free to work overtime this weekend?"

Question 26

Among the military, the rate of reported harassment has been found to be about_____ for females and over _____ for males.

A) 10%; 25%
B) 25%; 10%
C) 25%; 60%
D) 60%; 25%

Question 27

It has been found that in jobs dominated by men, women are _____ to experience sexual harassment when compared to other working groups.

A) less likely
B) more likely
C) equally as likely as men
D) similarly likely

Question 28

Studies have shown that the most likely targets of harassment are:

A) attractive young men.
B) young, unmarried women.
C) divorcees.
D) minorities.

Question 29

Even if a plaintiff in a sexual harassment case can prove that he has been consistently subjected to unpleasant and offensive remarks, gestures, and touching from male colleagues, he must have also:

A) warned his bullies that the lawsuit is coming.
B) reported these problems to the employer.
C) tried to reason with the offensive co-workers.
D) physically assaulted his abusers to prove he was offended.

Question 30

Studies have found that women are most likely to experience sexual harassment:

A) in jobs dominated by men.
B) when they dress provocatively.
C) in schools and colleges.
D) in high-stress work settings.

Question 31

When men are victimized by harassment, the harassing behavior is more likely to come:

A) from another man, rather than a woman.
B) from a female supervisor.
C) from a female subordinate.
D) from a female equal jealous over a pay gap.

Question 32

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was established to enforce Title VII (Civil Rights Act of 1964). This commission states that employers have an obligation to maintain a work environment that is free from all of the following practices, EXCEPT:

A) intimidation.
B) offensive behaviors and language.
C) unwelcome sexual touching.
D) sexual relationships among employees.

Question 33

When males are sexually harassed by other males, it is most likely to take a form of:

A) sexual advances.
B) beatings.
C) suggestions to "man up".
D) jokes about family.

Question 34

For a male experiencing sexual harassment at work, which one of the following phrases is most likely to be used by his bullies?

A) "Stop acting like a pussy!"
B) "Hey handsome, let's meet after work!"
C) "Men only have one thing on their mind!"
D) "Who is free to work overtime this weekend?"

Question 35

Based on MacKinnon's typology, a form of sexual harassment is creating or failing to prevent a work atmosphere that is so contentious that victims cannot carry out their job responsibilities. This type of sexual harassment is referred to as:

A) hostile environment.
B) racial discrimination.
C) quid pro quo harassment.
D) consensual relationship.

Question 36

Surveys of federal employees over a period of several years found that over _____ of women and about _____ of men claimed to have experienced sexual harassment within 2 years prior to the study.

A) 70%; 15%
B) 15%; 40%
C) 40%; 15%
D) 70%; 40%

Question 37

Overall, research has shown that women are _____ men to be the targets of sexual harassment. According to the text, women experience harassment _____ men.

A) less likely than; at half the rate of
B) just as likely as; more acutely than
C) more likely than; while none is ever directed at
D) more likely than; several times more often than

Question 38

Harassment is considered more serious if the harasser is:

A) a white male.
B) a black woman.
C) the victim's superior.
D) the victim's subordinate.

Question 39

Plaintiffs in sexual harassment cases must prove that the unwelcome verbal or physical behaviors against them _____ their job performance, and that the employer ____ about the harassing conduct.

A) unreasonably interfered with; knew but did nothing
B) unreasonably interfered with; tried to do something
C) have improved; knew but did nothing
D) have improved; tried to do something

Question 40

Kitty has been approached by her boss several times with propositions to ensure her job promotion if she agreed to a sexual relationship with him. According to Catharine MacKinnon's typology, this type of sexual pestering is called:

A) hostile environment.
B) racial discrimination.
C) quid pro quo harassment.
D) consensual relationship.

Question 41

In studies of mock jurors' perceptions of sexual harassment cases, jurors focused on several features of the case when deciding on a verdict. These features include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) the age of the victim.
B) the victim's character.
C) the seriousness of the consequences suffered by the victim.
D) the behavior of the company in response to the victim's complaints.

Question 42

Anika has endured a regular barrage of sexist jokes and ridicule from some male colleagues in her predominantly male engineering department. She has been trying to ignore this harassment and tell herself that she does not care, that she will just focus on her work performance. This type of coping is referred to as:

A) projection.
B) transference.
C) internally focused coping.
D) externally focused coping.

