Deck 4: Perception and Individual Decision Making

Question 1

Tim,Luke and Esther are all attending the same training course for their organisation.Tim has previously been on other training courses and has found them to be a waste of time.Luke on the other hand is looking forward to the course as he is rather interested in the content of the course.Esther is rather keen to complete the training course as she expects that it will lead to a promotion. Based on the information,Tim's perception of the training course will most likely be influenced by his:

A)Motives
B)Expectations
C)Experience
D)Interests

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Kate is the new recruit of a prestigious accounting firm.On her first day there,she begins to classify her co- workers into different groups based on their roles within the firm.Kate finds that this makes it easier for her to understand the relationships between the different people and roles within the firm.
Kate classifying her co- workers to better understand them is a process known as:

A)bias.
B)perception.
C)stereotyping.
D)projection.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Because it is impossible for us to observe everything going on about us,we engage in:

A)memorisation.
B)periodic listening.
C)selective perception.
D)mental desensitisation.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Decision makers must operate within the confines of ,which means they construct simplified models that extract the essential features from problems without capturing all their complexity.

A)optimal decision making
B)intuitive decision making
C)synectics
D)bounded rationality

Question 5

You are part of making a decision about the appropriateness of discontinuing research on a new drug.This new drug would save lives,but it is uncertain whether you can develop it within a reasonable time frame and at a reasonable cost.Your firm has already spent a small fortune on researching this drug.You have gathered so much information in preparation of making the decision that you are unable to sort the good information from the superfluous. Your experience tells you that this project has merit.You decide to use decision- making and continue the project.

A)compulsive
B)rational
C)satisficing
D)intuitive

Question 6

Shortcuts in judging others include all of the following except:

A)self- serving bias.
B)projection.
C)halo effect.
D)stereotyping.

Question 7

Rationality assumes:

A)high intelligence.
B)constant preferences.
C)unlimited choices.
D)maturity.

Question 8

Looking for a solution that is satisfactory and sufficient is called:

A)suboptimising.
B)satisficing.
C)seeking an implicit favourite.
D)simplifying.

Question 9

The winner's curse decision- making dictum means that:

A)winning participants in an action typically pay too much for the item won
B)a person always wins
C)whatever decisions winners make will be correct
D)a person never wins

Question 10

A discrepancy between some desired state and the actual condition is defined as a(n):

A)decision.
B)attribution.
C)criterion.
D)problem.

Question 11

The students in your class are presenting their oral presentations in front of the entire class.You have heard that there are several frequently used shortcuts to judge others and are wondering if any of them are being used by your teacher. Allison has just presented her paper and has done a really good job.You are afraid to go next because the may operate and you will be perceived less favourably than if your presentation is on another day.

A)projection effect
B)halo effect
C)contrast effect
D)stereotyping effect

Question 12

Creativity's most obvious value in decision making is in:

A)helping identify all viable alternatives.
B)computing the optimal decision.
C)identifying the problem.
D)allocating weights to the alternatives.

Question 13

The tendency to underestimate the influence of external factors and overestimate the influence of internal factors when making judgements about the behaviour of others is termed:

A)consistency.
B)fundamental attribution error.
C)self- serving bias.
D)selective perception.

Question 14

Whether an individual displays different behaviours in different situations is referred to as:

A)flexibility.
B)continuity.
C)distinctiveness.
D)integrity.

Question 15

Most interviewers' decisions change very little after the first minutes of the interview.

A)20- 30
B)4- 5
C)50- 60
D)1- 2

Question 16

An increased commitment to a previous decision in spite of negative information is termed:

A)optimising decision making.
B)escalation of commitment.
C)reengineering.
D)satisficing decision making.

Question 17

You are the manager of a development group in a large computer software company.You have decided that it is important for your group to understand the many ways that ethical decisions can be made and you are designing a training program on the subject of ethics. You decide to teach the group about the importance of making decisions consistent with fundamental liberties and privileges.You are planning to focus on:

A)utilitarian.
B)rights.
C)justice.
D)privilege.

