Question 1

As an I/O psychologist,Linus knows that the most motivating goals for employees are ones that are ____.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that goals that are difficult but attainable are most motivating for employees, as they provide a sense of accomplishment and challenge. Goals that are too easy or too difficult can lead to apathy or frustration. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not align with current research on goal-setting theory. Employees are more likely to be motivated by goals that are self-selected, specific, and measurable, and that provide feedback and accountability.

Question 2

The existence,relatedness,growth (ERG)theory holds that ____.

Accepted Answer

The ERG theory proposes that if one need is frustrated or satisfied, an individual may shift their focus to other needs. This suggests that a person will be motivated to pursue other needs if one need is fulfilled or frustrated. The theory does not prioritize relatedness or growth needs, and it does not suggest that growth needs are more concrete than relatedness needs. Therefore, options A, B, and D are incorrect.

Question 3

Job satisfaction is least likely to be dependent on ____ components.

Accepted Answer

Job satisfaction is commonly associated with cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components. While relatedness (the feeling of being connected to co-workers and the organization) can contribute to job satisfaction, it is not considered a primary component.

Question 4

Patrick experiences feelings of excitement and pride as he works at his job.This illustrates the ____ component of job satisfaction.

Accepted Answer

The emotional component of job satisfaction refers to the positive or negative feelings one has towards their job. Patrick is experiencing positive emotions (excitement and pride) while working, indicating a high level of emotional job satisfaction. The cognitive component refers to one's beliefs and attitudes about their job, while behavioral component refers to one's actions and behaviors at work. The growth component refers to one's perception of opportunities for personal and professional development in the job.

Question 5

Nora is an author who has spent the last six months writing a novel.Now that she has finished the novel,she is spending time catching up with family and friends.Nora's behavior is best explained by ____ theory.

Accepted Answer

The existence, relatedness, growth (ERG) theory, developed by Clayton Alderfer, suggests that humans have three basic needs: existence (physical well-being and security), relatedness (social relationships), and growth (personal development and fulfillment). Nora's behavior of catching up with family and friends after finishing her novel relates to her need for social relationships, which is a part of the relatedness need in the ERG theory.

Question 6

Mr.Burns believes that his employees will be motivated when they know they will be rewarded for their efforts,especially when they value the reward they anticipate.Mr.Burns believes in the ____ theory of motivation.

Accepted Answer

The expectancy theory of motivation suggests that individuals will be motivated to exert effort when they believe that effort will lead to a specific level of performance, which in turn will lead to certain outcomes or rewards that they value. Mr. Burns' belief in rewarding employees who demonstrate effort aligns with this theory.

Question 7

Han Sol is studying employee motivation.She develops an interest in the expectancy theory,which seeks to explain how cognitive processes affect the impact of salary or other rewards of employee behavior.The main assumption of this theory is that ____.

Accepted Answer

The main assumption of the expectancy theory is that employees behave in accordance with what results they anticipate their actions to bring and how much they value those results. The theory suggests that motivation is influenced by the belief that increased effort will lead to improved performance, and that improved performance will lead to desirable outcomes or rewards.

Question 8

According to the textbook,which theory on motivation was most instrumental in the implementation of flexible working hours in many organizations?

Accepted Answer

ERG theory emphasizes the importance of growth and development, which aligns with the goals of flexible working hours to enhance employee autonomy and satisfaction.

Question 9

If a company wishes to use performance-level criteria to evaluate their training program,the managers would be interested in ____.

Accepted Answer

Performance-level criteria focus on the actual job performance of employees, rather than just their knowledge or learning immediately following the training. Therefore, managers would be interested in observing an increase in the quality of service employees provide, which directly relates to their job performance. Employee feedback and measuring learning immediately following the training are useful, but they do not provide a direct measure of job performance. Comparing employees' increase in knowledge with a control group may be relevant, but it does not necessarily reflect their actual performance on the job.

Question 10

Allowing employees time to set specific goals has been shown to lead to ____.

Accepted Answer

Allowing employees time to set specific goals has been shown to lead to better job performance, as it helps employees focus their efforts and provides a clear direction for their work. While it may also lead to other positive outcomes such as increased organizational citizenship behaviors, fewer critical incidents, and decreased absenteeism, these outcomes are not as consistently reported in the research as improved job performance.

Question 11

Carlos has a paper due in two weeks,but he is trying to meet a self-imposed deadline of 5:00 p.m.on Friday.Carlos's motivation is best explained by ____ theory.

Accepted Answer

Carlos's motivation to meet a self-imposed deadline is best explained by goal-setting theory, which suggests that specific and challenging goals lead to higher levels of motivation and performance. Carlos has set a specific and challenging deadline for himself, which is driving his motivation to complete the paper by 5:00 p.m. on Friday.

Question 12

Goal setting theory is quite useful in motivating employees,assuming that the goals ____.