Question 43

Psychologists' recommendations for reducing the incidence of sexual harassment at work include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) making it clear that sexual jokes are inappropriate.
B) eliminating sexually explicit material from the workplace.
C) regularly interviewing female employees about their experiences.
D) creating an official policy on gender-neutral recruiting and promotion.

Question 44

In police hiring, certain requirements became illegal. The courts ruled that the following requirements constituted adverse impact on female applicants:

A) height.
B) running speed.
C) lifting strength.
D) endurance.

Question 45

According to the text, older judges generally rule in favor of the _____, whereas younger judges tend to rule in favor of the _____.

A) plaintiff; defendant
B) defendant; plaintiff
C) big corporations; small businesses
D) small businesses; big corporations

Question 46

As a result of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), discrimination based on which of the following characteristics is illegal?

A) Age and gender.
B) Race and national origin.
C) Disability and religion.
D) All of these are legally protected against discrimination.

Question 47

Courts have emphasized that employers have a responsibility to assure harassment is not part of their overall environment. This means that employers need to:

A) accept harassment as a norm.
B) undergo a special training focused on harassment.
C) prevent and correct harassment.
D) avoid situations of conflict.

Question 48

Unfortunately, the facts of a sexual harassment case are not the only things that determine the outcome. The text notes that it is often the character or perceived character of both parties that influences the outcome of a case. Making it even more complex is the influence of the judge. Among the personal characteristics that appear to make the most impact are the judge's:

A) years on the bench and legal cynicism.
B) personal experience with harassment.
C) political orientation and religion.
D) age and political orientation.

Question 49

Reasonable accommodations are required from employers to permit their employees to work effectively despite their disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reasonable accommodations are required to be made:

A) in all situations.
B) only if somebody is available to enforce them.
C) unless such accommodations cause undue hardship to the employer's business.
D) only for those disabilities that are included in a special addendum to ADA.

Question 50

Some courts have replaced a reasonable person standard with a reasonable woman standard when instructing juries in sexual harassment trials. All of the following concerns were raised by social scientists about the reasonable woman standard, EXCEPT:

A) This standard supports sexist attitudes by treating women as weak and oversensitive.
B) This standard is inconsistent with legal standards in other areas of the law.
C) It would be more productive to define more clearly what constitutes sexual harassment.
D) Research finds substantial differences between how males and females define harassment.

Question 51

Sexually harassing behaviors may be attributed to a range of motives, some of which are related to the job type. For example, positions considered to be traditionally held by women may contribute to harassment because they elicit protectiveness and _____. Conversely, for women in jobs historically held by men, the harassment is linked to _____ a female coworker.

A) competitiveness; a desire for intimacy with
B) competitiveness; domination over
C) sexual attention; a desire for intimacy with
D) sexual attention; undermining the job performance of

Question 52

According to the text, legal, permissible sexual behavior in the workplace is _____ common than illegal sexual harassment. The cases that end up in court involve especially _____.

A) much more; severe or prolonged harassment
B) much more common than; inappropriate language
C) less; severe or prolonged harassment
D) less; inappropriate language

Question 53

The majority of harassment cases are _____ make it to court. Of those that go forward to court and are litigated, only about _____ of decisions are made in favor of the plaintiff, or the alleged victim.

A) reported and about half; 1%
B) reported and about half; a third
C) not reported and do not; 1%
D) not reported and do not; a third

Question 54

When an employer treats some workers less favorably as a result of an immutable personal characteristic like race or gender, such behavior constitutes a category of discrimination called:

A) adverse impact.
B) disparate treatment.
C) failure to provide "reasonable" accommodation.
D) workplace environment.

Question 55

Research has identified two basic forms of coping for victims of sexual harassment. One form of coping entails a victim either ignoring the harassment or blaming herself for bringing it on. This type of coping is referred to as:

A) projection.
B) transference.
C) internally focused coping.
D) externally focused coping.

Question 56

Under current law, plaintiffs in sexual harassment cases must prove that _____ occurred and resulted in _____.

A) sexual harassment; harm
B) sexual harassment; posttraumatic stress disorder
C) physical injuries; emotional distress
D) physical injuries; posttraumatic stress disorder

Question 57

Ginger had been victimized by sexual harassment from her supervisor for over six months. She tried to appease the harasser, attempted to avoid him, but eventually filed an internal complaint. Her form of coping is known as:

A) projection.
B) transference.
C) internally focused coping.
D) externally focused coping.