Question 18

Each of the following is part of the three- component model of creativity except:

A)intuitive decision making.
B)creative skills.
C)expertise.
D)Intrinsic task motivation.

Question 19

The segment of the three- component model of creativity that is the foundation for all creative work is:

A)expertise.
B)creative thinking skills.
C)intuitive decision making.
D)intrinsic task motivation.

Question 20

A culture's time orientation can be expected to influence decision- making.In Egypt,one can expect decisions will be made:

A)at a moderate pace.
B)quickly.
C)slowly.
D)at various rates.

Question 21

The rational decision- making process begins with a:

A)perceptual distortion.
B)problem.
C)solution.
D)conflict.

Question 22

When we draw a general impression about an individual based on a single characteristic such as intelligence,sociability,or appearance:

A)we have misjudged the person.
B)we are prejudiced.
C)the halo effect is operating.
D)a personal bias is operating.

Question 23

Which is not one of the steps in the rational decision- making model?

A)analysing the alternatives
B)identifying the decision criteria
C)computing the decisions that satisfice
D)defining the problem

Question 24

is the motivational component in the three- component model of creativity that turns creative potential into actual creative ideas.

A)Intrinsic task motivation
B)Creative thinking skills
C)Intuitive decision making
D)Expertise

Question 25

You are the manager of a development group in a large computer software company.You have decided that it is important for your group to understand the many ways that ethical decisions can be made and you are designing a training program on the subject of ethics. You will probably teach the _ criterion since it is the decision criterion that currently dominates business decision making.

A)privilege
B)rights
C)utilitarian
D)justice

Question 26

Which of the following is not a true statement about the bounded- rational decision making?

A)The first alternative that meets the "good enough" criterion ends the search.
B)The list of criteria will likely be far from exhaustive.
C)The review of alternatives will be comprehensive.
D)Once a problem is identified,the search for criteria and alternatives begins.

Question 27

Which of the following conditions would probably not lead to intuitive decision making?

A)A high level of certainty exists.
B)Facts don't clearly point the way to go.
C)Time is limited and there is pressure to come up with the right decision.
D)"Facts" are limited.

Question 28

What one perceives objective reality.

A)is always the same as
B)is considered
C)should be the same as
D)can be substantially different from

Question 29

Which of the following is not an organisational constraint on decision making?

A)reward systems
B)formal regulations
C)personality
D)performance evaluation

Question 30

A process by which individuals organise and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment is called:

A)perception.
B)interpretation.
C)outlook.
D)environmental analysis.

Question 31

Interviewers make perceptual judgments that:

A)are not quickly entrenched.
B)usually agree with other interviewers.
C)are exceptionally accurate.
D)are often inaccurate.

Question 32

Which of the following is not an example of stereotyping?

A)Older workers can't learn new skills.
B)Women won't relocate for a promotion.
C)This applicant was good at her last job,so she will be good at this one.
D)Men aren't interested in child care.

Question 33

The determination of whether an individual's behaviour is externally or internally caused depends on all of the following factors except:

A)perception.
B)consensus.
C)distinctiveness.
D)consistency.

Question 34

When we judge someone on the basis of our perception of the group to which he/she belongs,we are using the shortcut called:

A)categorising.
B)assimilating.
C)stereotyping.
D)grouping.

Question 35

Which of the following is not a true statement about the link between perception and individual decision making?

A)individual perception have a large bearing on decision outcomes
B)decision alternatives are not always apparent
C)perceptual distortions often surface that have the potential to bias analysis and conclusions
D)all of the above are true

Question 36

Sarah is responsible for purchasing a new computer system for her department.Given the significant financial investment,Sarah has decided to use the rational decision- making model. The third step of the rational decision- making model requires Sarah to:

A)generate possible alternatives.
B)compute the optimal decision.
C)identify the decision criteria.
D)weight the decision criteria.