Accepted Answer

Goal setting theory suggests that employees are most likely to be motivated when they are given specific and challenging goals that are accepted or chosen by them. This means that employees are more likely to be motivated when they have a say in the goals they are working towards. Therefore, option B is the correct answer. Options A and C are incorrect because goals that are too easy or vague are not likely to be motivating. Option D is partially correct because rewards can be motivating, but it is not a necessary condition for goal setting theory to work.

Question 13

Immediately after an employee training session,an employer asks the trainees to fill out questionnaires indicating how much they liked the training and how valuable it was for them. The employer is using the evaluative criteria known as ____.

Accepted Answer

The employer is using training-level criteria, which evaluates the effectiveness and value of the training itself. Performance-level criteria would measure the trainee's actual performance on the job, while trainee learning criteria would measure the individual's knowledge and skills gained from the training. Experimental research refers to a type of study design, which is not applicable in this scenario.

Question 14

Judith wants to know whether her organization's employee training program leads to actual improvements in job performance.In other words,Judith is interested in ____ criteria.

Accepted Answer

Performance-level criteria assess the degree to which employees' performance on the job has improved as a result of training. This aligns with Judith's interest in measuring the actual improvements in job performance.

Question 15

Phil Morris is an I/O psychologist hired to determine if a healthy living seminar delivers the outcomes the creators intended.Phil asks attendees to answer a bank of questions prior to the seminar.Afterward,an alternate version of the questions is given to see what learning has taken place.Phil is assessing ____.

Accepted Answer

Phil is assessing trainee-learning criteria by comparing the attendees' responses before and after the seminar to determine if the seminar has achieved the intended learning outcomes.

Question 16

Which theory of employee motivation proposes that an employee's behavior is guided by the results the employee anticipates and the value the employee places on those results?

Accepted Answer

Expectancy theory proposes that an employee's motivation depends on three factors: expectancy (the belief that effort will lead to a certain level of performance), instrumentality (the belief that performance will lead to specific outcomes), and valence (the value an employee places on those outcomes). Therefore, an employee's behavior is guided by the results they anticipate and the value they place on those results, which is the basis of expectancy theory. A is incorrect because ERG theory suggests that people are motivated by existence (physiological and safety), relatedness (social), and growth (self-esteem and self-actualization) needs. B is incorrect because goal-setting theory states that specific, challenging goals lead to higher levels of performance. C is incorrect because leader-member exchange (LMX) theory focuses on the quality of the relationship between a leader and their subordinates and how it affects their motivation and performance.

Question 17

Mr.Belding,principal of Bayside High School,wants to know if Miss Bliss,one of his teachers,is satisfied with her job.He remembers that she is always early to work,stays late to work with her struggling students,and hasn't called in sick the entire year.Based on his observations,Mr.Belding seems to be focusing on the ____ component of Miss Bliss' job satisfaction.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral component of job satisfaction refers to the observable actions and behaviors of an individual in their job. Mr. Belding's observations of Miss Bliss being early to work, staying late, and not calling in sick suggest that he is focusing on her behaviors in the workplace, rather than her emotions or thoughts about her job (cognitive component) or her relationships with coworkers (relatedness component).

Question 18

Executives at MacDowell's restaurant have asked human resources to evaluate the effectiveness of the company's training program.The human resources team is least likely to use ____ to evaluate the effectiveness of its training program.

Accepted Answer

Experimental research involves testing a hypothesis, which may not be applicable in evaluating the effectiveness of a training program. Instead, human resources is more likely to use training-level, trainee learning, and performance-level criteria, which provide more relevant and practical insights into the effectiveness of the program.

Question 19

If an employer wanted to evaluate an employee training session using trainee-learning criteria,that employer would most likely ____.

Accepted Answer

Evaluating an employee training session using trainee-learning criteria means assessing the extent to which the training has improved the trainees' knowledge and skills in the areas covered by the training material. Therefore, testing each trainee's knowledge and skill in those areas would be the best choice. Examining productivity (A) may be relevant, but it is not an accurate measure of the effectiveness of the training session. Commissioning experimental research (B) is expensive and time-consuming and may not be necessary for evaluating the training session using trainee-learning criteria. Asking trainees to fill out questionnaires about their enjoyment of the training session (C) may provide valuable feedback, but it does not directly assess the effectiveness of the training material.

Question 20

Edna enjoys her job.Every day,she tells herself that she is looking forward to the challenge that her work provides.Edna is focusing on the ____ component of job satisfaction.

Accepted Answer

The cognitive component of job satisfaction refers to a person's beliefs or thoughts about their job, including perceptions of the work's challenges and rewards. Edna's enjoyment of the challenge of her job suggests a positive cognitive component of her job satisfaction.

Quiz 17: Industrial and Organizational Psychology