Question 58

A meta-analysis of several dozen studies that collected data from tens of thousands of people demonstrated that those who are targets of harassment develop a variety of symptoms. Their problems might include:

A) negative physical symptoms.
B) emotional distress.
C) posttraumatic stress disorder.
D) All of these could result from sexual harassment.

Question 59

There are some practices that result in discrimination but may not look discriminatory at first glance. If a company only hires family members and family friends, it may systematically exclude some racial or ethnic groups inadvertently. This type of situation results in a category of discrimination called:

A) adverse impact.
B) disparate treatment.
C) failure to provide "reasonable" accommodation.
D) workplace environment.

Question 60

Judges that have been appointed by a Democratic president tend to support _____ in sexual harassment cases.

A) defendants
B) corporations
C) plaintiffs
D) small businesses

Question 61

Ben felt that he should have received more money for his efforts and he followed an established procedure to appeal his case to the supervisor, detailing the amount of work done and his contributions to the final product. Ben's ability to participate in the process of reward distribution decisions is an example of:

A) distributive justice.
B) procedural justice.
C) interpersonal justice.
D) equal-status contact.

Question 62

Research studies have found that several conditions are crucial for reducing stereotyping and prejudice. These conditions include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) promoting one-on-one interactions between members of different groups.
B) encouraging increased competition between members of different groups.
C) fostering cooperation between members of different groups in reaching superordinate goals.
D) supporting workplace social norms that favor inter-group contact and equal treatment.

Question 63

How people actually think and behave is of utmost importance to psychologists. This is particularly true when considering how fairness is assessed. For example, Francisco worked twice as many hours as Ben did and so Francisco got paid twice what Ben got paid. This type of relationship between contributions to an effort and the obtained rewards refers to:

A) distributive justice.
B) procedural justice.
C) interpersonal justice.
D) equal-status contact.

Question 64

Laws against discrimination are _____ in fighting overt discrimination, _____ subtle forms of racism.

A) powerful; but it is much harder to change
B) powerful; and they are just as effective in dealing with
C) powerless; and they can do nothing against
D) powerless; but they can effectively address

Question 65

The Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education resulted in massive _____, which led to a(n) _____, according to a comprehensive review of research.

A) desegregation of black and white students; decrease in prejudice
B) desegregation of black and white students; increase in prejudice
C) mainstreaming of disabled students; decrease in prejudice
D) mainstreaming of disabled students; widely positive response from both blacks and whites

Question 66

What do studies show about racism in the United States? How does modern-era racism differ from the older forms of racism?

Question 67

What steps can be taken to reduce prejudice? Provide some examples.

Question 68

In instances in which employees feel they are being treated unfairly, they generally try to:

A) work harder.
B) prove themselves more worthy.
C) find another job.
D) "get even."

Question 69

When fostering inter-group cooperation, it is essential to work towards achieving common goals. Goals that are considered important to both groups are referred to as _____ goals.

A) equal-status contact
B) cooperative
C) superordinate
D) norming

Question 70

What is psychological injury as it applies to sexual harassment? Is a proof of injury required in sexual harassment cases? What standards are currently applied in such cases, according to the Supreme Court decisions?

Question 71

In studies examining racial biases in hiring decisions, all of the following findings have emerged, EXCEPT:

A) Discrimination is very subtle and only evident when black and white applicants are in the mid-range of their qualifications.
B) Among job applicants with identical qualifications and comparable interpersonal characteristics, white applicants receive callbacks or job offers at over twice the rate of black applicants.
C) Subtle forms of racism are especially strong in work environments where the majority of employees are black.
D) Members of the white majority often doubt the competence of the first minority hires thinking they were hired for the sake of diversity rather than on their own merits.

Question 72

Regarding judgments about fairness, we tend, as a group, to feel some level of distress when not getting as much as we think we deserve. Conversely, individuals seldom have any sense of concern when getting more than they deserve. Interestingly though, males and females differ in their applications of principles of fairness. According to the text, when asked to work as long as they think is fair for a set amount of money, women worked about _____ than their male counterparts. Women also tend to _____ when dividing the money between themselves and a co-worker.

A) 20-25% less; give themselves more
B) 20-25% less; give themselves less
C) 20-25% longer; give everybody an equal amount
D) 20-25% longer; give themselves more

Question 73

One of the norms of distributive justice is _____, which is the concept that rewards are to be distributed according to each individual's contributions to the group.

A) the principle of need
B) equality
C) unanimity
D) equity