Question 37

Which of the following is not true concerning interviewers?

A)Agreement among interviewers is often poor.
B)Their perceptual judgments are often inaccurate.
C)Different interviewers see the same things in the same candidate.
D)Interviewers generally draw early impressions that become very quickly entrenched.

Question 38

When individuals observe behaviour,they attempt to determine whether it is internally or externally caused.This is the:

A)attribution theory.
B)self- serving bias.
C)selective behaviour theory.
D)fundamental attribution error.

Question 39

Which of the following is not a bias in decision- making?

A)an heuristical fallacy
B)availability bias
C)escalation of commitment
D)confirmation bias

Question 40

You are on a team with two individuals who are difficult.The work has been divided among the three of you and each time your team meets,Janet and Jim disagree about the progress of the team project.Janet is convinced that Jim's lack of progress is because he is inherently lazy and not because of some overwhelming problem with the project itself.The truth seems to be that Janet is not doing her part of the work. Janet may be attributing to Jim some of her own characteristics.She might be guilty of:

A)stereotyping.
B)the halo effect.
C)projection.
D)contrast effect.

Question 41

People who engage in tend to perceive others according to what they themselves are like,rather than according to what the person being observed is really like.

A)projection
B)a contrast effect
C)halo effect
D)stereotyping

Question 42

When inner- city African- American boys overestimate the likelihood of their playing in the NBA because they have heard about a boy from their neighbourhood ten years ago who played professional basketball,they are suffering from a(n)bias.

A)escalation
B)optimising
C)availability
D)representative

Question 43

make decisions in organisations.

A)Middle and lower level managers
B)Top managers
C)Non- managerial employees
D)all of the above

Question 44

Using bounded- rational decision making,

A)decision makers typically identify alternatives that are obvious.
B)the satisficing choice will be the first acceptable one encountered.
C)decision makers will use simple and limited models.
D)all of the above

Question 45

Jane is difficult to work with.Whenever she is successful she takes full credit for what has happened.However,whenever she is unsuccessful she attributes her failure to bad luck or to one of her fellow employees.She is guilty of:

A)distinctiveness.
B)self- serving bias.
C)fundamental attribution error.
D)consensus.

Question 46

How individuals make decisions in organisations and which data individuals believe are relevant are largely influenced by their:

A)creativity.
B)personality.
C)perceptions.
D)job satisfaction.

Question 47

Which one of the following is not a factor that influences perception?

A)target
B)situation
C)perceiver
D)society

Question 48

Which of the following is not a true statement about the fully rational decision making model?

A)Every potential solution gets a full and complete evaluation.
B)All alternatives are considered.
C)The initial order in which alternatives are evaluated is very important.
D)None of the above statements are true.

Question 49

Which of the following is not an assumption of the rational decision- making model?

A)maximum payoff
B)decision criteria change
C)problem clarity
D)no time or cost constraints

Question 50

The optimising decision- maker is:

A)creative.
B)innovative.
C)satisfying.
D)rational.

Question 51

You are part of making a decision about the appropriateness of discontinuing research on a new drug.This new drug would save lives,but it is uncertain whether you can develop it within a reasonable time frame and at a reasonable cost.Your firm has already spent a small fortune on researching this d rug.You have gathered so much information in preparation to making the decision that you are unable to sort the good information from the superfluous. You decide to spend more money on the project because you believe you might be viewed as responsible if the project failed.You are guilty of:

A)satisficing.
B)availability heuristic.
C)representative heuristic.
D)escalation of commitment.

Question 52

Which of the following is not listed in your text as a criterion for making ethical choices?

A)justice
B)rights
C)utilitarianism
D)satisficing

Question 53

One of the shortcuts used to judge others involves evaluating a person based on how he/she compares to other recently encountered individuals on the same characteristic.This shortcut is known as:

A)prejudice.
B)selective perception.
C)contrast effects.
D)halo effect.

