Question 1

Jeff and Rob have a difficult time getting along at work. Most days, Jeff spends a lot of time cracking jokes and goofing off, while Rob constantly nags him and tells him to act like a grownup. On days when Jeff is more reserved, Rob does not nag him, hoping that this will result in improved behavior down the road. This is an example of which form of behavior modification?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jeff and Rob have a difficult time...

Question 2

Karen is a first line supervisor at Wolfs, Inc. She wishes to increase her employee's opportunities for growth and learning. Which of the following techniques should she use?

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment involves providing employees with more challenging and complex tasks that allow for greater learning and growth opportunities. This technique is the most appropriate for Karen's goal of increasing employee's opportunities for growth and learning. Job enlargement simply adds more tasks of the same level of difficulty, job rotation involves moving employees to different positions rather than providing more challenging tasks, positive reinforcement is a motivator and not a technique for increasing learning opportunities, and continuous improvement focuses on improving processes and procedures rather than individual employee growth.

Question 3

Which of these refers to the withdrawal of a positive reward, meaning that behavior is no longer reinforced and hence is less likely to occur in the future?

Accepted Answer

Extinction refers to the withdrawal of a positive reward, meaning that behavior is no longer reinforced and hence is less likely to occur in the future. Avoidance learning involves learning to avoid a negative consequence, punishment involves introducing a negative consequence to reduce behavior, and positive reinforcement involves introducing a positive consequence to increase behavior.

Question 4

At Rightway Industries, new hires spend a significant portion of their first week of training just walking around the factory, observing other workers and watching them get rewarded for doing their jobs well. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The situation described involves new hires observing others and learning from their experiences, which is known as vicarious learning.

Question 5

The core dimension of Hackman and Oldham's model of job characteristics that is based on the number of diverse activities that make up a job is known as:

Accepted Answer

The core dimension of Hackman and Oldham's model of job characteristics that is based on the number of diverse activities that make up a job is known as skill variety. Autonomy refers to the level of independence and decision-making authority an employee has, job enlargement refers to increasing the number of tasks performed in a job, task identity refers to the degree to which a job requires completing a whole and identifiable unit of work, and feedback refers to the extent to which employees receive information about their job performance.

Question 6

Which of the following combines a series of tasks into one new, broader job?

Accepted Answer

Job enlargement combines a series of tasks into one new, broader job. This helps to increase the variety of tasks that an employee performs and reduce boredom.

Question 7

_____ is an important part of the job characteristics model.

Accepted Answer

The job characteristics model includes five core job dimensions: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. These five dimensions lead to three critical psychological states: meaningfulness, responsibility, and knowledge of results. Therefore, critical psychological states are an important part of the job characteristics model. The other options, a hierarchy of needs and schedules of reinforcement, are not components of the job characteristics model.

Question 8

_____ influences the critical psychological state of experienced meaningfulness of work.

Accepted Answer

All three factors – skill variety, task significance, and task identity – influence the critical psychological state of experienced meaningfulness of work. Together, they contribute to an individual’s perception that their work is important, valuable, and useful, and that they are making a meaningful contribution to a larger purpose or goal.

Question 9

A job design that incorporates achievement, recognition, and other high-level motivators into the work is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Job enrichment involves incorporating high-level motivators such as achievement and recognition into the work design. Job simplification involves breaking down tasks into their simplest components, job rotation involves rotating employees through different positions, and job enlargement involves adding more tasks to a job that are at the same level of skill and responsibility.

Question 10

The degree to which the job is perceived as important and having impact on the company or customers is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Task significance refers to the degree to which a job is perceived as important and having an impact on the company or customers. Task complexity refers to the level of difficulty and challenge involved in the job, while task identity refers to the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. Task structure refers to the level of clarity and direction provided in the job, while task simplification refers to the process of reducing the complexity of a task to make it easier to perform.

Question 11

Daisy tried to apply the job characteristics model to her workforce, but it only worked for some of her employees. Which of the following may be a reason why it did not work for everyone?

Accepted Answer

The Job Characteristics Model suggests that the motivation, satisfaction, and performance of employees improve when their work is designed to fit certain characteristics. However, its effectiveness can vary based on individual differences, such as growth-need strength. Employees low in growth-need strength may not respond as positively to job designs intended to enhance motivation and satisfaction, as they do not seek opportunities for personal growth and development as strongly as others might.

