Brent, a waiter at a restaurant, always provides good service to the customers. He believes that his supervisor is fair and hopes that his supervisor would appreciate his performance by giving him a salary hike the next year. In the context of expectancy theory of motivation, this scenario best illustrates the factor of _____.
A) reinforcement
B) valence
C) instrumentality
D) affiliation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario illustrates the factor of instrumentality in expectancy theory, which suggests that an employee believes that their performance will be rewarded, in this case, in the form of a salary hike, if they meet or exceed the supervisor's expectations. Brent expects that his supervisor's evaluation of his good service will lead to a salary hike, demonstrating the belief that his performance is instrumental in obtaining the desired outcome.

Brent, a Waiter at a Restaurant, Always Provides Good Service