Question 54

Decisions made so as to provide the greatest good for the greatest number are based on:

A)rights.
B)profit.
C)utilitarianism.
D)justice.

Question 55

is an unconscious process created out of distilled experience.

A)Intuitive decision making
B)Bounded rationality
C)Satisficing
D)Optimising decision making

Question 56

Which of the following is an example of externally caused behaviour?

A)An employee is late because of a major accident that tied up traffic.
B)An employee was fired because he was always tardy.
C)An employee was fired because he did not possess the necessary skills.
D)An employee is late because he was partying late and then overslept.

Question 57

The more consistent a behaviour,the more the observer is inclined to:

A)attribute it to consensus.
B)attribute it to internal causes.
C)attribute it to external causes.
D)attribute it to proximity.

Question 58

If everyone who is faced with a similar situation responds in the same way,attribution theory states that the behaviour shows:

A)consensus.
B)consistency.
C)reliability.
D)similarity.

Question 59

Research on what game has provided an excellent example of how intuition works?

A)backgammon
B)soccer
C)cricket
D)chess

Question 60

Which of the following is not descriptive of performance evaluation?

A)Subjective measures are easier to implement by providing managers greater discretion.
B)It is dependent on the perceptual process.
C)It is closely tied to an employee's future.
D)It is best to use subjective measures which are less judgmental.

Question 61

Susan is involved in making a very important decision for her university.The university is searching for a new president and Susan is a member of the committee.She wants to make certain that all information is considered and the best candidate is chosen. Susan wants the committee to produce novel and useful ideas and has decided she should stimulate:

A)clarity.
B)consensus.
C)diversity.
D)creativity.

Question 62

The rational decision- making model assumes the problem is clear and unambiguous.

Question 63

The tendency for individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors while putting the blame for failures on external factors is called the fundamental attribution error.

Question 64

Creativity's greatest value in helping decision makers is by helping them analyse alternatives.

Question 65

is when one person inaccurately perceives a second person and the resulting expectations cause the second person to behave in ways consistent with the original perception.

A)A self- fulfilling prophecy
B)A self- serving bias
C)Stereotyping
D)A fundamental attribution error

Question 66

The term "whistle- blowers" refers to people who:

A)those who are prone to bias.
B)make wrong decisions.
C)report unethical practices
D)make satisficing decisions.

Question 67

Jackson continues to put money into car repair even though he knows the car is a "lemon." This is an example of anchoring bias.

Question 68

Intuitive decision making is a conscious process created out of experience.

Question 69

When managers see people as more homogeneous than they really are,managers are probably engaging in projection.

Question 70

Intuitive decision making is likely to occur in situations when variables are less scientifically predictable.

Question 71

Perception refers to the way we organise and interpret the world around us.

Question 72

In attribution theory,"consensus" refers to whether an individual displays different behaviours in different situations.

Question 73

Negative information exposed early in an interview tends to be more heavily weighted than if the same information were conveyed later.

Question 74

Elements in the surrounding environment are ignored in our perceptions.

Question 75

It has been well documented that individuals escalate commitment to a failing course of action when they view themselves as responsible for the failure.

Question 76

The justice criterion for decision making requires that individuals impose and enforce rules fairly and impartially so there is an equitable distribution of benefits and costs.

Question 77

Rational decision makers have no need for creativity.

Question 78

The Pygmalion effect is another name for the self- serving bias.

Question 79

Rational decision making is considered more socially desirable than intuitive decision making.

Question 80

Andy is a project manager within a large engineering company.Having had vast experience in the area,Andy will sometimes deviate a little from the project plan.His team member Sarah finds no problem with this as he always manages to get the job done.Another team member Craig prefers things to be clearly stated and has been debating whether he should raise the issue with Andy. Which of the following applies here?

A)generate possible alternatives.
B)identify the decision criteria.
C)weight the decision criteria.
D)compute the optimal decision.