Question 12

Larry is looking for ways to increase the number of different tasks that an employee performs without increasing task complexity. He should try:

Accepted Answer

Job rotation involves rotating employees through different tasks and positions, which increases the number of different tasks they perform without necessarily increasing the complexity of each task. It also helps to avoid boredom and burnout by providing variety in the workday. Job simplification involves simplifying the tasks an employee performs, job enlargement involves adding more tasks to a role, and job enrichment involves adding more responsibility and autonomy to an employee's role. Job lay-off is not relevant to this goal.

Question 13

One of your fellow team members at work is continually disrupting the team's work with jokes and general horseplay. You hope that by ignoring him he will stop this senseless behavior. You are attempting to use which reinforcement tool?

Accepted Answer

Extinction involves ignoring or withholding reinforcement for an undesired behavior in hopes that it will eventually stop. In this scenario, the team member's disruptive behavior is not being positively reinforced by attention or laughter, but by ignoring him, the team is trying to withhold that reinforcement and discourage the behavior.

Question 14

Which of the following is the application of motivational theories to the structure of work for improving productivity and satisfaction?

Accepted Answer

Job design involves applying motivational theories to the structure of work in order to improve productivity and satisfaction. This can include designing jobs in a way that allows for autonomy, skill variety, task significance, feedback, and other factors that are known to impact motivation and job satisfaction. Job enlargement and simplification may also be part of job design, but they do not necessarily involve the application of motivational theories. Job characteristics and enrichment are also related to job design and can involve the use of motivational theories, but they are more specific concepts that focus on particular aspects of job design.

Question 15

Which of the following refers to the degree to which an employee performs a total job with a recognizable beginning and ending?

Accepted Answer

Task identity refers to the degree to which an employee performs a total job with a recognizable beginning and ending, and can see a tangible outcome from his or her efforts.

Question 16

Which of these combines a number of tasks horizontally into one, new broader job?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of these combines a number of...

Question 17

One of your fellow students is continually late to class. The professor has tried numerous verbal warnings and recently took points away from the student's grade. Based on the above, the professor's actions are consistent with which of the following reinforcement techniques?

Accepted Answer

The professor's actions of taking points away from the student's grade are consistent with punishment, which is a type of behavior modification technique that aims to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again by applying a negative consequence. In this case, the negative consequence of losing points serves as punishment for the student's tardiness. Negative reinforcement involves removing a negative consequence to increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring again, such as stopping the beep of a car alarm by unlocking the car. Positive reinforcement involves adding a pleasant consequence to increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring again, such as giving a treat to a dog for performing a trick. Avoidance learning involves learning to avoid a negative consequence, such as not touching a hot stove to avoid getting burned. Rewards enhancement is not a commonly used term in behavior modification and is not an appropriate answer choice in this context.

Question 18

_____ systematically moves employees from one job to another, thereby increasing the number of different tasks an employee performs without increasing the complexity of any one job.

Accepted Answer

Job rotation involves systematically moving employees from one job to another, thereby increasing the number of different tasks an employee performs without increasing the complexity of any one job. This helps to develop employee skills and knowledge, reduces boredom and monotony, and can lead to increased job satisfaction. Job simplification is the opposite of job rotation, where jobs are simplified with fewer tasks to increase efficiency. Job enlargement involves increasing the number of tasks within a single job, while job enrichment involves adding a higher level of responsibilities to a job.

Question 19

Which theory proposes that an individual's motivation can result not just from direct experience of rewards and punishments but also from the person's thoughts and beliefs and his or her observations of other people's behavior?

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory proposes that motivation can be influenced not just by direct reinforcement, but also by observation of others and their behavior, as well as through cognitive processes such as beliefs and expectations. The other options listed (reinforcement theory, hierarchy of needs theory, ERG theory, and experiential learning theory) do not specifically address the role of observation or cognitive factors in motivation.

Question 20

_____ occurs when an individual sees others perform certain behaviors and get rewarded for them.

Accepted Answer

Vicarious learning, also known as observational learning or social learning, occurs when an individual observes the behaviors of others and the consequences of those behaviors. If the observed behavior is rewarded, the individual is more likely to imitate that behavior in the future.

Quiz 16: Motivating Employees